Agapius II Matar
Encyclopedia
Agapius II Matar, was Patriarch
of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
from 1796 to 1812.
. He entered young in the Basilian Salvatorian Order
. In 1779, when he was already a priest
, he traveled to Rome
and later to Paris
. In 1789 he was appointed Superior
of the Basilian Salvatorian Order and in 1795 he was appointed and consecrated bishop of Saida
by Patriarch Cyril VII Siaj
. On 11 September 1796 he was elected Patriarch.
The first problem Agapius Matar had to face as Patriarch were the clashes with the metropolitan
of Beirut
(see Article Ignatius IV Sarrouf
) that saw Agapius Matar allied with Germanos Adam
bishop of Aleppo
in rejecting the disciplinary reform (and later the new foundation) of the monastic orders promoted by Sarrouf and by the Latin missionaries
.
In those years the Melkite Church was in pursuit of its identity with regard to Rome. Agapius Matar asked and obtained by Propaganda Fide to forbid to the Franciscans to promote their Third order
among Melkites and later he obtained from Rome to forbid to the Custodian of the Holy Land
to confer the sacrament of Confirmation
on faithfuls not of Latin Rite. In 1806 he summoned a synod
in Qarqafe (or Karkafeh) that lined up with the ecclesiological
and sacrament
al doctrine of Germanos Adam despite it was marked by Jansenist ideas. The acts of the Qarqafe's synod were later rejected by Maximos III Mazloum
and condemned by Pope Gregory XVI
with his brief Melchitarum catholicorum of 3 June 1835.
After the death of Germanos Adam he appointed as bishop of Aleppo, against the wishes of Ignatius Sarrouf and of other bishops, the young Adam's secretary, Maximos Mazloum. In 1811 Agapius Matar founded the seminary
of Ain Traz
to teach the diocesan priests. He died there on 2 February 1812.
Patriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
Melkite Greek Catholic Church
The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
from 1796 to 1812.
Life
Agapius Matar was born in 1736 in DamascusDamascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. He entered young in the Basilian Salvatorian Order
Basilian Salvatorian Order
The Basilian Salvatorian Order is a religious order of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The Latin name of this order is Ordo Basilianus Sanctissimi Salvatoris, the French name is Ordre Basilien Salvatorien. The name cames from its motherhouse, the Holy Saviour monastery, The Basilian Salvatorian...
. In 1779, when he was already a priest
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
, he traveled to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and later to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1789 he was appointed Superior
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the Basilian Salvatorian Order and in 1795 he was appointed and consecrated bishop of Saida
Sidon
Sidon or Saïda is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located in the South Governorate of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast, about 40 km north of Tyre and 40 km south of the capital Beirut. In Genesis, Sidon is the son of Canaan the grandson of Noah...
by Patriarch Cyril VII Siaj
Cyril VII Siaj
Cyril VII Francis Siaj was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1794 to 1796.-Life:Francis Siaj was a monk of the Basilian Salvatorian Order. Between 1760 and 1768 he was a open partisan of Athanasius Jawhar in the clashes for the patriarchate between patriarch Theodosius V Dahan...
. On 11 September 1796 he was elected Patriarch.
The first problem Agapius Matar had to face as Patriarch were the clashes with the metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
(see Article Ignatius IV Sarrouf
Ignatius IV Sarrouf
Ignatius IV Sarrouf, was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in 1812. He is remembered for both his patriarchate , and for having been, as metropolitan of Beirut, a leading figure in the early history of the Melkite Church.-Early life:Youssef Sarrouf was born in 1742 in Damascus...
) that saw Agapius Matar allied with Germanos Adam
Germanos Adam
Germanos Adam was the Melkite Catholic bishop of Aleppo during the late 18th century and a Christian theologian.-Life:Germanos Adam was born in 1725 in Aleppo, Syria, and studied in the College of the Propaganda in Rome. In 1774 he was consecrated Melkite Catholic bishop of Acre...
bishop of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
in rejecting the disciplinary reform (and later the new foundation) of the monastic orders promoted by Sarrouf and by the Latin missionaries
Catholic missions
As the church normally organizes itself along territorial lines, and because they had the human and material resources, religious orders—some even specializing in it—undertook most missionary work, especially in the early phases...
.
In those years the Melkite Church was in pursuit of its identity with regard to Rome. Agapius Matar asked and obtained by Propaganda Fide to forbid to the Franciscans to promote their Third order
Third order
The term Third Order designates persons who live according to the Third Rule of a Roman Catholic religious order, an Anglican religious order, or a Lutheran religious order. Their members, known as Tertiaries, are generally lay members of religious orders, i.e...
among Melkites and later he obtained from Rome to forbid to the Custodian of the Holy Land
Custodian of the Holy Land
The Custodian of the Holy Land is an officer of the Franciscan order, appointed by the General Definitorium of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, with the approval of the Vatican. The Custodian, or Custos, is the head of all Franciscans in the Holy Land...
to confer the sacrament of Confirmation
Confirmation (Catholic Church)
Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing. According to Catholic doctrine, in this sacrament they receive the Holy Spirit and become adult members of the Catholic Church....
on faithfuls not of Latin Rite. In 1806 he summoned a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
in Qarqafe (or Karkafeh) that lined up with the ecclesiological
Ecclesiology
Today, ecclesiology usually refers to the theological study of the Christian church. However when the word was coined in the late 1830s, it was defined as the science of the building and decoration of churches and it is still, though rarely, used in this sense.In its theological sense, ecclesiology...
and sacrament
Sacrament
A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...
al doctrine of Germanos Adam despite it was marked by Jansenist ideas. The acts of the Qarqafe's synod were later rejected by Maximos III Mazloum
Maximos III Mazloum
Maximos III Michael Mazloum, was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1833 until 1855. As patriarch he reformed church administration and bolstered clerical education...
and condemned by Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI
Pope Gregory XVI , born Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari, named Mauro as a member of the religious order of the Camaldolese, was Pope of the Catholic Church from 1831 to 1846...
with his brief Melchitarum catholicorum of 3 June 1835.
After the death of Germanos Adam he appointed as bishop of Aleppo, against the wishes of Ignatius Sarrouf and of other bishops, the young Adam's secretary, Maximos Mazloum. In 1811 Agapius Matar founded the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
of Ain Traz
Ain Traz
The Ain Traz Seminary of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, located southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, has served various roles during its 200 year history. Given by the El Saad family , it was founded in 1811 by Melkite Patriarch Agapius II Matar, it was first intended as a seminary...
to teach the diocesan priests. He died there on 2 February 1812.