Istifan al-Duwayhi
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His Beatitude Estephan II Boutros El Douaihy (اسطفانوس الثاني بطرس الدويهي) |
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| Patriarch of Antioch | |
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| Church | Maronite Church |
| See | Patriarch of Antioch |
| Elected | May 20, 1670 |
| Term ended | May 3, 1704 |
| Predecessor | George Rizqallah Beseb'ely |
| Successor | Gabriel of Blaouza |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | March 25, 1656 (Priest) by John Safrawy |
| Consecration | July 8, 1668 (Bishop) by George Rizqallah Beseb'ely |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 2, 1630 Ehden, Lebanon |
| Died | May 3, 1704 (aged 73) Qannoubine, Lebanon |
| Parents | Father: Mikhayil Moussa El Douaihy, Mother: Mariam El Douaihy. |
Patriarch Estephan II Boutros El Douaihy (or Istifan al-Duwayhi, Arabic: اسطفانوس الثاني بطرس الدويهي, French: Etienne Douaihi, Latin: Stephanus Dovaihi, Italian: Stefano El Douaihy) was born in Ehden, Lebanon, on August 2, 1630, and died on May 3, 1704, in Qannubine, Lebanon. He was the 57th Patriarch of the Maronite Church from 1670 to 1704. He is considered one of the major Lebanese Historians of the 17th century and was known as “The Father of Maronite History”, “Pillar of the Maronite Church”, “The Second Chrysostom”, “Splendor of the Maronite Nation”, “The Glory of Lebanon and the Maronites”. He was declared Servant of God by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints under Protocol number 2145. On July 3, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI authorised the Congregation for the Causes of Saints to draw up a decree on the heroic virtues of Patriarch El Douaihy, who will be referred to as Venerable from the moment of publication of the decree. This is an important step in the ongoing beatification process.
El Douaihy was born to a noble family (El Douaihy) at a time when the Maronites were suffering badly from Ottoman oppression. However, the Ottoman Empire was not benefiting from the expansion of world commerce, and so the Ottoman rulers, and the local Muslim and Druze chiefs who ruled with Ottoman consent (something which could be withdrawn) enriched themselves by taxing the Maronite peasantry. At the age of sixteen, recognized as a brilliant young talent, he was sent to the Maronite College (Seminary) in Rome. He studied there for fourteen years, from 1641 to 1655, being cured of a serious condition which almost led to blindness. El Douaihy believed that the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary was responsible for his cure. While in Italy, he traveled as widely as possible seeking manuscripts dealing with Maronite history and liturgy. When he returned to Lebanon at the age of 25, he continued his research.
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