Maronite Diocese of

Saïdā

Lebanon

Continent: Central and Southwest Asia

Rite: Maronite (Antiochian)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Saïdā / Sidone (Italiano) / Saida / Sidonien(sis) Maronitarum (Latin)

Subject to the Patriarch

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

History

1600: Established as Diocese of Saïdā / Sidone (Italiano) / Saida / Sidonien(sis) Maronitarum (Latin)
1736: Suppressed (to Diocese of Tyr and Saïdā)
1900.01.26: Restored as Diocese of Saïdā / Sidone (Italiano) / Saida / Sidonien(sis) Maronitarum (Latin) (from Diocese of Tyr and Saïdā and without ecclesiastical province)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2017.06.17 – ...):

Bishop Maroun Ammar (69)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Saïdā (Maronite Rite)

Bishop Maroun Ammar (69)
(2017.06.17 – ...)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon)

Born:	1956.02.10 (Hajé, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1983.09.17
Consecrated Bishop:	2012.07.28

Priest of Tyr of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1983.09.17 – 2012.06.16)

Titular Bishop of Canatha (2012.06.16 – 2017.06.17)

Auxiliary Bishop of Jebbeh–Sarba–Jounieh of the Maronites (Lebanon) (2012.06.16 – 2017.06.17)

Apostolic Administrator of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (2017.01.30 – 2017.06.17)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (2017.06.17 – ...)

Bishop Maroun Ammar (69)
(Apostolic Administrator 2017.01.30 – 2017.06.17)

Bishop Elias Nassar (64)
(2005.12.28 – 2017.01.30)

Bishop emeritus of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon)

Born:	1960.10.25 (Sarba, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1990.08.18
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.02.11

Priest of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1990.08.18 – 2005.12.28)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) ([2005.09.24] 2005.12.28 – 2017.01.30)

Bishop Tanios Khoury
(1996.06.08 – 2005.12.28)

Born:	1930.05.04 (Saghbine, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1958.06.14
Consecrated Bishop:	1996.10.05
Died:	2022.09.20 († 92)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1996.06.08 – 2005.12.28)

Archbishop Ibrahim Hélou
(1975.07.12 – 1996.02.03)

Born:	1925.03.27 (Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1951.12.22
Consecrated Bishop:	1975.08.23
Died:	1996.02.03 († 70)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1975.07.12 – 1996.02.03)

President of Synod of the Maronite Church (1985 – 1986.05.07)

President of Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon (1985 – 1986.05.07)

Archbishop ad personam (1986.05.07 – 1996.02.03)

Bishop Antoine Khoraiche (later Cardinal)
(1957.11.25 – 1975.02.03)

Gloria libani data est ei

Born:	1907.09.20 (Ain Ebel, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1930.04.12
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.10.15
Created Cardinal:	1983.02.02
Died:	1994.08.19 (Beirut, Lebanon † 86)

Priest of Tyr of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1930.04.12 – 1950.04.25)

Titular Bishop of Tarsus of the Maronites (1950.04.25 – 1957.11.25)

Auxiliary Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1950.04.25 – 1957.11.25)

Apostolic Administrator of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1955 – 1957.11.25)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1957.11.25 – 1975.02.03)

Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites (Lebanon) ([1975.02.03] 1975.02.15 – 1986.04.03)

President of Synod of the Maronite Church (1975.11.25 – 1985)

President of Assembly of the Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Lebanon (1975.11.25 – 1985)

Cardinal-Patriarch (1983.02.02 – 1994.08.19)

Bishop Antoine Khoraiche (later Cardinal)
(Apostolic Administrator 1955 – 1957.11.25)

Bishop Agostino Bostani
(1919.02.23 – 1957.10.30)

Born:	1876.11.29 (Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1899.04.23
Consecrated Bishop:	1919.03.02
Died:	1957.10.30 († 80)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1919.02.23 – 1957.10.30)

Bishop Paul Basbous
(1900.02.18 – 1918.09.07)

Born:	1846.03.01
Consecrated Bishop:	1900.09.25
Died:	1918.09.07 († 72)

Bishop of Tyr of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1900.02.18 – 1906.01.29)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1900.02.18 – 1918.09.07)

Bishop Gabriele
(1733? – ?)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1733? – ?)

Bishop Julian Ramirez, O.F.M.
(1691? – ?)

Consecrated Bishop:

1691.02

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1691? – ?)

Bishop Boutros Ehdeni
(1680 – ?)

Consecrated Bishop:

1680

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1680 – ?)

Bishop Giovanni
(1673? – ?)

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1673? – ?)

Bishop Youssef Halib el-Akouri (later Patriarch)
(1626 – 1646.11.29)

Consecrated Bishop:	1626
Died:	1647.11.03

Bishop of Saïdā of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1626 – 1646.11.29)

Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1646.11.29 – 1647.11.03)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Antoine Khoraiche (later Cardinal) (1950.04.25 – 1957.11.25)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale maronite Saint-Elie, Saida, South Lebanon

Beirut (↑), Zahlé (↗), Tyr (↓)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Population: 28,000 Catholics

Pastoral Centres: 98 parishes

Personnel: 79 priests (54 diocesan, 25 religious), 50 religious (25 brothers, 25 sisters), 11 seminarians

Pastoral Centres

Last updated on 2025.03.06

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