Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Sidon


Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Sidon is an eparchy of the Maronite Church immediately subject to the Maronite Patriarch of Antioch in Lebanon. In 2014 there were 156,000 baptized. It is currently ruled by eparch Elias Nassar.

Territory and statistics

The eparchy extends its jurisdiction over the Maronite faithful in the region around the city of Sidon. Its eparchial seat is the city of Sidon, where is located the Saint Elias Cathedral.
The territory is divided into 104 parishes and in 2014 there were 156,000 Maronite Catholics.

History

The eparchy dates from the beginning of the Maronite Church, united to the See of Tyre. The first information about the Eparchy of Sidon is related to 1626, when the bishop of Sidon Youssef Khalib el-Akouri is mentioned. In 1646 he was elected Patriarch of Antioch. The name of the bishop of Sidon Gabriel is also mentioned in 1736, when the Synod of Mount Lebanon canonically established the Eparchy of Tyre-Sidon and he participated. The two cities of the former eparchy were separated and the Eparchy of Tyre was created on February 18, 1900.

Eparchs