Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui)

Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) (1950-____)

Early life of Joseph G Al-Zehlaoui

On 2 November, 1950, Joseph G Al-Zehlaoui was born to Georgi and Mathil (born Baghdan) Al-Zehlaoui in Damascus, Syria.

In his family, Joseph was raised and formed in the bosom of the Antiochian Orthodox Church.

Joseph received his elementary education at the Saint John of Damascus and Al Assiyeh schools in Damascus, Syria.

From childhood, Joseph lived in spiritual obedience to, and in service of Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim), his spiritual father. This fruitful and life-giving relationship shaped his life.

From 1970 to 1974, Joseph received his secondary education at Our Lady of Balamand Monastery in Al-Koura, in the North Governorate of Lebanon.

Balamand Monastery, Lebanon

Higher education

Joseph then went to study philosophy at the Lebanese University in Beirut.

Afterwards, he pursued further study in theology, languages and music at Salonika University in Greece. Salonica is another name for Thessaloniki.

During the course of his studies and travels, he became fluent also in English, Greek, and several other European languages.

Diaconal ordination, 1976

While he was a student in Salonica, Joseph Al-Zehlaoui was ordained to the Holy Diaconate on 4 December, 1976, by Metropolitan Panteleimon (Rodopoulos) of Tyroloa. He later became the abbot of Moni Vlatadon monastery in Thessaloniki.

Vlatadon Monastery, Thessaloniki

Diaconal service

Deacon Joseph Al-Zehlaoui was given the blessing to serve in parishes in Salonica.

In 1980, Deacon Joseph Al-Zehlaoui received a Master of Theology degree in languages and music from the University of Thessaloniki.

Monastic tonsure ; Presbyteral ordination, 1980

On 25 December, 1980, Deacon Joseph was tonsured to be a monk, and he was given the name Joseph.

On the same day in 1980, the Hierodeacon Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch, at Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Damascus, Syria.

Holy Dormition Cathedral, Damascus

Pastoral service

The Priestmonk Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was assigned to serve as the Dean of Saint Mary's Cathedral in Damascus. He was also assigned to serve as the overseer of the Holy Cross Church and other parishes in the suburbs of Damascus.

In 1983, Hieromonk Joseph was assigned to be the pastor of the Arabic-speaking Orthodox Faithful living in London, England.

In 1986, he was sent to Cyprus to serve and care for the Arabic-speaking Orthodox Faithful living on the island.

On 5 May, 1991, Father Joseph Al-Zehlaoui was elected to become a bishop by the Holy Synod of the Patriarchate of Antioch.

Episcopal ordination, 1991

On 30 June, 1991, Archimandrite Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was ordained to the Holy Episcopate in the Holy Cathedral of the Patriarchate of Antioch in Damascus. He was ordained by Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) and other bishops of the Church of Antioch.

Episcopal service

Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was given the title “Bishop of Qatana, Syria”.

Qatana (Katana) is a town in south-west Syria, near the Lebanese border, in the Governorate (province) of Damascus. Nearly half the population of the town is Christian.

Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) served as General Supervisor and Professor of Religious Education at the Al Assiyeh Orthodox College, and he supervised the Patriarchal headquarters in Damascus. Besides being the patriarchal assistant for several years, Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) served as the Secretary of the Holy Synod of Antioch, and as editor-in-chief of the "Patriarchal Bulletin". He also participated in several theological conferences in Greece, Australia, and in Texas, USA. Essentially, he worked with and served the Orthodox Christians of Damascus from the Patriarchal Headquarters and Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (“al-Mariamiyeh”, “Saint Mary's”).

Suddenly, Patriarch Ignatius (Hazim) and the members of the Holy Synod of Antioch received a request from Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) in New York to have Sayidna Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) sent to the west, so that the ever-growing flock of North America could benefit from his spiritual acumen and pastoral gifts. Unusually, the move was blessed and approved almost instantly, and, on short notice, Sayidna Joseph left his world in the Middle East for a completely new environment of work and service. He had only briefly visited the USA previously.

Transfer to the USA, 1995

At the request of Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was selected by the Holy Synod of Antioch on 24 January, 1995, to be a Vicar-Bishop for Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) in the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America (AOCA), and he was transferred to the USA.

Bishop Joseph arrived in New York City in the spring of 1995, and his first stop was at the Antiochian Archdiocese Headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey. There he spent time in order to become accustomed to the administrative functions and methods of the archdiocese. During the following summer, Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) officially welcomed him at the Archdiocese Convention in Atlanta, Georgia, where he announced that Sayidna Joseph was to shepherd the Western Region flock. “Sayidna” is a respectful but warm manner in which to address a bishop in Arabic.

On 11 October, 1995, Sayidna Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport, where he was welcomed by his clergy. This was mere days before his first Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral on the Sunday of the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council. In his first homily, Sayidna Joseph clearly stated his purpose : “I am here on vocation, not vacation”.

Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Los Angeles, California

Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) took up residence in the Los Angeles chancery, and he began to make regular visits to the approximately 40 (now nearly 60) parishes and missions in 8 American states and 3 Canadian provinces, which cover the largest geographic and diverse territory of the Antiochian Archdiocese. When he was asked to travel to North America, and eventually the West Coast, Bishop Joseph did not ask questions for 2 reasons : his obedience to the Holy Orthodox Church, and because his new assignment came about so quickly that there was no time for inquiry. Sayidna Joseph spent the initial years of his West Coast archpastorate by enhancing the unity of the parishes, clergy and faithful according to the words of the Apostle Paul : “Fulfil my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Philippians 2:2). He stressed this administratively, but even more so liturgically.

In the late 1990s, Sayidna Joseph initiated the annual diocesan clergy seminars, which brought famous Orthodox Christian scholars and pastors to provide for the ongoing education of his priests and deacons, in order to meet the constantly changing needs of the Faithful in the parishes. At these same seminars, Sayidna Joseph regularly stressed the importance of true worship : that it must be concerned not only with the simple rubrics and movements of the clergy, but especially with the deeper meaning of the Divine Services. The Holy Orthodox Church expresses itself theologically, doctrinally and spiritually through its worship ; and Sayidna Joseph knew that these allow the Faithful to become the strongest possible members of the Body of Christ.

On 12 September, 2004, Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was enthroned as the first ruling Bishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West by Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), the primate, along with the Local Holy Synod of the Holy Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. This event was the first part of the further development of the archdiocese, which established distinct dioceses led by diocesan bishops. Until that year, the archdiocese had been governed by one diocesan bishop who had many Vicar-Bishops who cared for various regions.

Inter-Orthodox activities

On Bright Tuesday, 10 April, 2007, Sayidna Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) hosted the first gathering in Los Angeles of the Orthodox Christian bishops on the west coast of the USA. Attending were Metropolitan Gerasimos (Michaleas) of the Greek Orthodox Christian Metropolis of San Francisco ; Bishop Maxim (Vasilijevic) of the Serbian Orthodox Christian Diocese of Western America ; and Bishop Benjamin (Peterson) of The Orthodox Church in America’s Diocese of the West. Bishop Joseph opened the gathering by stressing the importance of expressing the Holy Orthodox Christian Faith with one voice. To this end, they have since then concelebrated the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy on the Sunday of Orthodoxy every year.

In the spring of 2007, Bishop Joseph addressed the students of Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania. He stressed to them the serious importance of the service of the Holy Priesthood in the Body of Christ.

At the end of the Paschal season in 2008, Sayidna Joseph travelled with a group of people to Russia, where they visited various holy sites, and venerated the Holy Relics of many saints. They particularly visited Patriarch Aleksey II (Ridiger) of Moscow, and also the Representation Temple. Before the 1917 revolution, the representation had been situated in the Holy Ascension and Saint Hypatius Sobor. However, after the fall of communism, the Representation of the Patriarchate of Antioch had been assigned to the Temple of the Holy Archangel Gabriel and Saint Theodore Stratelates on Chistye Prudy (Clean Ponds) Boulevard. The long-time head (from 1977) of the Antiochian Representation in Moscow has been Metropolitan Nifon (Saikali) of Philippopolis.

Antiochian Representation Temple of Holy Archangel Gabriel and Saint Theodore Stratelates, Moscow

At Sayidna Joseph's suggestion, in December of 2009, the hierarchs hosted the first-ever inter-Orthodox clergy retreat at Saint Nicholas Ranch and Retreat Centre in Dunlap, California.

In 2010, Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) received an Honourary Doctor of Divinity Degree from Saint Tikhon's Orthodox Theological Seminary in South Canaan, Pennsylvania.

On 11 December, 2011, at the Balamand Monastery in Northern Lebanon, Patriarch Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch and all the East elevated Bishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) to the dignity of archbishop.

On 23 September, 2013, at a special convocation of Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in New York, in association with the third annual Father John Meyendorff Memorial Lecture, Archbishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was invested with the Honourary Doctor of Divinity degree.

Repose of Metropolitan Philip (Saliba), 2014

On 19 March, 2014, Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) fell asleep in the Lord.

Immediately, Archbishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was assigned by the Holy Synod in Damascus to serve as the locum tenens for the archdiocese until a successor would be elected.

Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of America, 2014

On 3 July, 2014, Archbishop Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) was elected by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Patriarchate of Antioch to be Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of America.

His title was now "Metropolitan Joseph", to reflect the fact that he was now the Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of America.

Service as Metropolitan

From the time of his election, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) undertook the leadership of the Antiochian Archdiocese (AOCA) in just as serious a manner as he had applied himself to his previous assignments.

Since there was no successor elected at the time of the repose of Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) for the Diocese of Los Angeles and the West, he continued to administer it and to give it regular pastoral attention, in addition to his responsibilities at the Antiochian Archdiocese headquarters.

Year 2015

On Sunday, 23 March, 2015, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) celebrated a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy to mark the one-year memorial of the repose of Metropolitan Philip (Saliba) at the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York.

Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral, Brooklyn, New York

In his eulogy, Metropolitan Joseph mentioned many of the accomplishments of Sayidna Philip over 48 years, but he ultimately reminded those assembled that Metropolitan Philip's primary desire was to build up the Archdiocese and its institutions in order to bring people closer to Christ so that the Orthodox Faith could manifest itself on this continent. Also serving were Archbishop Demetrios (Trakatellis) of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, and Bishop John (Abdullah) of the Diocese of Worcester.

First year memorial Divine Liturgy for Metropolitan Philip (Saliba)

Afterwards, Archbishop Demetrios recalled his many years of working with Metropolitan Philip in both the Standing Conference of Orthodox Bishops in America (SCOBA) and its successor, the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA. He remembered both Metropolitan Philip's strong convictions and beliefs as well as his love and ability to co-operate. Both Metropolitan Tikhon (Mollard) and Archbishop Michael (Dahulich) of The Orthodox Church in America had intended to participate also ; but they sent their regrets because they were serving the funeral of Protopresbyter Thomas Hopko. Bishop John (Roshchin) of the Russian Orthodox Church was also unable to attend because of illness. His Excellency, Bashar Ja'afari, the Ambassador of Syria to the United Nations and Mr. Madji Ramadan, Consul General of Lebanon in New York, were also were present and they extended their condolences. A memorial lunch was served in the cathedral hall following the liturgy and memorial, at which time, Metropolitan Philip's niece, Leslie Saliba Nasr spoke on behalf of the family.

On 9 November, 2015, with the blessing of Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui), the Antiochian House of Studies, a department of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America, announced the establishment of the Ph.D. program in Orthodox Studies. The Ph.D. programme was established in order to train specialists in Biblical and Patristic Theology, with the specific aim of transmitting the wisdom and ethos of the Orthodox Tradition to English-speaking theologians, educators and pastors in particular.

Year 2016

Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) presided at the Annual Diocesan Clergy Seminar in Alhambra, California, on 11 February, 2016.

On 31 March, 2016, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) issued an Archpastoral Encyclical entitled "Food for Hungry People".

On 3 July, 2016, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) received Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos) of Nafpaktos and Agios Vlasios, Greece, in the Archdiocesan Headquarters in Englewood, New Jersey.

Visit of Metropolitan Hierotheos (Vlachos)

Year 2017

On Sunday, 3 April, 2017, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) served at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Oakland, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Afterwards, there was a special dinner and reception for the purpose of raising funds for the projects of relief efforts by the International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) for those affected by the war in Syria. Primarily, the money was sent to programmes in Lebanon, Greece and Jordan which help Syrian refugees.

Year 2018

Visit to Houston, Texas

On 8 February, 2018, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) arrived in Houston, Texas, for his week-long archpastoral visit which marked the celebration of the 90th Anniversary of the Parish of Saint George. He was greeted by the clergy, after which a dinner with the parish council was served.

On 9 February, Sayidna Joseph was introduced to the Saint Constantine School, an Orthodox classical school which had opened its doors to students in August, 2016. Metropolitan Joseph was greeted by the whole school with the singing of the Tropar of Saint Constantine. Sayidna Joseph addressed all the students, toured the facilities and he had a lunch meeting with the school board. Later in the day, Sayidna Joseph participated in Great Vespers at the Saint Joseph Church. Following Vespers and dinner, he met in the Temple with area teens.

On Saturday, Sayidna Joseph met with the Saint George's church school students and their families. He allowed to children to ask questions and to offer their thoughts. After brunch served by the Saint George Ladies' Altar Society, Metropolitan Joseph addressed the ladies, the men's philanthropic group, and the church school. Saturday evening, Great Vespers was offered at the Saint George Church. After the service, over 450 attendees came together for the joyful 90th Anniversary Celebration.

On Sunday, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy which marked the 90th Anniversary. This service included ordinations to the Subdiaconate and to the Holy Diaconate.

On Monday, Sayidna Joseph also participated in Great Vespers at Saint Joseph's Church, and in a Paraklesis to the Theotokos in the chapel at Saint George Church with the deanery clergy. Afterwards, he also visited the Saint Paul Church in Katy, Texas, and he celebrated the Feast of the Three Hierarchs at the Saint Anthony Church in Spring, Texas.

Other activities, 2018

On 17 March, 2018, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) received Metropolitan Antonios (El Soury) of the Diocese of Zahleh, Baalbek and Depencencies in Lebanon ; and on 18 March, 2018, they served the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy together in the Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Los Angeles, California. Metropolitan Antonios gave the homily. Metropolitan Antonios made visits to various parishes over a period of 3 weeks.

On 14-26 June, 2018, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) led a pilgrimage group to Greece, Kosovo and Serbia.

On 11-19 October, 2018, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) accompanied Patriarch John X (Yazigi) on his fraternal visit to Patriarch Irinej (Gavrilović) of the Orthodox Christian Church of Serbia. This was the first such visit possible since 1959. Patriarch John (Yazigi) was also accompanied by Metropolitan Basilios (Mansour) of Akkar, Lebanon. There was first a Service of Thanksgiving and of intercession in the Cathedral of Saint Michael in Belgrade, Serbia. There was also concelebration of the Primatial Divine Liturgy, and there were official talks regarding the current concerns facing both of their Churches, the local Orthodox Churches, and Christianity on the whole. The visit also included pilgrimages to some of Serbian Orthodoxy's holiest churches, shrines and monasteries.

On 16 November, 2018, Metropolitan Joseph visited the parish of Saint Ignatius in Mesa, Arizona.

On 25 December, 2018, Metropolitan Joseph presided over the Nativity Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at Saint Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Cathedral in Brooklyn, New York.

Year 2019

Ottawa, Ontario, 2019

From 26 November to 1 December, 2019, Metropolitan Joseph visited the Cathedral of Saint Elias in Ottawa, Ontario, on the occasion of the retirement of the long-serving Archpriest Ghattas Hajal. He had served in the archdiocese for 30 years, and 28 years at this particular parish.

Many events marked this event including a luncheon at the Lebanese Embassy in Ottawa with His Excellency Fadi Ziadeh, Ambassador of Lebanon to Canada. Metropolitan Joseph also presided at a parish council meeting and dinner. Then he led a pilgrimage group to the Greek Orthodox Monastery of the Virgin Mary the Consolatorice at Brownsburg near Lachute, Québec (about 2 hours' drive east of Ottawa). There, Metropolitan Joseph was joined by Bishop Alexander (Mufarrij) the Diocese of Ottawa, Eastern Canada and Upstate New York, and several clergy and faithful from the Ottawa and Montréal areas. Since Metropolitan Joseph had desired to meet with the various parish service-groups in the parish, the weekend was delightfully packed with 3 separate meetings.

On Friday, 29 November, 2019, Metropolitan Joseph presided at Great Vespers of the Feast of the Holy Apostle Andrew at Saint Elias Cathedral. He presided also at Great Vespers for Sunday on Saturday, 30 November. This service was followed by a gala celebration to mark the retirement from active pastoral service of Father Hajal. More than 500 people attended this expression of gratitude to Father Ghattas. There was included a short video that highlighted his journey from the world of high finance into the holy priesthood. There were many speeches that expressed love and gratitude. On Sunday morning, 1 December, 2019, Metropolitan Joseph served the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the cathedral, along with many clergy.

Saint Elias Cathedral, Ottawa, Ontario

Years 2020-2021

Covid-19 disruptions, 2020-2021

In 2020-2021, the Covid-19 virus arrived in North America. With it and its treatment as a pandemic came repeated and prolonged closures and/or limited permitted attendance in the Temples everywhere on the continent, although every region had its own version of the requirements. International travel to and from the USA was restricted or prohibited to Canada and Mexico, and there were many other restrictions during this time. Most international travel became almost impossible for a time. The various Orthodox Christian administrations adopted directions to their Faithful that often differed from one another. Since a statement regarding the situation was published by the Prime Minister of Canada on 19 April, 2020 (the Feast of Pascha), Metropolitan Joseph published the statement.

An article was published in the May, 2020, edition of "The Word" on-line magazine, which included a statement by the Holy Synod of the Church of Antioch.

In addition, a statement was published in the same issue, which informed the Faithful about cancellations of the usual gatherings :

 After much prayer and deliberation, we have made some heartrending decisions that we believe are in the best interests 
 of our flock, despite the pain we have in relaying them.  Effective immediately, we are cancelling all Parish Life 
 Conferences, and our summer camping and retreat programs, including family camps.  We are cancelling the Clergy 
 Symposium and the meeting of the Archdiocese Board of Trustees.  The Bible Bowl, Creative Arts and Oratorial 
 Festival themes will be carried to next summer, in order to honour the work already put in by the participants.

On Sunday, 6 June, 2021, the block of State Street in Brooklyn, New York, on which Saint Nicholas Cathedral is situated, was renamed "Saint Raphael of Brooklyn Place". On this occasion, Metropolitan Joseph presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy in the cathedral. Afterwards, at 1:00 p.m., the street-naming ceremony took place under the leadership of city council representatives and other dignitaries.

Visit to Archbishop Elpidophoros(Lambriniadis) of New York, 2921

On Tuesday, 8 June, 2021, Metropolitan Joseph visited Archbishop Elpidophoros (Lambriniadis), primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, at the headquarters of the Greek Archdiocese in Manhattan, New York City. The 2 hierarchs offered prayers in the Domestic Chapel of Saint Paul, and then they discussed current events. Amongst the matters they discussed was the impending visit to New York City in 2022 of Patriarch Bartholomew (Archontonis).

Visit to Arizona parishes, 2021

On 21-22 August, 2021, Metropolitan Joseph visited the parishes of Saint Ignatius in Mesa, Arizona, and Saint George in Phoenix, Arizona. On Saturday, at Saint Ingatius Church, he presided at Great Vespers. On Sunday, at Saint George Church, he presided at the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, which included an ordination to the Holy Diaconate.

Diocese of Los Angeles and the West assembly, 2021

From 8-12 October, 2021, Metropolitan Joseph presided at an autumn gathering of the Diocese of Los Angles and the West. At the parish of Saint John the Evangelist in Orinda, California, this general meeting of the diocesan representatives included the metropolitan, clergy and various parishioners. The sessions included meetings of the Antiochian Women, the Young Adult Ministry, and the Teen SOYO groups of the diocese.

Retirement, 2022

On 17 September, 2022, Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) submitted a letter to Patriarch John X (Yazigi) of Antioch, in which he requested retirement from his responsibilities as Archbishop of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America. He published a letter to the Faithful.

Upon receipt of the letter of request, Patriarch John forwarded the letter to the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church of Antioch.

In October, 2022, the Holy Synod of Antioch gave the blessing for the retirement. Metropolitan Joseph then published a letter to the Faithful.

— Bishop of Qatana, Syria 1991-1995. Preceded by : ____. Succeeded by :____.

— Vicar-Bishop of the Antiochian Archdiocese 1995-2004.

— Bishop of Los Angeles and the West 2004-2011.

— Archbishop of Los Angeles and the West 2011-2014. Preceded by : See created. Succeeded by :____.

— Archbishop of New York, Metropolitan of America 2014-2022. Preceded by : Metropolitan Philip (Saliba). Succeeded by : Metropolitan Saba (Esber).