Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Latakia
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Eparchy of Latakia (Maronite) Eparchia Laodicenus Maronitarum |
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|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | Syria |
| Statistics | |
| Population - Catholics |
(as of 2011) 35,000 |
| Parishes | 32 |
| Information | |
| Sui iuris church | Maronite Church |
| Rite | West Syro-Antiochene Rite |
| Established | 4 August 1977 |
| Cathedral | Our Lady of Latakia Cathedral |
| Patron saint | Our Lady |
| Current leadership | |
| Pope | Francis |
| Patriarch | Bechara Boutros al-Rahi |
| Eparch | Antoine Chbeir |
| Emeritus Bishops | Elias Khoury Sleman |
The Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Latakia or Latakia of the Maronites (in Latin: Eparchia Laodicenus Maronitarum) is an eparchy (Eastern Catholic diocese) of the Maronite Catholic Church. In 2011 there were 35,000 members. It is governed by Eparch Antoine Chbeir.
It is immediately subject to the Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, not part of any ecclesiastical province.
The territory includes the city of Latakia, where is located the Our Lady of Latakia Cathedral, in Latakia, the former Laodicea ad Mare.
The territory is divided into 32 parishes and in 2011 there were 35,000 Lebanese Maronite Catholics.
Until the eighteenth century the Maronite Patriarchate was formally divided into eparchies: in fact the bishops were all considered as auxiliary of the Patriarch, the only true leader of the Maronite nation. The bishops of Laodicea, like other Maronite bishops, in fact, had only the title of their home, and pursues not any real jurisdiction and do not even have a place to reside.
The Synod of Mount Lebanon in 1736, which at the request of Propaganda Fide decided the canonical erection of the Maronite diocese, gave no consideration to Laodicea, which therefore continued to be the seat of a titular bishop. The territories that were formally part of Laodicea were subdued by the synod of authority of the Tripoli Eparchs.
On April 16, 1954, with the decree Quo aptiori, the Congregation for the Oriental Churches decided to steal the territories of the Maronite Catholic Archeparchy of Tripoli of the Maronites who were in the Syrian's area under the authority of the archeparch of Aleppo and to entrust them to the administrator apostolic of Latakia (a missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction, directly subject to the Holy See).
On August 4, 1977 the Apostolic Administration was raised to the status of Eparchy (Diocese), and the same time was suppressed the Titular see.
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