6 october 2009 |
THE HOLY SYNOD of our Patriarchate of the Great City-of-God Antioch and all the East convened on Tuesday - October 6th, at the Patriarchal Residence in Damascus, Syria. His Beatitude PATRIARCH IGANTIUS IV (Hazim) presided over the meeting. During its first session the Holy Synod elected ARCHIMANDRITE EPHREM (Kyriakos), abbot of the Holy Monastery of the Archangel Michael in Biq'aata, Lebanon, for the archepiscopal throne of the recently widowed Archdiocese of Tripoli, al-Koura and Dependencies. Archimandrite Ephrem, a former electrical engineering graduate from the Saint Joseph University of Beirut, studied Orthodox Theology at Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology at Balamand University (Al-Koura, North Lebanon). He completed his studies there and continued at the Theological Academy of Thessaloniki, Greece. Father Ephrem was Interim Dean of Saint John of Damascus Institute of Theology, in the years 1977 & 1978. His also known for his work with the young people who visit him regularly at his monastery, for his writings and publications, and for being the spiritual father of a large number of faithful from all over the See of Antioch. The Faculty Staff, and Students of the Institute shouts with much joy to the Metropolitan Elect Ephrem :AXIOS!
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