Patriarchof Antioch receives U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa at Balamand

Patriarch John X of Antioch and All the East received U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa at the Patriarchal Residence in Balamand on August 11, 2026.

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Elias Warrak, President of the University of Balamand, and Archimandrite George Yaacoub, Abbot of the Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand.

During their talks, Patriarch John X and Ambassador Issa exchanged views on the current situation in the region and discussed a range of pressing issues.

The Patriarch expressed his appreciation for the Ambassador’s mission and the role entrusted to him in building bridges of communication and cooperation in the service of Lebanon.

For his part, Ambassador Issa praised the role of Patriarch John X and the mission carried out by the Patriarchate of Antioch in Lebanon and throughout the wider region.

He also highlighted the significant and pioneering presence of members of the Antiochian Orthodox Church in North America and their contribution to the communities in which they live.