Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon


The Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli is a nominally Metropolitan Archeparchy of the Syriac Orthodox Church in Lebanon. It serves Mount Lebanon, Tripoli, and the South Governorate. The incumbent metropolitan of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli is Mor Chrysostomos Mikhael Chamoun.

History

Ishoʿ, bishop of Tripoli, also known as Bar Parson of Edessa, is mentioned in in the Ecclesiastical Chronicle of Barhebraeus. Philoxenus George ibn Qaraman was metropolitan of Hardine, Hama, and Tripoli in 1483–1504. Tripoli is also attested as a diocese under Patriarch Ignatius Noah of Lebanon with the bishops Philoxenus George and Cyril. Tripoli was included in the title of Gregorius Joseph Kurdji, metropolitan of Jerusalem in 1510–1537, and John of Karkar, metropolitan of Jerusalem. Balamand Monastery was reportedly Syriac Orthodox until 1603.
In the aftermath of the Sayfo, most of the Syriac Orthodox Christians at Adana took refuge at Tripoli in 1919. The Church of Saint Ephrem at Tripoli was built in 1958. The archdiocese was created in 1973 by Patriarch Ignatius Ya'qub III. It was carved out of the Archdiocese of Beirut. The Church of Saint Jacob of Serugh at Bushriye was built with episcopal offices by Theophilus George Saliba, metropolitan of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, in 1983. By 1998, most of the Syriac Orthodox Christians in Lebanon lived in the archdiocese of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli. The archdiocese had 5 clergy in 2005, including 4 at Bushriye and 1 at Tripoli.

Ecclesiastical properties

The following ecclesiastical properties belong to the archdiocese:

List of archbishops

The following is a list of incumbents of the see:
  • Theophilus George Saliba
  • Chrysostomos Mikhael Chamoun