Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre[1] (Latin: Archeparchy Tyrensis Graecorum Melkitarum) is a metropolitan see of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 2009 there were 3,100 baptized. It is currently governed by an Apostolic Administrator, Archbishop Elie Bechara Haddad, B.S., because of the 31 January 2021 removal of Archeparch Michael Abrass, BA.
The archeparchy includes the southwestern part of Lebanon, corresponding to the District of Tyre in the South Governorate and neighbouring areas in the Nabatieh Governorate, altogether some 1,500 km2.[2] Its archeparchial seat is the city of Tyre with the CathedralofSaint Thomas.
In 2011, the territory was divided into twelve parishes:[3]
In Yaroun, the Melkite nuns of the Sœurs Basiliennes Salvatoriennes have been running a primary school, as well as a health care center in cooperation with the Order of Malta.[5] Tebnine has been housing a school by the Melkite nuns of the Sœurs Basiliennes Choueirites since 1995,[6] which was expanded to become a secondary school after 2006.[2]
By 2017, the number of parishes was down to ten,[7] though it had been as low as eight already in 1981 and nine from 1991 to 2005. Some of these changes in numbers may have been due to changes of administrative boundaries though.[8] However, they are obviously also a consequence of falling membership figures:
From 1950 to 2005, the number of registered followers fluctuated between 6,000 and 9,000,[8] yet after the July 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War, the community membership soon dropped to just above 3,000. By 2017, it further diminished to 2,857.[7]
The historical origin of the archeparchy is traced back to the New Testament. In Acts of Apostles, the church of Tyre (also Tyros) is mentioned in the missionary journey of Paul the Apostle "From Miletus about Caesarea to Jerusalem" (Acts 21.3 to 7 EU). Tyre was an ancient metropolitan see in Roman and Byzantine Empire. During the Crusades an archdiocese of the Latin rite was erected . The Roman Catholic Church built around 1124 the Archdiocese of Tyre, the territory encompassed the city and region of Tyre. Since Tyre was conquered in 1291 by the Muslim Mamluks, the archdiocese became titular.
1968 plaque at Saint Thomas commemorating Haddad's efforts
In 1724, one year after Saifi's death, his nephew Seraphim Tanas, who had studied in Deir el Moukhallès, was elected as Patriarch Cyril VI of Antioch. He quickly affirmed the union with Rome and thereby the separation from the Greek Orthodox Church,[11] which was officially recognised by the Vatican five years later.[9]
The Melkite Cathedral of Saint Thomas was built in 1752 and features a facade of Gothic arches. It is situated next to the offices of the Archeparchy and the residence of the Archeparch. During excavations underneath the cathedral remains of the original church from the 12th century were discovered and preserved.[13]
In the ten years before the outbreak of the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), Bishop Georges Haddad developed close relations with the Shia leader SayyedMusa Sadr.[14] He also had a new seat of the archeparchy constructed and the historical Cathedral of Saint Thomas repaired.[15]
Archbishop Abrass in 2019
During the 1982 Lebanon War, on 7 June, Haddad reportedly succeeded in halting a tank attack by the invading Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) single-handedly in a bold appeal to the IDF commander in order to avoid civilian casualties.[16]
Nevertheless, the Waqf as the financial endowment of the Archeparchy, which owns land and other property holdings, is still one of the main non-governmental stakeholders in the informal governance of Tyre.[20]
^ abRoberson, Ronald (28 July 2017). "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2017"(PDF). Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). p. 6. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
^Roberson, Ronald (28 July 2017). "The Eastern Catholic Churches 2017"(PDF). Catholic Near East Welfare Association (CNEWA). p. 6. Archived from the original(PDF) on 24 October 2018. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
^Maguire, Suzanne; Majzoub, Maya (2016). Osseiran, Tarek (ed.). TYRE CITY PROFILE(PDF). UN HABITAT Lebanon. p. 28.
