New Patriarch for Melkite Greek Catholic Church

New Patriarch for Melkite Greek Catholic Church BEIRUT, Nov. 29, 00 (CWNews.com) -- Archbishop Loutfi Laham has been elected as the new Patriarch of the Melkite Catholic Church. After his election by the Melkite synod, which is meeting in Lebanon this week, the new Patriarch chose the name Gregory III. He becomes the Patriarch of Antioch for the Melkite Church, and the leader of the 1 million faithful who belong to the Eastern-rite Church. The new patriarch is fully expected to obtain the prompt recognition of Pope John Paul II, and to extend the full communion between the Melkite Church and the Holy See.

Patriarch Gregory replaces Patriarch Maximos V Hakim, who was forced to resign at the age of 92 after suffering a serious stroke earlier this year.

The new Melkite spiritual leader was born in Daraya, near Damascus, in Syria in 1933. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1959, and to the episcopate in 1981.

The Melkite faithful are concentrated in the Middle East, in Syria, Lebanon, and the Holy Land; but there are also substantial numbers in the United States and Canada.