Pope appoints Lebanese priests to oversee the dioceses of the Eastern Churches

Pope Francis selected three Lebanese Catholic priests to lead some of the most significant dioceses in the Eastern Catholic Churches, a decision considered “another evidence of care for that country’s clergy and faithful” by Vatican watchers.

The Pope gave his approval to the appointment of Rev. Joseph Abdel-Jalil Chami as archbishop of Hassake-Nisibi, Syria.

Rev. Elie Joseph Warde was named bishop of the Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Cairo and patriarchal vicar for Sudan and South Sudan, and Rev. Jules Boutros was assigned to the Syrian Patriarchal Curia of Antioch.

According to a bulletin published by the Vatican Press Office, all of the new bishops were born in Lebanon, where they finished all of their theological studies.

The Catholic Church in Lebanon is often regarded as the most prominent and powerful in the Middle East, accounting for about half of the Christian population today.

“This clearly represents a further sign of attention by Pope Francis toward the clergy and the faithful who live in Lebanon, an Arab country where the Catholic presence has historically been remarkable, and the cohabitation between different religions is fruitful,” Fr. Giuseppe Ciutti, an Italian priest who spent time in Iraq, told media.

He added that the pontiff “has always expressed his closeness and appreciation for Lebanese Christians.”

The pope’s scheduled trip to Lebanon next month was canceled because the 85-year-old Francis was unable to walk owing to a flare-up of discomfort in his right knee, as well as a long-term condition of sciatica, which causes agony in the legs.

The Lebanese government had announced the trip for June 12-12. The Vatican never officially acknowledged the trip, although the pope mentioned it in recent interviews multiple times. It will now most likely take place in the autumn.

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