Elie Bechara Haddad, BS (born 28 January 1960) is a Lebanese prelate of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church who has been the Archeparch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon since 2007.
Biography
editElie Bechara Haddad was born on 28 January 1960 in Ablah, Lebanon, under the Beqaa Governorate. He made his religious vows in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer of the Melkite Basilians on 3 September 1983. After the subsequent formation of priests, he was on 9 July 1986 ordained to the priesthood.
After his ordination he studied Civil Law in Rome and received his PhD in 1994 at the Pontifical Lateran University in Canon law. He was Chairman of the Appellate court in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 1995 Haddad was elected consecrated Archimandrite and office manager of the Patriarchal office in Raboué. In 1990 he was appointed chaplain of the "Movement of Apostolate of Children (IMAC)" in Lebanon. From 1990 to 2001 Haddad was secretary of his order and directed the Seminary of the Basilians. From 2001 to 2006 he taught canon law at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, the Sagessa University in Beirut and in the Saint Paul Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Harissa.
The Synod of the Melkite bishops elected him on 11 October 2006 to succeed Georges Kwaïter as Archbishop of Sidon.[1] On 27 January 2007 Pope Benedict XVI confirmed his appointment.[2] Haddad was consecrated by Melkite Patriarch of Antioch Gregory III Laham. The co-consecrators were Georges Kwaïter and Joseph Kallas of Beirut and Byblos.
On 31 January 2021, Pope Francis appointed him apostolic administrator of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre.[3]
Views
editHaddad participated in the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the Middle East that met in Rome in October 2010.[4] He decried the emigration of Christians from Lebanon and their land sales that demonstrate they do not intend to return. He said the Eastern Churches connected to Rome need to demonstrate mutual solidarity to prevent Christianity from disappearing. He called for the Church to distinguish clearly between Islam on the whole and certain fundamentalist movements within Islam. He asked for "a more sustainable form of support for the Oriental Churches" on the part of Rome that would recognize its role in economic development to tie Christians to their ancestral localities and create jobs.[5]
References
edit- ^ "Die Apostolische Nachfolge" (in German). Archived from the original on 2 July 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "Rinunce e Nomine, 27.01.2007" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 21 January 2007. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
- ^ "Rinunce e nomine, 31.01.2021" (Press release) (in Italian). Holy See Press Office. 31 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
- ^ "2010.10.18-20. RomReise". Collegium Orientale Eichstätt (in German). Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ "Bischof: Christentum könnte aus dem Libanon verschwinden". Liborius.de (in German). Archived from the original on 4 August 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
External links
edit
- "Archbishop Elie Bechara Haddad, B.S." Catholic Hierarchy.