Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles (Patriarcat Grec Melkite Catholique)

Patriarch / Batiryark

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles (Patriarcat Grec Melkite Catholique) Election by the Holy Synod

Patriarch
Gregorios
III

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2001

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A new Patriarch / Batriyark of Antioch of the Greek Melkite Catholic Church / Patriarcat Grec Melkite Catholique was elected on November 29, 2000 by the Holy Synod. He is His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles (Patriarcat Grec Melkite Catholique)
The new Patriarch was Archbishop Lutfi Laham, formerly Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem.
He was granted "Ecclesiastical Communion" by Pope John Paul II on Dec. 5, 2000.
May God Grant him Many Years!

Text of letter Date: Friday, 15 December, 2000, From: Bishop John Elya, To:His Flock, Subject: New Patriarch / Batriyark of Antioch and all the East

By the grace of God, at the Electoral Synod of the Patriarchal Melkite Greek Catholic Church held at Rabweh, Lebanon on November 27-29, 2000, the Most Reverend Archbishop Lutfy Laham, Patriarchal Vicar of Jerusalem was elected as the new Patriarch / Batriyark of Antioch and all the East. The new Patriarch took the name of Grégoire (Gregory) III , following the famous Patriarch Gregory II Youssef, the great champion of Eastern traditions. Patriarch Maximos V Hakim had tendered his resignation to the Holy Synod on November 22, 2000. The attached picture shows the new Patriarch Grégoire (Gregory) III greeting his predecessor and asking for his blessing before the solemn Installation at the Patriarchal Chapel on November 29, 2000.

New Patriarch / Batriyark Takes the Name Gregorios III

Archbishop Lutfi Laham, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, took the name Gregorios III.
His Beatitude, the Regretted, Gregorios II, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles reigned from 1864 to 1897. He took a strong stand against the declaration of papal infallibility at the First Vatican Council in 1870.

After a Patriarch / Batriyark is elected by the Holy Synod, recent tradition is that the new Patriarch / Batriyark takes an new first name, which has been used by at least one previous Patriarch / Batriyark. The new Patriarch / Batriyark adds the appropriate Roman Numeral after the name to differentiate him from other Patriarchs / Batriyark bearings of that name.

Sometimes, the name of His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Of Alexandria and Jerusalem, is translated into English as "Gregory". Sometimes, His Beatitude, Gregorios III's, name is translated into French as "Grégoire". The Holy See uses the French translation.

Patriarchs do not use a last name.

New Patriarch / Batriyark Enthroned

The Holy Synod of the bishops of the Melkite Church elected Archbishop Lutfi Laham, Patriarchal Vicar in Jerusalem, to succeed His Beatitude, Maximos V, Patriarch / Batriyark of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles. His Beatitude, Maximos V, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Of Alexandria and Jerusalem, retired on 22 November, the 33rd anniversary of his election.

The new Patriarch was enthroned immediately.

Ecclesiastical Communion

His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch of the cities of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem, of Cilicia, Syria, Iberia, Arabia Mesopotamia, Pentapolis, Ethiopia, of all of Egypt and the entire East, Father of Fathers, Pastor of Pastors, Bishop of Bishops, the Thirteenth of The Holy Apostles, sent a letter announcing his election (accession to the throne) to His Holiness Ioannes Paulus II (John Paul II), Pope.. The Pope responded in a letter affirming Ecclesiastical Communion between the Melkite Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches.

Article and Picture His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Of Alexandria and Jerusalem Saint Ignatios of Antioch Melkite Greek Catholic Church

His Beatitude, Gregorios III, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Of Alexandria and Jerusalem (on left) with His Beatitude, the Retired, Maximos V, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Of Alexandria and Jerusalem (on right)

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center
Martha Liles
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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles), Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck), and Donna (Donna Bertha Liles Campbell). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000, Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001, and Donna fell asleep in the Lord on March 9, 2020.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.