Habemus Metropolitanum

https://chemxtree.com/hmvtshpe

As many of you know, Metropolitan Philip, the former head of the Antiochian Archdiocese in the USA, reposed last March (2014). Well, the Orthodox do not have the tradition of the white smoke like the Roman Catholics. But, we do now have a new Metropolitan. The Holy Synod of Antioch has announced the election of Archbishop Joseph to be the next Metropolitan of our Archdiocese. The website of the Antiochian Archdiocese gives this brief biography of him:

His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph was consecrated to the Holy Episcopacy on June 30, 1991 at the St. Mary Cathedral in Damascus, after many years of serving as a deacon and a priest. His Eminence was born in Damascus, Syria, in 1950. He was consecrated with the title, Bishop of Katana in Syria, and served as Patriarchal Assistant and Secretary of the Holy Synod of Antioch. In 1995, he was sent by Patriarch Ignatius IV of blessed memory to America. Here in our Archdiocese, Bishop Joseph was assigned to the West Coast Chancery by Metropolitan Philip of blessed memory. After self-rule status was awarded to our Archdiocese, Bishop Joseph was enthroned at St. Nicholas Cathedral by Metropolitan Philip as the first Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West on September 12, 2004. On December 11, 2011, at the Church of the Dormition of the Theotokos in the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand in Lebanon, Patriarch Ignatius elevated Bishop Joseph to the rank of Archbishop, in honor of his many years of service as a bishop both in our Archdiocese and in the Patriarchate of Antioch.

https://www.infoturismiamoci.com/2025/03/s8pszqnkh May he oversee us well. May God richly bless him. May he be a blessing to those he oversees.