SIGNIFICANT EVENTS IN MELKITE HISTORY 110 AD – 13TH CENTURY AD – This marks the first recorded use of the words Mongolian invasions of the Latin West and the he Melkite story goes back a long way: to Catholic Church, employed by Saint Ignatius of Antioch Byzantine East drain the resources of Christendom. the very dawn of Christian history. The to distinguish the Christians who adhered to the Muslims reassert their dominance in the Levant. Melkites, or Byzantine (Greek) Catholics of Church founded by Jesus Christ from those who joined T Middle Eastern origin, are descendants of 1453 AD – the churches of sectarians. the early Christians of Antioch (Syria). Constantinople falls to the Ottoman Turks. Their Today the term Melkite is used to refer to those 325 AD – expansion throughout the East continues. Catholics whose ancestry is Middle Eastern and who A meeting of bishops is held in Nicaea. Here the At a later date, by decree of the Ottoman Sultan, follow the Byzantine Tradition in worship, theology, groundwork is prepared for what eventually evolved all Greeks in the Middle East are made subject to the and spirituality. As Rome was the most powerful city into an order of precedence among the five major Patriarch of Constantinople. Byzantine bishops take in early Western Europe and spread her manner of Churches of early Christendom: Rome, Constantinople, control at Antioch and Jerusalem. worship throughout the supponding area, so too the Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. Greek capital, Constantinople (originally called Byzan- 1724 AD – tium), spread her traditions and customs to the coun- 451 AD – Patriarch Cyril VI of Antioch, due to the efforts of tries closest to her. A dispute about who Jesus was is settled by a Archbishop Eftimios (Saifi) of Saida and Tyre, affirms the meeting of bishops held at Chalcedon. The Byzantine union with Rome which had existed between East and Emperor and the assembled bishops agreed that Jesus West during the first thousand years of Christianity. MAJOR HISTORICAL EVENTS was both “true God and true man”. Those who followed From this time the Melkite Church of Antioch is the decision of this council were called Melkites or formally divided between Greek Orthodox (those not in hroughout the almost 2000 year history of “King's Men” because they accepted the correct union with Rome) and Greek Catholics (those in union Christianity in the Middle East there have understanding of Jesus Christ which was shared by the with Rome). The term Melkite begins to be associated been a number of events which have con- Emperor. exclusively with the Catholics. T tributed to the making of the Melkite Church as it exists today. Among the most 622 AD – 1772 AD – important are the following: Muslim conquests in the Middle East put Chris- The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, tians in a secondary position and begin a gradual ero- Theodosius VI, extends his jurisdiction over Melkite C. 33 AD – sion of their numbers and strength. Catholics in the Churches of Alexandria and Jerusalem. The Christian Church is founded by Jesus Christ as is recorded in the Gospel of Saint 1054 AD – 19TH CENTURY AD – Matthew: “…upon this rock I will build My Church” Rome and Constantinople separate for a variety Melkite Greek Catholics begin to emigrate to (Matthew 16:18). of reasons, political and cultural as well as doctrinal. North and South America, Australia and Africa. This separation from Rome gradually takes hold Fifty days after Christ's resurrection from the 1966 AD – throughout the other Eastern Churches. dead and ten days after His ascension, the apostles and An exarchate for Melkites in the United States is During this period the Byzantine Emperors slowly disciples were gathered together in Jerusalem as men- established with Bishop Justin (Najmy) as the first extended their domination and influence. Byzantine tioned in the Acts of the Apostles. “And suddenly a exarch. A similar jurisdiction is set up in Brazil under models in ritual and administration become the norm sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty Bishop Elias (Cueter). wind … And there appeared to them tongues as of for all Melkites. 1977 AD – fire… And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” 1071 AD – The American exarchate becomes a full eparchy After this time began the preaching of the Gospel of The Seljuk Turks crush the Byzantine army and (diocese) under Archbishop Joseph (Tawil). In the next Jesus Christ. drive the Greek Christians from the Middle East. Saint Peter established the Church in Antioch few years bishops of various ranks are appointed for (Syria), Saint Mark in Alexandria (Egypt) and Saint James 12–13TH CENTURIES AD – Canada, Argentina, Australia and Western Europe. in Jerusalem. Our Church dates back to these founda- Latin Crusaders invade the East to re-capture the tions. It was also in Antioch that the followers of Jesus holy places from Muslim control. Roman Catholic bish- were first called Christians (cf. Acts 11:26). ops are imposed upon Antioch and Jerusalem. WHY ARE THERE EASTERN CATHOLIC The fruit of our long history of joy and suffering CHURCHES IN AMERICA? must be a passion for unity and love for all mankind. We stand today as Christians seeking to bring our- t was natural for the first Eastern Catholic selves and others closer to God in the faith given to us immigrants to want to worship in the fash- by the apostles. As Catholics of the Byzantine tradition SIGNIFICANT EVENTS ion of their homelands. And so their we stand as landmarks in the journey of the Churches IN MELKITE HISTORY I Churches followed them to the shores of toward full communion. We have a special responsibili- America. In those early days, Roman ty given by God to show our faithfulness to the historic Catholics noticed many unfamiliar features about these Catholic faith as expressed in our own unique heritage new arrivals. Their customs and languages were differ- so that we might in this way contribute to the healing ent, their churches unusual, their ceremonies unfamil- of our fragmented world and the reunion of the frac- iar. Accustomed as American Roman Catholics had tured Body of Christ, the divided Christian Church. been to standing alone amid the widespread Protestant rejection of Catholicism, they were unable to see any- thing Catholic in what was not Roman as well. Today “One prime source of spiritual assimila- with better education, Roman Catholics understand tion for Eastern Catholics has been the their Eastern Catholic brethren better and often find phenomenon known as ‘latinization,’ the their ways of life and approaches to God meaningful copying by Eastern Catholics of the the- and helpful. ology, spiritual practices and liturgical customs of the Latin Church. Latinization implies either the superiority of the Ro- MISSION FOR TODAY man rite — the position denounced by ny Church exists to bring its people to the Vatican II — or the desirability of the as- Lord. There are many for whom the style of similation process, an opinion with Christian living practiced in our Church is which we cannot agree. Not only is it un- A more compatible than contemporary necessary to adopt the customs of the Western forms. For these people the Latin rite to manifest one’s Catholicism, Melkite Church can serve a very important function: it it is an offense against the unity of the can be their way to God. Church. As we have said above, to do Our presence is also a witness to the universality this would be to betray our ecumenical of Christ's Church. In us Roman Catholics can see oth- mission and, in a real sense, to betray ers, as Catholic as themselves, expressing the faith in the Catholic Church … different forms, with different traditions and under- standings. They come to realize that the Catholic To be open to others, to be able to take Church includes far more than the one tradition in our rightful place on the American which they were raised. Church scene, we must start by being To the extent that we are true to ourselves, we fully ourselves. It is only in our distinc- can exist as a living example that one can be faithful to tiveness that we make any kind of con- a different heritage and yet be in communion with tribution to the larger society. It is only Rome. To the degree that we feel the need to adapt our by being what we are that we retain a ways to Roman practices, we show that such fidelity reason for existence at all.” and communion with Rome are incompatible. In either Archbishop Joseph Tawil case we exist as an example, for good or bad, of what The Courage to be Ourselves other Churches can expect if they were to achieve OFFICE OF EDUCATIONAL SERVICES union with the Church of Rome. MELKITE EPARCHY OF NEWTON http://melkite.org/

Photo courtesy of Rt. Rev. John Azar