The Most Reverend Ibrahim Michael Ibrahim Appointed Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahleh and Furzol (Lebanon)

Monday, June 28, 2021

On Saturday 26 June, 2021, His Holiness Pope Francis gave his assent to the decision of the Holy Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church to elect the Most Reverend Ibrahim Michael Ibrahim, O.B.S., currently Eparchial Bishop of the Catholic Greek-Melkites of Canada, as Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Zahleh and Furzol (Lebanon). Bishop Ibrahim will remain as Apostolic Administrator of the Greek-Melkite Eparchy Saint-Sauveur de Montréal (Quebec) until the appointment of his successor.

Following his ordination to the priesthood in 1987, Bishop Ibrahim studied Moral Theology at the St. John Lateran University in Rome and pursued doctoral studies in Theology at the University of Dayton (Ohio). He likewise served as Director of the Seminary of the Order of Salvatorian Basilians, in Bikfaya, Lebanon (1989). From 1991 until 2003, he served as pastor of St. Elias Church, Cleveland (Ohio) while concurrently serving as Protopresbytery (Rector) of the Mideast Region, Interfaith Commissioner and Member of the Board of Consultors for the Diocese of Newton (Massachusetts), as well as First Assistant for the Americas region followed by Regional Superior for the Order of Salvatorian Basilians, in Methuen (Massachusetts). On 18 June 2003, he was appointed Eparchial Bishop of Saint-Sauveur for Greek-Melkite Catholics in Canada and was ordained Bishop on 17 August 2003 at the Holy Saviour Monastery of the Order of Salvatorian Basilians in Saida, Lebannon.

As a member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), Bishop Ibrahim served as a member of the Episcopal Commission for Christian Unity, Religious Relations with the Jews, and Interfaith Dialogue (2008-2011), consultant of Eastern Churches to the Commission for Evangelization and Catechesis of the English Sector (2014-2017), member of the Episcopal Commission for Justice and Peace (2017-2020), and member of the Standing Committee for Relations with Movements and Associations (2020-2021).