Patriarch Al-Rahi presided over the ordination of Bishops Tarabay and Chamieh

25/5/2013

(Translation of this article appears in Arabic section)

Lebanon – Bkirki: the Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi headed this yesterday in the Patriarch edifice in Bkirki, the ordination ceremony of the new bishops John Habib Shamiya pastor of  St. Maroun Diocese - of Argentina, and Antoine Charbel Tarabay pastor of St. Maroun Diocese in Australia, with the participation of Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, The Apostolic Nuncio Gabriele Caccia, president of the Eastern Synod Cardinal Leonardo Sandri representatives of the Vatican and Pope Francis and the Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for Syriac Catholics Mar Ignatius Joseph III Yonan.

The ceremony was attended by Walid Daouk the representative of President Michel Suleiman Minister of Information in the caretaker government,  Dr. Ziad Maalouf representative of President Amin Gemayel, Hon. Tony Burke MP representative of the Prime Minister of Australia and Minister of Arts, Environment and Water, Population and Communities who came specially to participate in the celebration, Gebran Bassil Minister of Energy in the Caretaker Government as well as ambassadors: of Argentina José Maxwell, Uruguay Marta Aazanelli and Australia Lex Bartlem  in addition to other ministers and MPs.

The ceremony was also attended by Joe Khattar the President of the Australian Lebanese Chamber of Commerce in Sydney, a large delegation from the Australian Lebanese community, and a number of bishops and clergy.

Al-Rahi

After the Holy Gospel Al-Rahi gave a sermon entitled "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), in which he expressed his "big thanks to Pope Francis, who delegated the president of the Eastern Synod Cardinal Bonardo Sandri to visit our churches." He said: "We are delighted to give the Episcopal designation to the new bishops, John Habib Shamia, the scion of Maronite Order of the blessed virgin Mary, and Antoine Charbel Tarabay, scion of the Lebanese Maronite Order. They have been chosen by the Holy Spirit, through Holy Pope Francis and provided the Synod of bishops of the Maronite Church: the first on a chair of Mar Charbel - Argentina diocese, and the second on the chair of St. Maroun – Australia Diocese. And they announce today the faith of Simon Peter, in Phillips Caesarea: "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16).

The Ordination

After the end of the Divine Liturgy and handling the holy oblation, al-Rahi sat on a chair amid the altar, wearing the crown, holding a cross in his right hand and a stick with his left hand; the Two elected bishops each in turn kneeling in front of him, kissing his hand and facing the pond, accompanied by their respective Godfathers, Bishop Francois Eid and Charbel Merhi with Chamieh, and Bishop Boulos Matar and Mounir Khairallah with Tarabay. After they accepted the call and selection, Al-Rahi prayed to God, saying: "May Lord God your sons John Habib and Antoine Charbel be eligible to the diocese, by the Holy Spirit on them, to perform this service in purity, holiness, love, and mercy, and they will receive your grace each day of their lives. "

Then the two new Bishops received congratulations from the audience.