Pope Leo XIV gives assent to election of new archbishop of Maronite Archeparchy of Damascus

Pope Leo XIV has granted his assent to the election of Chorbishop Sharbel Maroun as archbishop of the Maronite Archeparchy of Damascus by the Synod of Bishops of the Patriarchal Church of Antioch of the Maronites. Maroun succeeds Archbishop Samir Nassar.

Until his election, Maroun was protosyncellus of the eparchy of Our Lady of Lebanon of Los Angeles of the Maronites in the United States since 2020 and served as pastor of St. Maron Maronite Parish in Minneapolis for more than 35 years — the third-oldest Maronite parish in the U.S.

In a statement released Friday , Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis said he was “thrilled” to learn of the pope’s assent and said Maroun is beloved in the archdiocese by priests and faithful alike.

“It is wonderfully providential that our Archdiocese has already been in a partnership with the Archeparchy of Damascus since 2017,” Hebda’s statement said. “It is my hope that the relationship will only grow stronger in the days ahead.”

Hebda called outgoing archbishop Nassar “a beacon of hope to the faithful of his flock as he guided them through the challenges of civil war.”

Sharbel Ghattas Maroun was…