Archbishop Jibrail Kassab
Encyclopedia
His Excellency Archbishop Jibrail Kassab is a prelate
of the Chaldean Catholic Church
who presides over the Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Sydney in Australia. He has been the bishop
of this diocese
since its inception on 21 October 2006. His bishopric currently sits as St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Church, Bossley Park, New South Wales
. Archbishop
Kassab was born in Tel Keppe
, Iraq
on 5 August 1938. He was ordained a priest
on 19 January 1961. Following 35 years of faithful service to the priesthood, he was elevated to the episcopacy by the then Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Mar Raphael I Bidawid
. Upon his installment, his first post was to serve as archbishop of the Archeparchy of Basra. Following the difficult plight of Iraq's Assyrian
Christians during the Iraq War, Pope Benedict XVI
was compelled to transfer Bishop Kassab to a safer area. He created a much needed diocese in Sydney
that would cover all of Australia and New Zealand and would install Archbishop Kassab as its head prelate, a post he still holds today.
Prelate
A prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy who is an ordinary or who ranks in precedence with ordinaries. The word derives from the Latin prælatus, the past participle of præferre, which means "carry before", "be set above or over" or "prefer"; hence, a prelate is one set over others.-Related...
of the Chaldean Catholic Church
Chaldean Catholic Church
The Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church...
who presides over the Eparchy of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Sydney in Australia. He has been the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of this diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
since its inception on 21 October 2006. His bishopric currently sits as St. Thomas the Apostle Chaldean Catholic Church, Bossley Park, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Kassab was born in Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe
Tel Keppe , is one of the largest formerly Assyrian towns in Iraq. It is located in the Ninawa Governorate, less than 8 miles North East of Mosul in northern Iraq.-Etymology:...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on 5 August 1938. He was ordained a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
on 19 January 1961. Following 35 years of faithful service to the priesthood, he was elevated to the episcopacy by the then Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans, Mar Raphael I Bidawid
Raphael I Bidawid
Mar Raphael I Bidawid † was the patriarch of the Chaldean Catholic Church from 1989-2003. He was also a Syriac scholar.-Life:He was born on April 17, 1922 in northern Iraqi city of Mosul into an ethnic Assyrian family, and took his school and seminar training in Mosul...
. Upon his installment, his first post was to serve as archbishop of the Archeparchy of Basra. Following the difficult plight of Iraq's Assyrian
Assyrian people
The Assyrian people are a distinct ethnic group whose origins lie in ancient Mesopotamia...
Christians during the Iraq War, Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
was compelled to transfer Bishop Kassab to a safer area. He created a much needed diocese in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
that would cover all of Australia and New Zealand and would install Archbishop Kassab as its head prelate, a post he still holds today.
Episcopal lineage
Archbishop Jibrail Kassab was Co-Consecrated By:- Archbishop Georges Garmo
External links
- Kaldu.org - Eparchy of St. Peter the Apostle website
- Catholic Hierarchy.org
- GigaCatholic Website