Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Batroun
Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Batroun (in Latin: Eparchia Botryensis Maronitarum) is an eparchy of the Maronite Church located in Batroun, Lebanon. In 2012 there were 70,000 baptized. It is currently governed by Eparch Mounir Khairallah.
Eparchy of Batroun (Maronite) Eparchia Botryensis Maronitarum | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Lebanon |
Metropolitan | Immediately subject to the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch |
Statistics | |
Population - Catholics (including non-members) | (as of 2012) 70,000 (n/a%) |
Parishes | 66 |
Information | |
Sui iuris church | Maronite |
Rite | West Syro-Antiochene Rite |
Established | 5 June 1999 |
Cathedral | Saint Stephen Cathedral |
Current leadership | |
Pope | Francis |
Patriarch | Bechara Boutros al-Rahi |
Eparch | Mounir Khairallah |
Bishops emeritus | Paul-Emile Saadé |
Territory and statistics
The diocese has its seat in Batroun, in the North Governorate, where is located the Saint Stephen Cathedral. In 2012 there were 70,000 Maronite Catholics and its territory was divided into 66 parishes.
History
The eparchy, which includes Catholic bishops since the seventeenth century, in 1678 was united to the eparchy of Byblos. It was canonically erected by the Maronite Synod of Mount Lebanon in 1736. In 1848 it became an eparchy of the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch. On June 9, 1990 it was separated from the eparchy of Byblos and united to Joubbé and Sarba (today Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Joubbé, Sarba and Jounieh).
The last division took place on June 5, 1999, when the Eparchy of Batroun became an independent ecclesiastical structure. From this date it is not governated by Maronite patriarch.[1]
Eparchs
Seat of the Patriarch (1848-1999)
- Maronite Patriarch of Antioch
Eparchs
- Paul-Emile Saadé, (June 5, 1999 - June 5, 2011 withdrawn)
- Mounir Khairallah, (since 16 January 2012)
Sources
- Annuario Pontificio, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Città del Vaticano, 2003, ISBN 88-209-7422-3.
- http://booksnow1.scholarsportal.info/ebooks/oca3/1/dictionnairedhis09bauduoft/dictionnairedhis09bauduoft.pdf, vol. IX, Paris 1937, col. 1421.
See also
References
- vatican.va
- Papal brief Not possumus in: Juris pontificii de propaganda fide, vol. III, p. 289.]
- Boutros Fahd, Batarikat al-mawarina wa-asaqifatahum 18th century, p. 454.]