Joseph Al-Zehlaoui
 |
Joseph | |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan of North America | |
_(cropped).jpg) Metropolitan Joseph in 2019 | |
| Church | Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch |
| Archdiocese | Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America |
| Elected | July 3, 2014 |
| Predecessor | Philip |
| Other post(s) | Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West (2004–2014) |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1976 (deacon) 1980 (priest) |
| Consecration | June 30, 1991 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 11, 1950 Damascus, Syria |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox |
| Alma mater | Lebanese University Salonika University |
Archbishop Joseph (born Al-Zehlaoui on November 2, 1950) is the Metropolitan of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America after the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East elected him as metropolitan at its meeting on July 3, 2014 at the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Northern Lebanon following the death of Metropolitan Philip Saliba. From September 12, 2004 to his election as Metropolitan in 2014, Joseph Al Zehlaoui was the first and only bishop of the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles and the West for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.[1][2]
Early years
Joseph G. Al-Zehlaoui or Joseph Zehlaoui (in Arabic جوزيف زحلاوي) was born on November 2, 1950, in Damascus, Syria to Georgi and Mathil (Baghdan) Al Zehlaoui. After receiving his elementary education at the St. John of Damascus and Al Assiyeh schools in Damascus, and his secondary education at Balamand Monastery in Koura, Northern Lebanon, he studied philosophy at Lebanese University in Beirut and theology, languages and music at Salonika University in Greece. He is fluent in Arabic, English and Greek.
He was ordained to the diaconate while a student in Salonica, in December, 1976. Subsequently, he was ordained to the priesthood by Patriarch Ignatius IV, at St. Mary Cathedral in Damascus in December, 1980. As a deacon, he served parishes in Salonica. As a priest, he was dean of St. Mary Cathedral of Damascus, and overseer of the Holy Cross Church and other parishes in the suburbs of Damascus. In 1983, he pastored the Arab Orthodox followers living in London, England, and in 1986 the Arab Orthodox community living in Cyprus.
His election to the episcopate was on May 5, 1991, and the consecration was on June 30, 1991, in the Holy Cathedral of the Patriarchate in Damascus with the title Bishop of Katana, Syria.
During his clerical ministry, he served as General Supervisor and Professor of Religious Education at the Al Assiyeh Orthodox College and supervised the Patriarchal headquarters in Damascus. Besides being the Patriarchal Assistant during the past several years, Bishop Joseph served as the secretary to the Holy Synod of Antioch, Editor-in-Chief of the Patriarchal Bulletin and participated in several theological conferences in Greece, Texas and Australia.
Service in the United States
.jpg)
At the request of Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) of New York, Al-Zehlaoui was selected by the Holy Synod of Antioch on January 24, 1995, to be an auxiliary bishop for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America.
Starting September 12, 2004, he was appointed as the first bishop of the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles and the West enthroned by Metropolitan Philip and the Local Holy Synod of the Archdiocese.
Following the death of Metropolitan Philip Saliba, the prior Antiochian Orthodox metropolitan (1966 - March 19, 2014), the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East convened on July 3, 2014 at the Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Northern Lebanon and elected him at its meeting as metropolitan of North America.
Allegations of Misconduct
On August 25, 2022, the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America posted a statement on their website announcing that an independent legal team is investigating an accusation that Metropolitan Joseph had violated the canons of the church.[3] On August 28, 2022, Patriarch John X of Antioch both acknoledged the accusations and assured the church that appropriate actions would be taken quickly. [4] Metropolitan Joseph issued a message to the American Archdiocese for the Ecclesiastical New Year but has made no public acknowledgement of the accusations as of September 1, 2022. [5]
Title
Al-Zehlaoui's full title is His Eminence, the Most Reverend Joseph, Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, Primate.
References
- ^ صاحب السيادة المتروبوليت جوزيف زحلاوي متروبوليت نيويورك وسائر أمريكا الشمالية (in Arabic)
- ^ An Nahar: جوزيف زحلاوي مطرانا للارثوذكس على أبرشية نيويورك وسائر أمريكا الشمالية (in Arabic)
- ^ Department of Communications. "A Message from the Antiochian Archdiocese". Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Statement From Patriarch John of Antioch" (PDF). Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ "Metropolitan Joseph's Message for the Ecclesiastical New Year". Antiochian Christian Archdiocese of North America. Retrieved 1 September 2022.