Melkite Greek Catholic Church

St. George Melkite Greek Catholic Church is a parish within the Melkite Greek Catholic Church.

Melkites are the present day Catholics:

• Who are the Church of Antioch (Patriarchate [See] of Antioch)
  "... and it was at Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians." (Acts 11:26)
• Who are in Ecclesiastical Communion with the Holy See of Rome
  Ecclesiastical Communion means that Melkites recognize the Holy See of Rome and that direct successor (the Patriarch of the West) of The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Peter "in the primacy". That direct successor, the Patriarch of the West, is the "first among equals". "Equals" are the other Patriarchs, one of which is The Patriarch of Antioch . (The Patriarch of Antioch is also a direct successor of The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Peter, but he is not "in the primacy".)
  The title given to the Patriarch of the West (Holy See of Rome) as the direct successor of The Holy, Glorious and Illustrious Prince of the Apostles Peter "in the primacy" is "Pope". The current Patriarch of the West and Pope is His Holiness Benedictus XVI (Benedict XVI).

The "Melkite Greek Catholic Church" is also called the "Church of Antioch". Other names are "Grec Melkite Catholique", and "Roum Melkite Catholique".

In 325 A.D. at the Council of Nicaea, the Patriarchates (Sees) of Rome, Antioch, and Alexandria were established. Antioch was both a territorial and juridical entity. The bishops of these Patriarchates (Sees) were given the title of Patriarch (Batiryark).

The Patriarchate of Antioch is also called "See of Antioch", "Patriarcat Grec Melkite Catholique", and "Patriarcat Roum Melkite Catholique". The Patriarchate of Antioch has three Sees:

• See of Antioch, which is headquartered in Bab-Charqi-Damascus, Syria and Raboueh-Antelias, Lebanon
• See of Alexandria, which is headquartered in Cario, Egypt
• See of Jerusalem, which is headquartered in Jerusalem

The Patriarchate of Antioch world-wide. However, the Patriarchate of Antioch is centered in Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and Turkey.

The head of The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is Holy God the Son within the Holy Trinity / Our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ. The spiritual leader of The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is The Patriarch of Antioch.

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church follows the:

• Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) Great Tradition of Eastern Catholicism
  • Byzantine Rite
    • Greek Variant

Then, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church is a Catholic Church within the Greek variant within the Byzantine Rite within the Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) Great Tradition of Eastern Catholicism. This means that Melkites follow the Greek variant of the Byzantine Rite in worship, theology, and spirituality.

Melkites serve as a witness to the Eastern Orthodox Churches. Melkites are a living example that one can be true to a different heritage and be in communion with the Holy See of Rome, which is represented by the Pope.

Eparchy of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth, and All of Galilee

St. George Parish is part of the Eparchy of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth, and All of Galilee. Then, the headquarters of the Eparchy is located in Israel, but this Parish is located in the Palestine National Authority. This situation means that the priest and the people cannot participate in Liturgical Services and events within their Eparchy. Within this Eparchy, St. George Parish is the only parish located in the Palestine National Authority.

The spiritual leader of Eparchy of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth, and All of Galilee is The Eparch of Akka, Haifa, Nazareth, and All of Galilee.

St. George Parish

Saint George Parish has one priest, Abouna Firas Boutros Khoury Diab. In Zababdeh, the parish members, the “Living Stones", number about 60 households with about 300 people.

St. George Parish is the northern Melkite parish in the Northern West Bank. Abouna Firas also serves the people in the surrounding cities and villages. The next closest Melkite parish in the West Bank is to the South in the city of Nablus.