Jean-Clément Jeanbart

Jean-Clément Jeanbart (born on 3 March 1943 in Aleppo, Syria) is a Melkite archbishop, who currently serves as the Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Aleppo and Apostolic Visitor in Western Europe of the Greek Melkites.

Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart (2016).

Life

Jean-Clément Jeanbart was ordained to the priesthood on April 15, 1968, and was consecrated as Chaplain of the Aleppinian Basilians. He was appointed to succeed the deceased Néophytos Edelby as Archbishop of Aleppo on August 2, 1995.[1] The Patriarch of Antioch Maximos V Hakim ordained him to the episcopacy on September 16, 1995, assisted by co-consecrators, Archbishops François Abou Mokh BS and Habib Bacha SMSP.[1] Jeanbart was appointed Apostolic Visitor in Western Europe of the Greek Melkites in 1999.[2][3] He served as a principal co-consecrator for the consecration of Archbishop Nikolaki Sawaf of Latakia on March 4, 2000.[1] After the outbreak of Syrian Civil War in Syria in August 2012, his residence was in Aleppo.

In October, 2015, he pleaded with the UK government to stop backing opposition forces in the Syrian Civil War. He stated that the war was "a contest between a modern secular state and jihadis who were destroying its culture and massacring religious minorities."[4]

When Patriarch Gregory III Laham resigned on May 6, 2017, Jeanbart became administrator of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church until the election of the new Patriarch Youssef Absi.[5]

In October 2019, Jeanbart said that the Turkish offensive into north-eastern Syria is "another source of violence we would rather have done without." Jeanbart said this is concerning because it will in fact lead to the creation of an extra-territorial pocket within another nation.[6]

Relations with Islam in the Middle East

At the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (Catholic) for the Middle East, Jeanbart said, "I suggest (given the emigration of Christians) to spread optimism among our faithful about their future in the country. Our countries are yet not without resources and values! Let us learn to be friends of our Muslim brothers; helping them to open to us!"[7]

References
  1. Archbishop Jean-Clément Jeanbart Catholic-Hierarchy.org
  2. Metropolitan Archdiocese of Aleppo, Syria (Greek-Melkite Rite) GCatholic.org
  3. Bischofsernennungen und -rücktritte im Jahr 1999 unter Hl. Johannes Paul II. Die Apostolische Nachfolge (German)
  4. Syrian archbishop pleads for UK to stop backing anti-Assad Islamist groups, 16 October 2015, The Independent
  5. Rinuncia del Patriarca di Antiochia dei Greco-Melkiti
  6. "Archbishop of Aleppo condemns Turkish military offensive in northeast Syria - Vatican News". www.vaticannews.va. October 10, 2019.
  7. Vatican Radio - Middle East Synod: In Iraq, signs of hope.
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