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Retired Melkite leader dies
Patriarch Maximos V was 93
Patriarch Maximos V Hakim, the retired head of the Melkite Catholic Church, died on Friday, June 29.
Patriarch Maximos, who was 93, resigned last year because of his failing health. He was succeeded as Patriarch of Antioch for the Melkites by Gregory III Laham. In a telegram of condolence addressed to Patriarch Gregory, Pope John Paul praised the deceased Melkite leader for his efforts to “promote unity among the faithful, in the Middle East and in the diaspora.”
The funeral for Patriarch Maximos was held in Damascus on July 4. Patriarch Gregory presided, with Patriarch Ignace Moussa Daoud, the prefect of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Eastern Churches, also in attendance.
President clarifies remarks on Israel
Condemned a state, not a race
Syrian President Bashar al Assad told a French audience that he was the victim of a “misunderstanding” when reporters highlighted an anti-Israeli diatribe he delivered during a papal visit to Damascus.
Assad had lashed out against people who “try to kill the principles of all religions, with the same mentality that they used to betray Jesus Christ, and the same way they tried to betray and kill the Prophet Mohammed.” In an effort to clarify those remarks, speaking to the French National Assembly, the Syrian president said that he was not speaking about Jews in general, but only about the government of Israel.
“When I say that Israelis are involved in killings, that’s a reality,” Assad continued. “Israelis tortures Palestinians.”
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