Maximos IV Sayegh
Encyclopedia
Maximos IV Sayegh (April 10, 1878 – November 5, 1967) was Patriarch
of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
from 1947 until his death in 1967. One of the fathers of Second Vatican Council
, the outspoken patriarch stirred the Council by urging reconciliation between the Catholic
and Eastern Orthodox churches. For these contributions to Christian ecumenical relations he was honored with the cardinalate.
. He was ordained a priest on September 17, 1905. On August 30, 1919 he was appointed archbishop of Tyre
, Lebanon
and consecrated bishop by patriarch Demetrius I Qadi
. In 1933 he was named archbishop of Beirut
.
The Synod of Bishops of the Melkite Church elected Maximos Patriarch of Antioch
on 30 October 1947, succeeding the recently deceased Cyril IX Moghabghab
.
Following an old tradition of the more than 900-year old Order of Knighthood, founded in Jerusalem to take care of lepers in the Hospital St. Lazare, he was the Spiritual Protector of the international ecumenical Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem
.
As a participant in Vatican II, Patriarch Maximos spoke forcefully against the latinization of the Eastern Catholic churches, and urged a greater receptivity to the eastern Christian traditions, especially in the area of ecclesiology. He stated that
Also at Vatican II, Patriarch Maximos successfully advocated use of vernacular languages for liturgical services, noting that:
Speaking at the Council on the matter of indulgences, he noted that "the practice of indulgences too often favors in the faithful a sort of pious bookkeeping in which one forgets what is essential, namely, the sacred and personal effort of penance".
Patriarch Maximos IV accepted the title of cardinal bishop on February 2, 1965. He died in 1967 of cancer in Beirut, Lebanon at the age 89. He was succeeded by Maximos V Hakim
.
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
from 1947 until his death in 1967. One of the fathers of Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, the outspoken patriarch stirred the Council by urging reconciliation between the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Eastern Orthodox churches. For these contributions to Christian ecumenical relations he was honored with the cardinalate.
Life
Massimo Sayegh was born on April 10, 1878 in AleppoAleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
. He was ordained a priest on September 17, 1905. On August 30, 1919 he was appointed archbishop of Tyre
Archbishop of Tyre
The Archbishop of Tyre was one of the major suffragans of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem during the Crusades and was established to serve the Roman Catholic members of the diocese....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and consecrated bishop by patriarch Demetrius I Qadi
Demetrius I Qadi
Demetrius I Qadi was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1919 until 1925.-Life:...
. In 1933 he was named archbishop of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
.
The Synod of Bishops of the Melkite Church elected Maximos Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch
Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
on 30 October 1947, succeeding the recently deceased Cyril IX Moghabghab
Cyril IX Moghabghab
Cyril IX Moghabghab served as Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1925 to 1947.-Life:Patriarch Cyril born in Ain Zhalta, Lebanon on October 29, 1855. He was ordained a priest on March 27, 1883...
.
Following an old tradition of the more than 900-year old Order of Knighthood, founded in Jerusalem to take care of lepers in the Hospital St. Lazare, he was the Spiritual Protector of the international ecumenical Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem
Order of Saint Lazarus
This article concerns the order of knighthood named after Saint Lazarus. For other uses of the name Lazarus, see Lazarus .The Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus of Jerusalem is an order of chivalry which originated in a leper hospital founded by the Knights Hospitaller in 1098 by the...
.
Participation in Second Vatican Council
Patriarch Maximos IV took part in the Second Vatican Council. There he championed the Eastern tradition of Christianity and won a great deal of respect from Eastern Orthodox observers at the council and the approbation of the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, Athenagoras I.As a participant in Vatican II, Patriarch Maximos spoke forcefully against the latinization of the Eastern Catholic churches, and urged a greater receptivity to the eastern Christian traditions, especially in the area of ecclesiology. He stated that
We have, therefore, a twofold mission to accomplish within the Catholic Church. We must fight to ensure that Latinism and Catholicism are not synonymous, that Catholicism remains open to every culture, every spirit, and every form of organization compatible with the unity of faith and love. At the same time, by our example, we must enable the Orthodox Church to recognize that a union with the great Church of the West, with the See of Peter, can be achieved without being compelled to give up Orthodoxy or any of the spiritual treasures of the apostolic and patristic East, which is opened toward the future no less to the past. http://www.melkite.org/role.htm
Also at Vatican II, Patriarch Maximos successfully advocated use of vernacular languages for liturgical services, noting that:
Christ offered the first Eucharistic Sacrifice in a language which could be understood by all who heard him, namely, Aramaic. … Never could the idea have come to them [the Apostles] that in a Christian gathering the celebrant should read the texts of Holy Scripture, sing psalms, preach or break bread, and at the same time use a language different from that of the community gathered there … because this language [Latin] was spoken by the faithful of that time, Greek was abandoned in favor of Latin. … Why, then, should the Roman Church cease to apply the same principle today?
Speaking at the Council on the matter of indulgences, he noted that "the practice of indulgences too often favors in the faithful a sort of pious bookkeeping in which one forgets what is essential, namely, the sacred and personal effort of penance".
Patriarch Maximos IV accepted the title of cardinal bishop on February 2, 1965. He died in 1967 of cancer in Beirut, Lebanon at the age 89. He was succeeded by Maximos V Hakim
Maximos V Hakim
Maximos V Hakim was elected Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch in 1967 and served until 2000. He guided the church through tubulent changes in the Middle East and rapid expansion in the Western hemisphere.-Life:...
.
See also
- Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch
- Patriarch of AntiochPatriarch of AntiochPatriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the Bishop of Antioch. As the traditional "overseer" of the first gentile Christian community, the position has been of prime importance in the church from its earliest period...
- Maximos V HakimMaximos V HakimMaximos V Hakim was elected Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch in 1967 and served until 2000. He guided the church through tubulent changes in the Middle East and rapid expansion in the Western hemisphere.-Life:...
, late Patriarch - Gregory III LahamGregory III LahamGregory III , Patriarch of the Church of Antioch, is the spiritual leader of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. He was elected patriarch on November 29, 2000, succeeding Maximos V Hakim, who resigned at age 92 due to failing health, dying seven months later...
, current Patriarch
External links
- The Melkite Church at the Council: Discourses and Memoranda of Patriarch Maximos IV and of the Hierarchs of His Church at the Second Vatican Council
- Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem
- L'Église Melkite/The Melkite Church.
- Melkite Catholic Web Ring.
- Official Website of the Melkite Church in the US.
- Extensive history of the Melkite Church
- Melkite Ambassadors Young Adult Website.