Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus
The Syriac Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus is a nominally Metropolitan archeparchy (Eastern Catholic archdiocese) of the Syriac Catholic Church (Antiochian Rite in Syriac language) for part of Syria, without suffragans and is subordinated to the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch. It has its cathedral archiepiscopal see in the Syrian national capital Damascus (Dimašq / Aš-Šām).
Archeparchy of Damascus (Syrian) Archidioecesis Damascena Syrorum | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Syria |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2013) 14,000 |
| Parishes | 5 |
| Information | |
| Denomination | Syriac Catholic Church |
| Rite | Antiochene Rite |
| Established | 1633 |
| Cathedral | Syriac Catholic Cathedral of Saint Paul |
| Secular priests | 7 |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Patriarch | Ignatius Joseph III Younan |
| Archeparch | Youhanna Jihad Battah |
History
It was established in 1633 in its present status, on territory previously without proper Ordinary for the particular church sui iuris.
It enjoyed a papal visits from Pope John Paul II in May 2001.
Ordinaries
(all West Syriac Rite)
Metropolitan Archeparchs (Archbishops) of Damascus (West Syriac Rite) Metropolitan Archbishops of Damascus
(incomplete : first centuries unavailable)
- Clément Michel Bakhache (1900.09.24 – 1922.08.03), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Chalcedon of the Syriacs (1922.08.03 – death 1958.07.04)
- Grégoire Pierre Habra (1924.03.24 – death 1933.03.21), previously Archeparch (Archbishop) of Mossul of the Syriacs (Iraq) (1901.08.16 – 1924.03.24)
- Iwannis Georges Stété (1933.10.16 – 1968.08.20), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Bostra (1968.08.20 – 1975.02.27)
- Clément Abdulla Eliane Rahal (1968.08.20 – death 1971.05.30)
- Clément Georges Schelhoth (1972.07.07 – 1978.09.04), later Auxiliary Eparch of the patriarchate Antioch of the Syriacs (Lebanon) (1978.09.04 – 1979), emeritate as Titular Archbishop of Hierapolis in Syria of the Syriacs (1978.09.04 – 1991.10.04)
- Eustathe Joseph Mounayer (1978.09.04 – 2001.05.15), previously Titular Bishop of Hierapolis in Syria of the Syriacs (1971.05.10 – 1978.09.04) & Auxiliary Bishop of the patriarchate Antioch of the Syriacs (Lebanon) (1971.05.10 – 1978.09.04), later Bishop of Curia of the Syriacs (2001.05.15 – retired 2006)
- Gregorios Elias Tabé (2001.06.24 – 2019.06.22), succeeding as former Coadjutor Archeparch of Damascus of the Syriacs (1999.05.08 – 2001.06.24); previously Titular Bishop of Batnæ of the Syriacs (1995.06.24 – 1996.05.25) & Auxiliary Bishop of Antioch of the Syriacs (Lebanon) (1995.06.24 – 1997), Titular Bishop of Mardin of the Syriacs (1996.05.25 – 1999.05.08) & Bishop of Curia of the Syriacs (1997 – 1999.05.08)
- Youhanna Jihad Battah (2019.07.12 - ...)