Damas (Melkite Greek Archdiocese) [Catholic-Hierarchy]

Bishop(s)

Nicolas Antiba, B.A., Patriarchal Vicar

Suffragan Dioceses

Zahleh e Furzol (Melkite Greek) (Archeparchy)

General Information

Type of Jurisdiction: Archdiocese
Erected: 3rd Century
Metropolitan See
Melkite Greek Catholic Church of the Byzantine Tradition
Country: Syrian Arab Republic
Official Web Site: http://pgc-sy.org
Mailing Address: Patriarcat Grec-Melkite Catholique, B.P. 22249, avenue Az-Zeitoon 12, Bab Charki, Damas, Syrie
Telephone: (011)544.10.30; 544.65.29
Fax: 541.79.00

Past and Present Ordinaries

Cyril VI (Séraphim) Tanas † (1 Oct 1724 Confirmed - 10 Jan 1760 Died)
Maximos II Hakim † (1 Aug 1760 Confirmed - 15 Nov 1761 Died)
Jérémie Arsène Karamé † ( 1763 Appointed - 1795 Died)
Théodose V (Athanase) Dahan, B.C. † (9 Jul 1764 Confirmed - 30 Mar 1788 Died)
Athanase IV Jaouhar (Jawhar) † (5 May 1788 Appointed - 2 Dec 1794 Died)
Cyril VII (François) Siaj (Siage) † (27 Jun 1796 Confirmed - 6 Aug 1796 Died)
Agapios III Matar, B.S. † (31 Aug 1796 Appointed - 21 Jan 1812 Died)
Ignace IV Sarrouf, B.C. † (21 Feb 1812 Appointed - 18 Nov 1812 Died)
Athanase IV Matar † (14 Aug 1813 Appointed - 20 Nov 1813 Died)
Macaire IV Tawil, B.S. † (28 Nov 1813 Appointed - 3 Dec 1815 Died)
Ignace V Cattan (Qattan) † (28 Jul 1817 Confirmed - 13 Mar 1833 Died)
Maximos III Michel Mazloum † (1 Feb 1836 Confirmed - 11 Aug 1855 Died)
Mélèce Fendé † ( 1849 Appointed - 1851 Appointed, Bishop of Baalbek (Melkite Greek))
Clément Bahous † (16 Jun 1856 Confirmed - 13 Aug 1864 Resigned)
Grégoire II Youssef (Sayyour) † (27 Mar 1865 Confirmed - 13 Jul 1897 Died)
Joannice Massamiri † ( 1881 Appointed - 13 Sep 1882 Died)
Peter IV Géraigiry † (24 Mar 1898 Confirmed - 24 Apr 1902 Died)
Ignazio Homsi † (12 May 1899 Appointed - 1908 Resigned)
Cyrille VIII Geha † (22 Jun 1903 Confirmed - 10 Jan 1916 Died)
Dimitrios I (Joseph) Cadi (Kadi) † (3 Jul 1919 Confirmed - 25 Oct 1925 Died)
Cyril IX Mogabgab † (21 Jun 1926 Confirmed - 8 Sep 1947 Died)
Maximos IV Saigh, S.M.S.P. † (21 Jun 1948 Confirmed - 5 Nov 1967 Died)
Maximos V (George) Hakim † (26 Nov 1967 Confirmed - 22 Nov 2000 Retired)
Grégoire III (Loutfi) Laham, B.S. (5 Dec 2000 Confirmed - 6 May 2017 Retired)
Youssef (Joseph) Absi, S.M.S.P. (13 Oct 2007 Appointed - 21 Jun 2017 Elected, Patriarch of Antiochia {Antioch} (Melkite Greek))
Nicolas Antiba, B.A. (9 Feb 2018 Appointed - )

Historical Summary

Date	Event	From	To
3rd Century	Erected		Archdiocese of Damas (Melkite Greek) (erected)

Year Catholics Total Population Percent Catholic Diocesan Priests Religious Priests Total Priests Catholics Per Priest Permanent Deacons Male Religious Female Religious Parishes Source

1980 68,000 20 4 24 2,833 4 25 16 ap1981

1990 90,000 28 8 36 2,500 8 41 18 ap1991

1999 110,000 34 7 41 2,682 1 7 47 19 ap2002

2002 140,000 33 6 39 3,589 1 6 47 19 ap2003

2003 200,000 36 8 44 4,545 1 8 13 17 ap2004

2004 200,000 36 8 44 4,545 1 8 19 18 ap2005

2006 200,000 32 8 40 5,000 1 8 14 18 ap2007

2009 150,000 38 8 46 3,260 1 8 13 20 ap2010

2010 150,000 33 8 41 3,658 1 8 38 20 ap2014

2016 3,000 6 3 9 333 3 3 30 8 ap2017

2019 3,000 6 3 9 333 3 3 30 8 ap2020

2021 3,000 6 6 12 250 6 18 22 ap2022

Year	Catholics	Diocesan Priests	Religious Priests	Total Priests	Catholics Per Priest	Permanent Deacons	Male Religious	Female Religious	Parishes	Source
1980	68,000	20	4	24	2,833		4	25	16	ap1981
1990	90,000	28	8	36	2,500		8	41	18	ap1991
1999	110,000	34	7	41	2,682	1	7	47	19	ap2002
2002	140,000	33	6	39	3,589	1	6	47	19	ap2003
2003	200,000	36	8	44	4,545	1	8	13	17	ap2004
2004	200,000	36	8	44	4,545	1	8	19	18	ap2005
2006	200,000	32	8	40	5,000	1	8	14	18	ap2007
2009	150,000	38	8	46	3,260	1	8	13	20	ap2010
2010	150,000	33	8	41	3,658	1	8	38	20	ap2014
2016	3,000	6	3	9	333	3	3	30	8	ap2017
2019	3,000	6	3	9	333	3	3	30	8	ap2020
2021	3,000	6	6	12	250		6	18	22	ap2022

Note: Any changes in boundaries over time are not indicated in the above table.

Affiliated Bishops, Deceased

Paul Achkar †
Clément Bahous † (Bishop: 16 Jun 1856 to 13 Aug 1864)
Dimitrios I (Joseph) Cadi (Kadi) † (Bishop: 3 Jul 1919 to 25 Oct 1925)
Ignace V Cattan (Qattan) † (Bishop: 28 Jul 1817 to 13 Mar 1833)
Elias Coueter †
Théodose V (Athanase) Dahan, B.C. † (Bishop: 9 Jul 1764 to 30 Mar 1788)
Joseph Dumáni, B.S. †
Mélèce Fendé † (Bishop: 1849 to 1851)
Cyrille VIII Geha † (Bishop: 22 Jun 1903 to 10 Jan 1916)
Peter IV Géraigiry † (Bishop: 24 Mar 1898 to 24 Apr 1902)
Maximos II Hakim † (Bishop: 1 Aug 1760 to 15 Nov 1761)
Maximos V (George) Hakim † (Bishop: 26 Nov 1967 to 22 Nov 2000)
Jacques Heliani †
Ignazio Homsi † (Patriarchal Vicar: 12 May 1899 to 1908)
Athanase IV Jaouhar (Jawhar) † (Bishop: 5 May 1788 to 2 Dec 1794)
Jérémie Arsène Karamé † (Bishop: 1763 to 1795)
Joannice Massamiri † (Patriarchal Vicar: 1881 to 13 Sep 1882)
Agapios III Matar, B.S. † (Bishop: 31 Aug 1796 to 21 Jan 1812)
Athanase IV Matar † (Bishop: 14 Aug 1813 to 20 Nov 1813)
Maximos III Michel Mazloum † (Bishop: 1 Feb 1836 to 11 Aug 1855)
Cyril IX Mogabgab † (Bishop: 21 Jun 1926 to 8 Sep 1947)
Maximos IV Saigh, S.M.S.P. † (Bishop: 21 Jun 1948 to 5 Nov 1967)
Ignace IV Sarrouf, B.C. † (Bishop: 21 Feb 1812 to 18 Nov 1812)
Cyril VII (François) Siaj (Siage) † (Bishop: 27 Jun 1796 to 6 Aug 1796)
Cyril VI (Séraphim) Tanas † (Bishop: 1 Oct 1724 to 10 Jan 1760)
Macaire IV Tawil, B.S. † (Bishop: 28 Nov 1813 to 3 Dec 1815)
Grégoire II Youssef (Sayyour) † (Bishop: 27 Mar 1865 to 13 Jul 1897)
Eutimio Zulhof, B.S. †

Archdiocese of Damas (Melkite Greek)

Archidioecesis Damascena Graecorum Melkitarum