Benedict XVI appoints leaders for upcoming Middle East Synod

Vatican City, Apr 26, 2010 / 12:00 pm

On Saturday, the Holy Father appointed six prelates to leadership positions for the upcoming Synod of Bishops for the Middle East, scheduled to take place October 10 – 24 of this year. 

The upcoming synod will focus on the communion of the Catholic Church in the region, and will take on the theme, “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness.  'The whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul.'"

Those appointed to the special assembly include:

 - His Beatitude Cardinal Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, Lebanon, as president delegate "ad honorem."

 - His Beatitude Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly, Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Iraq, as president delegate "ad honorem."

 - Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, as president delegate.

 - His Beatitude Ignace Youssif III Younan, Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians, Lebanon, as president delegate.

 - His Beatitude Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, Egypt, as relator general.

 - Archbishop Joseph Soueif of Cyprus of the Maronites, as special secretary.