The Syriac Catholic Church
For much of church history, especially during the time of the Crusades, Catholic and Syriac Orthodox bishops enjoyed warm relations. In 1444, the Council of Florence even issued a special degree of unity between Catholics and Syriac Orthodox. In the early 17th century, Jesuit and Capuchin missionaries began working in Syriac Orthodox communities. Their activities inspired many Orthodox faithful to seek
full communion with Rome, which in turn, prompted a Catholic-Orthodox split among Syriac Christians.
In 1782, the Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod elected Metropolitan Michael Jarweh of Aleppo as patriarch. Shortly after he took office, he declared himself Catholic and fled to Lebanon where he built Our Lady of Sharfeh monastery. From Jarweh onward, an unbroken succession of Syriac Catholic patriarchs has headed the emergent Syriac Catholic Church. Since the 1920's, the patriarch of Syriac Catholic Church resides in Beirut.
Location: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, diaspora
Head: (Vacant)
Title: Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians
Residence: Beirut, Lebanon
Membership: 132,000
From: http://www.cnewa.org/default.aspx?ID=414&pagetypeID=1&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1
full communion with Rome, which in turn, prompted a Catholic-Orthodox split among Syriac Christians.
In 1782, the Syriac Orthodox Holy Synod elected Metropolitan Michael Jarweh of Aleppo as patriarch. Shortly after he took office, he declared himself Catholic and fled to Lebanon where he built Our Lady of Sharfeh monastery. From Jarweh onward, an unbroken succession of Syriac Catholic patriarchs has headed the emergent Syriac Catholic Church. Since the 1920's, the patriarch of Syriac Catholic Church resides in Beirut.
Location: Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, diaspora
Head: (Vacant)
Title: Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians
Residence: Beirut, Lebanon
Membership: 132,000
From: http://www.cnewa.org/default.aspx?ID=414&pagetypeID=1&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1
