Patriarchate

The new patriarch was born in Damascus in 1946. He was or-dained a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul in 1973. In 1999 he became superior general of the society, and two years later was appointed curial bishop of the Melkite Patriarchate of Antioch. In 2007, he was appointed the Patriarchal Vicar of the Melkite Archdio-cese of Damascus.
During the 2010 Synod on the Middle East, then-Archbishop Jo-seph lamented the strife among the Eastern Catholic Churches, call-ing the struggle a “fount of impairment and false testimony,” accord-ing to VaticanInsider.
“The Christians of the East,” he said, “are all in the same boat, and confront the same struggle. They cannot be disinterested each in the other.”
The new patriarch holds licentiates in philosophy and theology, and a doctorate in musical sciences and Byzantine hymnography from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik in Lebanon. He has taught philosophy, Greek, and musicology at the university level.
Pope Francis wrote to Patriarch Joseph the day after his election, congratulating him and granting him ecclesiastical communion.
The Pope also noted the tribulation facing Christians in the region.
“The election of Your Beatitude comes at the time of a delicate situation for the venerable Greek-Melkite Church and when many Christian communities in the Middle East are called to bear wit-ness in a special way to their faith in the dead and risen Christ,” the Roman Pontiff said. “In this particularly difficult time, pastors are called upon to manifest communion, unity, closeness, solidarity, and transparency before the suffering people of God.
“I am certain that your Beatitude, in fraternal harmony with all the Synod Fathers, will know, in all evangelical wisdom, how to be not only Pater et Caput [Father and Head] in the service of the faithful of the Greek-Melkite Church, but also a faithful and authentic witness to the Risen One.”
1
- 100 thousand dollars for the Syrian people, from the Pope
- 1st International Congress in Syria: Muslim-Christian Brotherhood
2
- 24 Reflections and observations on the current situation in Syria
A
- A Patriarch on pilgrimage to the Undivided Robe
- Abandonment of Patriarchal Service
- Address to His Holiness the Pope while at the Cathedral of St. George in Amman, Jordan
- Aid to the Church in Need: England & Scotland
- Al Maryamiyah Joint Appeal
- Al-Azhar International Conference On Global Peace
- An Appeal for Help
- An Easter Card
- An Easter Card
- Announcement of a Synod for the Middle East
- Annual Ecumenical Christmas Meeting
- Antiochian Conference June 2014
- Appeal for Aleppo
- Appeal for human dignity after Ethiopian Christian Massacre
- Appeal for Peace
- Appeal for Prayer for Arab Countries
- Appeal for Protection of Civilians in Syria
- Appeal from Patriarch Gregorios III for Peace in Syria, Iraq, Palestine and the Whole Middle East
- Appeal of His Holiness Pope Francis for peace in “beloved” Syria
- Appeal of the Eastern Catholic Patriarchs
- Appeal on the occasion of recent events in Daraya
- Appeal to Arab Countries
- Appeal to Arab Kings, Presidents, and Leaders
- Appeal to Muslim religious leaders to support Geneva 2
- Appeal to Syria’s young people
- Appeal to the Western Heads of State
- Appeal to world leaders from Patriarch Gregorios III
- Arabic becomes a part of the Pope's General Audience
- Archiepiscopal Transferrals
- Archimandrite Nicolas Antiba Designated Metropolitan of Bosra, Hauran and Jabal Al Arab
- Assembly of Catholic Hierarchy in Syria
- Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy in Syria
- Attends the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs Meeting
- Austria: Melkite Patriarch on Visit
B
- Beshara Abou Mrad
- “Blessed are the peacemakers”
- Bound to live together: religions and cultures in dialogue
- Building Bridges with Christ
- Bulletins from the Episcopal Synod, October 2008, The Vatican
C
- Call for Solidarity and Prayer
- Call to Fasting and Prayer for Peace in Syria
- Call to pray for Syria on the eve of the Geneva 2 Conference
- Call to Prayer and Fasting
- Call to Prayer and Fasting for the Dormition
- Celebrating Pascha Together
- Celebration of 150 years of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society in Damascus
- Celebration of the Memory of Blessed John Paul II
- Celebrations for the Year of Consecrated Life in Damascus
- Chapter General of St. Lazarus & Feast of the Elevation of the Cross
- Christian Bloodbath in Baghdad's Cathedral of our Lady of Deliverance
- Christians and Muslims are fasting and praying together
- Christmas 2012 Call to Reconciliation by Patriarch Gregorios III
- Christmas Card
- Christmas Greetings 2009
- Christmas Letter 2008
- Christmas Letter 2010
- Christmas Letter 2011
- Christmas Letter 2013
- Close of the Holy Synod
- Close of the Holy Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- Close of the Melkite Synod
- Closing of the Holy Synod held June 16-21 2014
- Closing Statement of the Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchs in Syria
- Closure of the Year of Saint Paul
- Communiqué of the Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy in Syria
- Conclusion of Melkite Synod, 2015
- Conference on A Common Word and Future Muslim-Christian Engagement
- Correspondence with the Vatican
- Cyprus' Archbishop on Straight Street in the Steps of Saint Paul
D
- Damascus
- Damascus Old City: 60 children injured by shell-fire from criminal armed bands
- Day for Priests
- Day of fasting and prayer for peace in Syria
- Day of Fasting and Prayer for Syria
E
- Eastern Churches: Conferences at the Bocca della Verità
- Ecclesiology and Ecumenism
- Ecumenical Service held to commemorate the fallen
- Emergency Committee Appeal
- English Translation of the Introduction to Liturgical Services and their Symbolism in the Eastern Church
- Episcopal Ordination of Archimandrite Robert Rabbat
- Exodus: Syrian Patriarch criticizes German asylum policy
F
- Faiths and Cultures in Dialogue - The Patriarch at the Spirit of Assisi Congress in Krakow
- Feast of the Three Hierarchs
- Feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord God and Saviour, Jesus Christ
- Final declaration of the Episcopal Synod 2012
- Final Report of the Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy in Syria
- Final Report of the Melkite Holy Synod
- First Assembly of European Melkites
- First Meeting of the Presynodal Council for the Middle East
- First report on pastoral visit to Venezuela
- For Syria, reconciliation is the only lifeline
- “Foreign countries should keep out”
- Frankfurt’s smallest church
- François Hollande to Gregorios III
- Funeral of Archbishop Paul Antaki
- Funeral of Pope Shenouda III
G
- Golden Jubilee Of the Carmel of the Mother of God and Unity
- Good Wishes for Eid ul Fitr
- Good wishes for Eid ul Fitr 2014
- Good Wishes for Eid-ul-Adha 2013
- Good Wishes for Eid-ul-Fitr
- Good wishes of His Beatitude Gregorios III for Eid ul Fitr
- "Great leaders are those who know how to make peace"
- Greetings for Eid ul-Fitr
- Greetings from the Patriarch: Blessed Eid ul Adha 1435 AH
- Gregorios III receives European Union representatives
- Gregory III
H
- Hierarchy, Various
I
- "I'm going to pray"
- In Memoriam
- In Memoriam Archbishop Salim Ghazal, B.S.
- In the Steps of Saint Francis and Blessed John Paul
- Initiative for Peace in Syria
- Inspirational Conclusions on Migration
- International Catholic Migration Commission
- International Meeting of Prayer for Peace
- Islamic-Christian Dialogue
J
- Journey of Faith: Symposium of the German Initiative for the Middle East
- Jubilee celebration at the Cathedral of the Dormition in Alexandria
L
- Lenten Letter 2009
- Lenten Letter 2010
- Lenten Letter 2011
- Letter from Patriarch Gregorios III to President Mursi of Egypt
- Letter from Syriac Orthodox Metropolitan
- Letter on the Liturgy
- Letter to His Holiness from the Assembly of Catholic Hierarchy in Syria
- Letter to His Holiness from the Patriarch
- Light a Candle for Hope and Peace In Syria
M
- Materials Relating to the Synod
- Matter of Concern for Special Synod for the Middle East
- May the Year of Faith be the Year of Reconciliation
- Meeting about the Impact on Arab Countries of the Special Assembly
- Meeting of H.B. Gregorios III with H.H. Benedict XVI
- Meeting of Pope Francis with the Eastern Catholic Patriarchs
- Meeting of the Council of Eastern Catholic Patriarchs & Bishops of Alexandria in St. Stephanos' House, Maadi, Egypt
- Melkite Initiatives After the Synod
- Melkite Synod
- Melkite Synod meets with Pope Francis
- Memoriam for Rt. Rev. Archimandrite Xavier Eid
- Message of Three Syrian Patriarchs
- Message to the People of God
- Monks' Monday
- More on the Ecumenical Prayers for Syria
N
- New book on Divine Liturgy by Patriarch Gregorios III
- New Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Tripoli
- News from Ma'alula
- News from Syria and Lebanon
- News from the Patriarchate
- No to foreign military intervention in Syria
O
- Obituary for Archbishop Paul Antak
- On Bombing Iraqi Churches
- On the Beirut Bombings
- On the Enthronement of H.B. Sviatoslav (Shevchuk)
- On the enthronement of the new Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
- On the enthronement of the new Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church
- On the eve of the Geneva 2 Conference
- On the Eve of the Second Geneva Conference on Syria
- On the Occasion of the Closure of the Year of Saint Paul
- On the Occasion of the Opening of the Year of Saint Paul
- On the Paris attacks
- On the Renewal of the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- Open Letter Appeal to Western Leaders
- Opening of Holy Synod held June 16-21 2014
- Opening of the cause for the beatification and canonisation of the Apostle of Upper Egypt
- Opening of the Liqaa Meeting Center
- Opening Speech to the Holy Synod June 18 2012
- Opening Speech to the Melkite Holy Synod, 2015
P
- Panel 21 - A Christian Point of View on the Scriptures in Monotheistic Religions
- Papal Visit to Cyprus and Appeal for Christians in the Middle East
- Pastoral Letter to Our Priests
- Patriarch at Peace Prize Ceremony
- Patriarch Gregorios III speaks during the Episcopal Synod 2012
- Patriarch Gregorios III's Synod Speech of October 11, 2012
- Patriarch Gregorios III's visit to Ukraine
- Patriarch's 2014 Christmas Letter
- Patriarch's 2015 Christmas Letter
- Patriarch's 2015 Lenten Letter
- Patriarch's 2015 Paschal Letter
- Patriarch's 2016 Christmas Letter
- Patriarch's 2016 Lenten Letter
- Patriarch's 2016 Paschal Letter
- Patriarch's 2017 Lenten Letter
- Patriarch's 2017 Paschal Letter
- Patriarch's 2020 Paschal Letter
- Patriarch's Appeal to the World’s Conscience
- Patriarch's Christmas Letter 2010
- Patriarch's Journal: 26 March 2012
- Patriarch's Lenten Letter 2004
- Patriarch's Lenten Letter 2012
- Patriarch's Lenten Letter 2013
- Patriarch's Lenten Letter 2014
- Patriarch's Letter on Beirut
- Patriarch's Letter to Pope Francis on Great and Holy Friday
- Patriarch’s opening address at the Synod
- Patriarch's Pascha Letter 2008 - Christ the New Passover
- Patriarch's Pascha Letter 2010 - Celebrating Pascha Together
- Patriarch's Pascha Letter 2011 - The Arab World's Way of the Cross
- Patriarch's Pascha Letter 2013 - Preach the Gospel
- Patriarch's Paschal Letter 2012 - Love is stronger than death
- Patriarch's Paschal Letter 2014
- Patriarch's Ramadan greetings to Muslims
- Patriarch's statement after terrorist explosions in Damascus’ Mazraa district
- Patriarch's Visit to Egypt
- Patriarch's Visit to India March 2010
- Patriarchal Letter on the Regensburg Lecture of Pope Benedict XVI
- Patriarchal visit to Great Britain
- Patriarchate - Relief Committee
- Patriarchs of the Melkite Church
- Patriarchs’ Message to their faithful and to their fellow-citizens in Syria
- Paul and the Dialogue of Cultures in the East
- Peace for Ma'alula
- Peace Pilgrimage – Paris 7-8 March 2012
- Peace Pilgrimage – Rome 13-19 March 2012
- Peace, living together and Christian presence in the Middle East
- Peace, Living Together and the Christian Presence in the Middle East
- Pilgrimage fraught with expectation and hope
- Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Pilgrims from all over the world to meet in the Marian city of Kevelaer, Germany
- Pope Benedict XVI at Harissa with Patriarch Gregorios III
- Pope Benedict XVI speaks about Syria
- Pope Francis in the Holy Land
- Post-pilgrimage Message
- Practical Guidance for Celebrating the Year of Saint Paul
- Prayer for Divine Mercy to accompany the Peace Efforts for Syria
- Prayer for the People of Iraq
- Preliminary Report on Emergency Aid
- Premiere of Damascus and Celebrate at Saint Maria in Cosmedin
- Presence and Witness
- Program for Pastoral Visit of Patriarch to Venezuela
R
- Ramadan and the Apostles' Fast 2015
- “Rebuild people and stones: restore souls and homes”
- Reflection on the Synod to Arab Kings, Presidents, and Leaders
- Reflections on a plane
- Reflections on the anti-takfiri coalition
- Remarks at the 2008 Lambeth Conference
- Report of the Holy Synod, June 1-5, 2009
- Report on aid to displaced persons
- Report on the Archbishopric and the Syrian Crisis
- Report on the Bimillennial Year of the Birth of Saint Paul
- Report on the social, spiritual and economic situation
- Repose of H. B. Nerses Bedros XIX
- Repose of Mgr Kwaiter
- Respect for the faith of others
- Rev Joseph GEBARA
- Review of the Patriarch's Book - I Am With You Always
- Role and Function of the Priest
S
- Sardinia will welcome Gregorios III Laham
- Schedule of Visit to Latin America
- Second report on pastoral visit to Venezuela
- Sermon on the Closure of the Year of St. Paul
- Sermon Preached at Pentecost During Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
- Session 7 - Contribution of Patriarch Gregorios III
- Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops
- Speech at Kaslik University
- Speech for the Opening of the Melkite Holy Synod
- Speech of His Beatitude to His Holiness
- Speech to The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Holy Synod
- Spiritual summit at Bkerkeh Lebanon
- Standing Conference of Middle Eastern Christian & Muslim Religious Leaders
- Statement from Their Holinesses and Beatitudes the Patriarchs of Syria
- Statement of the Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy in Syria
- Statement of the Assembly of the Catholic Hierarchy of Syria
- Statement on Palestinian recognition from Patriarch Gregorios III
- Synod Elects Patriarch
- Syria
- Syria: Christmas 2011
- Syria: Gregorios III appeals to Pope Francis for help
- Syrian Patriarch calls for unity among Christians
- Syrian-born patriarch: 'Enough with the intervention'
T
- The 2008 Lambeth Conference
- “The Church is close to people”
- The Church of Damascus praying and fasting
- The Crisis in Syria and the Humanitarian Aid Challenge
- The Final Statement of the Holy Synod's June 2013 Meeting
- The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Brave Peace
- The Recent Attack on Al-Hasakah villages
- The Tragedy of Syrian Emigration
- The Wisdom of the Attitude of His Holiness the Pope and the Vatican to the Syrian Crisis
- Third Reunion of the Presynodal Council for the Middle East
- Thoughts on the Syrian crisis in its fifth year
- Thoughts on the tragic Syrian emigration
U
- “Unprecedented Barbarity: People say, Enough”
V
- Visit by Cardinal Sandri to Patriarch Gregorios
- Visit to Malta and Sicily
- Visit to Munich's Ecumenical Kirchentag
W
- “We are living God’s today.”
- We ought to have a pope
- Why attack places of worship, and especially churches?
- Women and their role in an era of change
- Words of reflection after the events in Ma'alula