George Abu Zakhem
George Abu Zakhem is a Syrian bishop of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. He was the metropolitan of Homs and Dependencies from 2000 to 2023.
Early life and education
Abu Zakhem was born in Arneh, Syria in 1949. Before priesthood, he obtained a Bachelor of Theology from the St. John of Damascus Institute, and a Master of Theology from the University of Thessaloniki. He was ordained into priesthood in 1980 and served as the Dean of St. John of Damascus institute. He was consecrated as a bishop in 1988.Bishop
Abu Zakhem was elected Metropolitan of Homs in 1999, and enthroned in 2000. In 2010 he headed a meeting held by Patriarch Ignatius IV of Antioch which discussed the importance of connecting with the youth and commitment to the Orthodox Christian tradition.During the Siege of Homs, all eleven churches in Hom's old city were heavily damaged or destroyed. Abu Zakhem accused rebel forces of lighting a church on fire. In September 15, 2022 he attended a ceremony to commemorate the Christians who have been killed in the war between 2011 and 2022.
In October 2023, Abu Zakhem retired. He was succeeded by George (Khouri).