Cyril VIII Geha

Head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1902 to 1916

Cyril VIII Geha (or Jeha), (November 26, 1840 – January 11, 1916) was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1902 until 1916. He was the last Melkite Catholic patriarch of the Ottoman era.

Life

Geha was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1840, he was consecrated the Melkite Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo on May 3, 1885^[1] by patriarch Gregory II Youssef. On June 29, 1902 he became patriarch of the Melkites.

In 1909 Cyril convoked a synod at Ain Traz to develop the disciplinary legislation of the Melkite Church.^[2] However, the work of the synod failed to gain confirmation from Pope Pius X, who lacked the desire of his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, to promote the traditional rights and privileges of the Eastern Churches.^[3]

Upon Cyril's death in 1916 the patriarchal see was vacant until the election of Demetrius I Qadi in 1919.^[4]

Distinctions

• Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)

See also

• List of Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch

Notes

1. "Patriarch Cyrille VIII Geha". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. David M. Cheney. Retrieved 23 January 2015.
2. Descy (1993), p. 66
3. Descy (1993), pp. 64–67
4. Dick (2004), p. 39

References

• Descy, Serge (1993). The Melkite Church. Boston: Sophia Press.
• Dick, Iganatios (2004). Melkites: Greek Orthodox and Greek Catholics of the Patriarchates of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem. Boston: Sophia Press.

External links

• Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem
• L'Église Melkite/The Melkite Church.
• Melkite Catholic Web Ring.
• Extensive history of the Melkite Church
• Catholic Hierarchy