Philip Saliba

Metropolitan Philip (born Abdullah Saliba; June 10, 1931 – March 19, 2014) was the Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of All North America, which is the leadership position for the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. He held the position from 1966 until his death in March 2014. His tenure as an Orthodox bishop was the longest serving in American history.

Saliba was educated at Balamand Orthodox Theological Seminary in Lebanon and at schools in Syria. He later studied in England at the Anglican Kelham Theological College and the University of London. After moving to the United States he studied at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology and at Wayne State University, where he received a B.A. in history.

On March 1, 1959, Saliba was ordained to the priesthood by Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir) and assigned to the pastorate at Saint George Church in Cleveland, Ohio.

He undertook graduate theological studies at Saint Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary in Yonkers, New York, and was graduated from that institution with a Master of Divinity degree in 1965.

In March 1966, the Antiochian Archdiocese, meeting in special convention, nominated Saliba to succeed the late Metropolitan Anthony (Bashir) as Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of all North America. In July of that year, the Patriarchal Vicar for the widowed See of New York, Metropolitan Ilyas (Kurban), Archbishop of Tripoli, elevated Saliba to an archimandrite.

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