Diocese of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar, Lebanon 🇱🇧 (Maronite Rite)

Continent: Central and Southwest Asia

Rite: Maronite (Antiochian)

Type: Diocese Diocese

Name: Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar / Heliopolitan(us)–Rubrimonasterien(sis) Maronitarum (Latin)

Subject to the Patriarch

Depends on: Dicastery for the Eastern Churches

History

1671: Established as Diocese of Baalbek / Helipolitan(us) Maronitarum (Latin) (without ecclesiastical province)
1977.08.04: Renamed as Diocese of Baalbek e Zahlé / Helipolitan(us) et Mariammen(sis) Maronitarum (Latin)
1990.06.09: Renamed as Diocese of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar / Heliopolitan(us)–Rubrimonasterien(sis) Maronitarum (Latin) (lost territory to establish Diocese of Zahlé)

Present Prelates

Bishop (2015.06.20 – ...):

Bishop Hanna Rahmé, O.L.M. (65)

Ordinaries

Bishops of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar (Maronite Rite)

Bishop Hanna Rahmé, O.L.M. (65)
(2015.06.20 – ...)

Bishop of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar of the Maronites (Lebanon)

Born:	1960.07.18 (Aynata, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1990.07.29
Consecrated Bishop:	2015.08.01

Bishop of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar of the Maronites (Lebanon) (2015.06.20 – ...)

Bishop Simon Atallah, O.A.M. (88)
(2005.12.28 – 2015.06.20)

Bishop emeritus of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar of the Maronites (Lebanon)

Born:	1937.01.10 (Hemayri, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1963.12.08
Consecrated Bishop:	2006.02.11

Superior General of Antonin Maronite Order (1999.07 – 2005.07)

Bishop of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar of the Maronites (Lebanon) ([2005.09.24] 2005.12.28 – 2015.06.20)

Bishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem (later Archbishop)
(1995.06.10 – 2005.08.27)

Born:	1934.09.08 (Akoura, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1959.03.28
Consecrated Bishop:	1995.09.13
Died:	2022.10.07 (Jbeil, Lebanon † 88)

Priest of Antioch of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1959.03.28 – 1995.06.10)

Delegate of Vatican Film Library (1973 – 1978)

Chaplain of His Holiness (1978.12.11 – 1987.12.24)

Prelate of Honour of His Holiness (1987.12.24 – 1995.06.10)

Bishop of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1995.06.10 – 2005.08.27)

Apostolic Nuncio to Bahrain (2005.08.27 – 2009.12.02)

Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait (2005.08.27 – 2009.12.02)

Apostolic Nuncio to Qatar (2005.08.27 – 2009.12.02)

Apostolic Nuncio to Yemen (2005.08.27 – 2009.12.02)

Apostolic Delegate to Arabian Peninsula (2005.08.27 – 2009.12.02)

Titular Archbishop of Darnis (2005.08.27 – 2022.10.07)

Apostolic Nuncio to United Arab Emirates (2007.08.04 – 2009.12.02)

Bishop Philippe Boutros Chebaya
(1990.06.09 – 1995.06.10)

Born:	1920.05.20 (Bécharré, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1944.03.25
Consecrated Bishop:	1990.08.05
Died:	2002.10.08 († 82)

Bishop of Baalbek–Deir Al-Ahmar of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1990.06.09 – 1995.06.10)

Bishops of Baalbek e Zahlé (Maronite Rite)

Bishop Georges Scandar
(1977.11.12 – 1990.06.09)

Born:	1927.05.12 (Zahleh, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1965.06.13
Consecrated Bishop:	1977.11.12
Died:	2018.05.15 († 91)

Bishop of Baalbek e Zahlé of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1977.11.12 – 1990.06.09)

Bishop of Zahlé of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1990.06.09 – 2002.09.12)

Bishops of Baalbek (Maronite Rite)

Bishop Chucrallah Harb
(1967.03.15 – 1977.08.04)

Born:	1923.05.05 (Tannourine, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1949.06.19
Consecrated Bishop:	1967.05.14
Died:	2019.12.31 († 96)

Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1967.03.15 – 1977.08.04)

Bishop of Jounieh of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1977.08.04 – 1999.06.05)

Bishop Abdallah Nujaim
(1954.04.04 – 1966.11.12)

Born:	1895.05.06 (Dures, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1919.09.02
Consecrated Bishop:	1950.10.15
Died:	1979.03.18 († 83)

Titular Bishop of Arca in Phœnicia of the Maronites (1950.07.25 – 1954.04.04)

Auxiliary Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1950.07.25 – 1954.04.04)

Apostolic Administrator of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1953 – 1954.04.04)

Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1954.04.04 – 1966.11.12)

Titular Bishop of Parembolæ in Phœnicia (1966.11.12 – 1979.03.18)

Bishop Abdallah Nujaim
(Apostolic Administrator 1953 – 1954.04.04)

Archbishop Elias Richa
(1937.10.10 – 1953.08.24)

Born:	1870.07.31 (Haret Sakher, Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1903.06.04
Consecrated Bishop:	1926.04.25
Died:	1953.08.24 († 83)

Titular Archbishop of Nazareth of the Maronites ([1926.04.25] 1926.06.21 – 1937.10.10)

Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1937.10.10 – 1953.08.24)

Bishop Giovanni Murad
(1892.06.12 – 1937.05.01)

Born:	1854.02.01 (Lebanon)
Consecrated Bishop:	1892.06.12
Died:	1937.05.01 († 83)

Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1892.06.12 – 1937.05.01)

Bishop Youhanna Al-Hajj (later Patriarch)
(1861 – 1890.04.28)

Born:	1817.11.01 (Lebanon)
Ordained Priest:	1839.12.26
Consecrated Bishop:	1861.08.15
Died:	1898.12.24 († 81)

Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1861 – 1890.04.28)

Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites (Lebanon) ([1890.04.28] 1890.06.23 – 1898.12.24)

Bishop Anton El-Khazen
(1805 – 1858.02.18)

Born:	1770
Ordained Priest:	1796?
Consecrated Bishop:	1807
Died:	1858.02.18 († 87)

Bishop of Baalbek of the Maronites (Lebanon) (1805 – 1858.02.18)

Former Prelates

Auxiliary Bishop: Bishop Abdallah Nujaim (1950.07.25 – 1954.04.04)

Special Churches

Cathedral: Cathédrale maronite Saint-Georges, Deir el Ahmar, Baalbek-Hermel

Zahlé (↙), Jebbeh–Sarba–Jounieh (←), Jbeil (←), Batroun (↖), Tripoli (↖), Latakia (↑), Damascus (↘)

Statistics (2022.12.31)

Population: 40,600 Catholics

Pastoral Centres: 45 parishes, 1 mission

Personnel: 30 priests (19 diocesan, 11 religious), 49 religious (11 brothers, 38 sisters), 7 seminarians

Maronite Diocese of