George Bacouni

George Bacouni, or George Bakhouni (born 16 May 1962 in Ain el-Roummaneh in Lebanon), is the appointed Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Jbeil in Lebanon. He’s been elected Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Beirut and Byblos (Lebanon) on 8 November 2018.

Georges Bacouni was consecrated by Archbishop Habib Bacha, SMSP, of Beirut and Jbeil on 30 July 1995 as diocesan priest. On 22 June 2005 he was appointed successor to Jean Assaad Haddad Archbishop of Tyre in Lebanon and on 27 November 2005 by the Patriarch of Antioch Gregory III Laham, BS was consecrated bishop. His co-consecrators were Archbishop Jean Assaad Haddad (its predecessor) and Archbishop Joseph Kallas of Beirut and Jbeil SMSP.

On 21 June 2014 he was named by Patriarch Gregory III Laham in accordance with the Melkite Synod Archbishop of the Melkite Greek Catholic Archeparchy of Akka.

Pope Francis named him a member of the Congregation for Oriental Churches on 6 August 2019.

In an interview on the issue of the shortage of priests and celibacy Bacaouni expressed his surprise at the Roman Catholic Church, which had drawn from the experience of the Eastern Churches with married priests. His key message was: "Christianity survived in the Middle East because of married priests". On the situation in his diocese, he said that in his 10 parishes 12 priests are active, including eight married priests and four unmarried priests. His conclusion was that celibacy for priests in the Latin rite was always not defined as church discipline and theological or spiritual issue. Finally, the exemplary life of married or celibate priests in their communities, the knowledge of theology, preaching the gospel and the celebration of the sacraments became most important to him.

In a conversation with "Asianews" Bacouni said as the archbishop of Tyre, that Christians have become a minority in their own country. Since 1970, he noted, had become steadily less the percentage of Christians in the Lebanese population. This has the effect that the pressure of the Muslims would lead to a permanent emigration among Christians. "They (the Christians) feel an ever increasing alienation to their own country," said Archbishop Bacouni. He therefore called on the Church "by a credible life according to the Gospels and the proclamation of the Word of God, to encourage the Christians."

As a delegate to the Special Assembly of the Synod of Bishops (Catholic) for the Middle East in October 2010, he commented in the final bulletin. He stressed that the problems of Christians in Jordan describe a difficult new situation. But, he stresses, we must be able to keep the young people in their home countries. And in order to achieve this, the clergy and the episcopate must make a massive effort.