The Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, that has been convening its meetings since Monday June 19 in ‘Ain Terez in Alay, Lebanon, has elected Bishop Joseph Absi
as a new patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic.

Joseph Absi, SMSP, born on June 20, 1946 in Damascus, Syria, has been the archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and since 2007 patriarchal vicar from the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Damascus.

Joseph Absi was on May 6, 1973 ordained priest and became Chaplain of the Missionary Society of Saint Paul. On June 22, 2001 he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Tarsus of Greek Melkites and Curial Bishop and Auxiliary Bishop in the Melkite Patriarchate.

Melkite Patriarchate of Antioch Gregory III Laham was his consecrator and the co-consecrators were Archbishop Jean Mansour, SMSP, titular archbishop of Apamea in Syria dei Greco-Melkiti and Archbishop Joseph Kallas, SMSP, Archeparch of Beirut and Jbeil, on September 2, 2001. From 2001 to 2006 he was Superior General of his religious community. Since 2007 he is Patriarchal Vicar in the Archdiocese of Damascus and triggered Archbishop Isidore Battikha from the office of Archbishop of Homs. He assisted as co-consecrator at the Episcopal Ordination of Yasser Ayyash, Archbishop of Petra and Philadelphia in Jordan.