Having spent nearly the last three months in North America, His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios, Patriarchal Vicar, returned home on Feb. 7 to his Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Zahle and Baalbek and Dependencies in Lebanon. He will continue to administer our Archdiocese, with assistance from the Temporary Operating Committee, until the election of our next metropolitan, scheduled for Feb. 22 in Balamand, Lebanon.
His Eminence’s clergy and laity received him at the chapel of his headquarters and immediately offered a service in thanksgiving to God for his safe travels.
Our Archdiocese is thankful to God that His Eminence continues to lead us in this time of transition. It is also grateful to His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East for appointing Sayidna Antonios as Patriarchal Vicar.
The clergy and laity who had the opportunity to meet him in person and follow him on social media felt at ease with his comforting words and Christ-like presence. Along with his faithful secretary, Fr. Porphyrios Ibrahim, His Eminence visited more than two dozen churches, addressed the future of our Archdiocese, and presided over the Special Convention to nominate three candidates for the office of Metropolitan.
May God grant Metropolitan Antonios and Fr. Porphyrios many years of good health and strength in their ministries!
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