Elie Bechara Haddad
Elie Bechara Haddad, BS[1] (born on 28 January 1960 in Ablah (Beqaa Governorate), Lebanon), is the reigning Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon.
Life
On September 3, 1983 Elie Bechara Haddad made his religious vows in the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer of the Melkite Basilians. After the subsequent formation of priests, he was on 9 July 1986 ordained to the priesthood.
After his ordination he studied Civil Law in Rome and received his PhD in 1994 at the Pontifical Lateran University in Canon law. He was Chairman of the Appellate court in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. In 1995 Haddad was elected consecrated Archimandrite and office manager of the Patriarchal office in Raboué. In 1990 he was appointed chaplain of the "Movement of Apostolate of Children (IMAC)" in Lebanon. From 1990 to 2001 Haddad was secretary of his order and directed the Seminary of the Basilians. From 2001 to 2006 he taught canon law at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut, the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, the Sagessa University in Beirut and in the Saint Paul Institute of Theology and Philosophy in Harissa.
Archbishop of Sidon
The Synod of the Melkite bishops elected him on 11 October 2006, as successor of the Archbishop Georges Kwaïter.[2] This choice was on 27 January 2007 by Pope Benedict XVI and confirmed on March 24, 2007. Haddad was consecrated by Melkite Patriarch of Antioch Gregory III Laham. As co-consecrators assisted the archbishops Georges Kwaïter and Joseph Kallas of Beirut and Jbeil.
The situation in the Middle East
Archbishop Haddad was a participant in the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (Catholic) on the Middle East in Rome[3] and moved into a clear position on the situation of Christians in Lebanon.
"He spoke in the Middle East Synod at the Vatican by an increased emigration of Christians from the country, as evidenced by the widespread speech on Thursday. The sale of land from a Christian owned currently developing as a "dangerous phenomenon," Haddad said. This could be a threat to the Christian presence in Lebanon, to their disappearance. Haddad called the Eastern Churches connected to Rome on mutual solidarity in order to avert this danger. In addition, the Archbishop called for a change in attitude of the Church towards Islam, which clearly distinguishes between Islam generally and some fundamentalist movements. Haddad spoke out in favor of a more sustainable form of support for the Oriental Churches. This would strip the character of a utility and become a development concept to tie the Christians to their ancestral places and to create jobs."[4]