Friday 29 December 2017

From Saint Peter to Archbishop Jason Gordon - The Apostolic Linage

The information below is taken from the website catholic-hierarchy.org.

Charles Jason Gordon
  • Born 17th March 1959.
  • Ordained Priest  19th March 1991
  • Ordained Bishop 21st September 2011
  • Installed 23 September 2011
  • Appointed Archbishop 19th October 2017
  • Installed 27th December 2017
 Episcopal Lineage / Apostolic Succession:
So it would seem that Charles Jasons recieving of the Holy Spirit From one Bishop to Another came through the Maronite Order of Bishops of Antioch. Following from this, here is a little history on Georges Rizquallah Beseb'ely from Wikipedia-

George Beseb'ely was born in the village of Beseb'el (from which his surname came), near Tripoli, Lebanon, in about 1595, son of Hadj Rizqallah. He was chosen as auxiliary bishop and consecrated by Patriarch John Bawab Safrawy on July 25, 1656.

After the death of Patriarch John Bawab Safrawy happened on December 23, 1656, the bishops elected as patriarch the monk George Habquq, who anyway for humility refused and escaped in a cave of the Kadisha Valley to live as an hermit. So a second election was held and on January 1, 1657 the Archbishop George Beseb'ely was elected patriarch. The new patriarch sent to Rome his credentials to obtain confirmation of the pope; but, for unknown reasons, the Holy See took the deal for long, to the point that the patriarch had to renew his instances. His election was confirmed by Pope Alexander VII on May 26, 1659, and he received the pallium on August 30, 1660.

George Beseb'ely used, as his predecessor, to live in a monastery subject to the strict discipline of the monks. During his patriarchate he kept good relations with the Kingdom of France, which in 1662 appointed for the first time as French Consul in Beirut a Maronite noble, Abu Nawfal of the Khazen family. This act strengthened the friendship and protection of the France towards the Maronite nation.

George Beseb'ely died on April 12, 1670 because of a pestilence in the monastery of Mar Challita in Keserwan District.

Following him as Patriarch was Estephan Douaihi (image to the right). 


There were 56 Patriarchs of Antioch between the Founder of the Maronite order, John Maron and Patriarch George Beseb'ely. John Maron is the 63rd in line for the office of the Patriarch of Antioch after Peter the Apostle. "What?" says you. "But Peter was in Rome." Well here is what Antiochian.org has to say on the matter.

Church tradition maintains that the See of Antioch was founded by Saint Peter the Apostle in A.D. 34. Peter was either followed or joined by the Apostles Paul and Barnabas who preached there to both Gentiles and to Jews, who seem to have been numerous in the city. It was in Antioch that one of the first conflicts within the Church developed between Peter and Paul. This conflict regarded the necessity of circumcision for male Gentile converts to Christianity. It was the resolution of this conflict at the Council of Jerusalem under Saint James the Apostle that determined the direction of the Antiochian mission to the Gentiles, and the dynamic nature of that Christian community in its missionary outreach. It was from Antioch that Paul and Barnabas departed for their great missionary journeys to the Gentile lands (Acts 13:1).

After spending some seven years in Antioch, Peter left for Rome. To succeed him as bishop of Antioch he appointed Euodius, who is thus counted in early episcopal lists as the first successor to the Antiochian Throne of Peter.

The See of Antioch continued its glorious contributions to the universal Church by the numerous outstanding personalities it nurtured. Saint Ignatius of Antioch for example (image to the right), is revered as both a victorious martyr during the reign of Emperor Trajan (early second century) and as a reliable historical source for the structure of Church life. Ignatius was the second successor to Peter and may actually have been consecrated by that Apostle or Saint Paul.


1 comment:

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