His Beatitude
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Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Syriacs | |
Church | Syriac Catholic Church |
See | Antioch |
Elected | 20 January 2009 |
Installed | 15 February 2009 |
Predecessor | Ignatius Peter VIII Abdalahad |
Other posts | Bishop of Beirut |
Orders | |
Ordination | 12 September 1971 |
Consecration | 7 January 1996 by Antony II Hayyek |
Personal details | |
Birth name | Ephrem Joseph Yonan |
Born |
Hassaké, Syria |
15 November 1944
Denomination | Syrian Catholic |
Previous post | Bishop of Our Lady of Deliverance of Newark (1995–2009) |
Ignatius Ephrem Joseph III Yonan (or Younan, Syriac: ܐܓܢܛܝܘܣ ܝܘܣܦ ܬܠܝܬܝܐ ܝܘܢܢ, born November 15, 1944) is the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East of the Syriacs for the Syriac Catholic Church since his election on January 20, 2009.
Ephrem Joseph Yonan was born at Hassaké, Syria on November 15, 1944 and was ordained a priest on September 12, 1971. He served as director of the Seminary of Charfet for two years, as Director of Catechesis of the diocese of Hassaké for seven years and as pastor of the Church of the Annunciation in Beirut up to 1986.
In 1986 he was sent to the United States to establish missions for the Syrian Catholic faithful. He founded a mission in Newark, New Jersey (Our Lady of Deliverance) and others in North Hollywood (Sacred Heart) in 1991 and in San Diego (Our Mother of Perpetual Help) in 1994.
On November 6, 1995, Pope John Paul II erected the Syrian Catholic Eparchy of Our Lady of Deliverance in Newark for all the Syrian Catholics of the United States and Canada, and appointed Ephrem Joseph Yonan as first eparch (bishop). He was thus consecrated bishop on January 7, 1996 by Ignatius Antony II Hayyek and served in the United States until his election as Primate and Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church on January 20, 2009. Pope Benedict XVI granted him ecclesiastical communion on January 22, 2009, in accordance with Canon 76 § 2 of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.