Michel Abrass Explained

Type:Archbishop
Michel Abrass
Honorific-Suffix:B.A.
Former Melkite Greek Catholic Archbishop of Tyre
Church:Melkite Greek Catholic Church
See:Tyre
Term Start:21 June 2014
Term End:31 January 2021
Predecessor:George Bacouni
Ordination:11 April 1980
Consecration:10 December 2006
Consecrated By:Gregory III Laham
Birth Date:December 14, 1948
Birth Place:Aleppo, Syria
Religion:Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Residence:Syria, Lebanon
Alma Mater:Holy Spirit University of Kaslik

Michel Abrass, BA (born 14 December 1948) is a retired church official who was Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Tyre from 2014 to 2021.

Biography

Michel Abrass was born in Aleppo, Syria. In 1973 he earned a licentiate in philosophy at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik and continued his studies in philosophy, theology, and liturgy at the Greek College in Rome. In 1980 Abrass concluded his studies in philosophy, theology and liturgy, and in 1980 obtained a licentiate in liturgy.

Abrass was ordained a priest on 11 April 1981 and is a member of the Aleppinian Basilians. He was rector of his order's minor and major seminaries. He was also professor of liturgy at the University of Kaslik.

On 17 October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI consented to the Melkite Synod choice of Abrass as Curial Bishop of Antioch and titular bishop of Abydus.[1] [2] On 11 November 2006 he was appointed Titular Archbishop of Myra of Greek Melkites and on 10 December 2006 was consecrated bishop by the Melkite Patriarch of Antioch, Gregory III Laham. His co-consecrators were Archeparch Isidore Battikha, BA, from Homs and Archeparch Joseph Kallas of Beirut and Byblos, SMSP. The Synod of the Melkite bishops elected him Secretary General in 2007.[3]

On 21 June 2014, Patriarch Gregory III Laham in accordance with the Melkite Synod named him Archbishop of Tyre.[4]

On 31 January 2021, without explanation, Pope Francis declared the see of Tyre vacant and named Elie Bechara Haddad, Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Sidon, to serve as apostolic administrator.[5]

Views

In October 2010 Abrass was a delegate to the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome. Discussing the question of vocations, he said that in the Middle East:[6] [7] He also spoke of Christians in Iraq:[6] [8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Holy See Press Office . it . 1 February 2021 . 17 October 2006 . Rinunce e Nomine (continuazione), 17.10.2006 .
  2. Melkite Greek Catholic Church . dead . 1 February 2021 . 7 July 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100707121947/http://www.pgc-lb.org/english/Church2_Synod2006.html . Final Communiqué of the Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church Ain Traz, 9 – 14 October 2006 .
  3. https://web.archive.org/web/20090420134815/http://www.pgc-lb.org/english/Church2_2007.html pgc-lb.org
  4. Holy See Press Office . it . 1 February 2021 . 21 June 2014 . Dalle Chiese Orientali Cattoliche, 21.06.2014 .
  5. it . 31 January 2021 . 31 January 2021 . Rinunce e nomine, 31.01.2021.
  6. News: 1 February 2021 . Vatican Radio . 17 October 2010 . Intervention of Mons. Michel ABRASS, Titular Archbishop of Myra of the Greek-Melkites, Bishop of the Patriarchal Curia of Antioch of the Greek-Melkites (SYRIA) .
  7. News: Zenit . 1 February 2021 . 21 October 2010 . Synod Debating Priestly Formation, Not Celibacy .
  8. News: Vatican Radio . 1 February 2021 . de . 16 October 2010 . Nahost-Synode: "Im Irak auch Zeichen der Hoffnung" . Sind wir überhaupt dazu in der Lage, die Probleme all unserer Kirchen zu lösen? Ich bezweifle es! Nehmen wir doch zum Beispiel die Probleme der christlichen Kirchen im Irak – die sind doch politischer Natur und können daher nur politisch gelöst werden... Viele Laien fragen sich, wie man sie behandeln wird, wenn sie sich als Christen bekennen – darum geben sie sich einen Schuss Laizität, je nachdem wie emanzipiert ihr (häufig muslimischer) Gesprächspartner ist. Wir sollten diesen Laien einen gewissen Liberalismus zugestehen...“ .