VIII - Patriarch Michel Sabbah
VIII / Mgr Michel Sabbah - Patriarch from 1987 to 2008
- March 19, 1933: Birth in Nazareth. Son of As’ad Sabbah and Ghandourah Abu Nassar. Elementary studies at the Frères School (Christian Schools) in Nazareth;
- October 2, 1943: joins the Patriarchal Minor Seminary in Beit Jala.
- October 1, 1948: Joins the Beit Jala Major Seminary – Philosophy and Theology ;
- June 28, 1955: Ordained priest by H.B. Patriarch Alberto Gori at the Salesian Church, Nazareth;
- August 12, 1955: Appointed Vicar in Madaba (Jordan). Teacher of Arabic Language at the Seminary – Patriarchal Master of Ceremonies – pursues Arabic language courses at the Jesuit University of Beirut;
- 1965: Chaplain of JEC (Young Catholic Students) – resides at the Patriarchal seat in Jerusalem – appointed Director-General of Patriarchate-run schools ;
- 1968-1975: Teacher of Arabic Language and Islamology in Diocese of Djibouti;
- June 1, 1970: Starts a thesis in Arabic philology in Beirut;
- August 14, 1971: Appointed Parish Priest of Christ the King in Misdar (Amman); Defends his Doctorate in Arabic Philology at Sorbonne ;
- March 24, 1975: Principal of the National Secondary College in Amman;
- 1980: President of the University of Bethlehem (until 1988);
- January 1, 1985: Appointed Canon of the Holy Sepulchre;
- December 11, 1987: Appointed Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem;
- December 28, 1987: Publication of his nomination, on Radio Vatican;
- January 6, 1988: Consecrated Bishop in Rome by the Holy Father, John Paul II, in Rome ;
- January 11, 1988: receives the pallium;
- January 17, 1988: assumes his post;
- 1989: Pastoral Letter, Our Faith in the Holy Land
- 1990: Pastoral Letter, Call for Peace in Jerusalem;
- 1993: Pastoral Letter, Read the Bible in the Land of the Bible;
- 1997: Pastoral Letter, How to prepare ourselves to the Grand Jubilee of Year 2000
- 1998: Pastoral Letter, Search for Peace and follow it;
- July 1999: President of “Pax Christi International”;
- 2000: President of the Diocesan Synod of Catholic Churches ;
- March 20-26, 2000: Invites and welcomes the Holy Father, John Paul II in the Holy Land
- November 6, 2006: Invested as Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour by the French Republic;
- March 1, 2008: Pastoral Letter, The Moment of My Departure has come;
- June 21, 2008: Thanksgiving Mass at Gethsemane and handing over of the Pastoral Cross to H.B. Fouad Twal.
- President of the Assembly of Catholic Ordinaries of the Holy Land (AOCTS) - President of the Conference of Latin Bishops in the Arab Regions (CELRA) - Member of the Council of the Catholic Patriarchs of the East (CPCO) - Member of the Council of Churches of the Middle East - Member of the Council of Religious Institutions in the Holy Land (2005) - Co-President of the World Conference of Religions for Peace (2007)
