For context see the Metropolitan Joseph: The Scandal section in our Archives 2020-22 linked at the top of this page.

Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) Bishop G. Joseph

Orthodoxy in Dialogue has learned from a number of insider sources at Englewood that Fawaz El Khoury, vice-chairman of the Archdiocesan Board of Trustees, has spoken to Patriarch John of Antioch about our reporting on Bishop G. Joseph’s (aka Metropolitan Joseph Al-Zehlaoui) alleged affairs. The Metropolitan was asked to resign, but refuses to do so. At the same time, however, he cancels archpastoral visits to parishes at the last minute out of shame of showing his face in public.

Most stunning, a number of AOCA parishes refused to commemorate the Metropolitan in yesterday’s Sunday Liturgy, a flagrant act of breaking communion with their primate. We are told that he has no friends anywhere coming to his defense.

We remind our readers that the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America is an autonomous ecclesiastical entity, not autocephalous. The Patriarchate of Antioch has the canonical authority to assign the Archdiocese’s bishops; the Patriarchate thus has the canonical authority to suspend and ultimately depose the Archdiocese’s bishops. Read More

At 1:14 p.m. on Thursday, August 25, Metropolitan Joseph’s administrative assistant, Mariline Abou Hamad, sent the following email on behalf of Father Thomas Zain, Vicar General of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese, to the clergy of the Archdiocese in response to Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s reporting over the preceding three days. For context see the Metropolitan Joseph: The Scandal section in our Archives 2020-22 linked at the top of this page.

Beloved Brothers in Christ:

As you may now be aware, there has been an accusation (of a violation of the Church canons) against His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph. The Antiochian Archdiocese takes all accusations against a clergyman very seriously and investigates them for the protection of all parties concerned. His Eminence denies the accusation against him and asks that you keep him in your prayers during this difficult time.

Please refrain from commenting on this subject or sharing anything you see about it in traditional and social media. Encourage others to do the same and direct them to this statement that appears at https://www.antiochian.org/regulararticle/1317. If you are contacted by a member of the news media for comment, please refer that person to Subdeacon Peter Samore, the director of our Department of Communications, at communications@antiochian.org. Read More

Metropolitan Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) Bishop G. Joseph

Your Eminence, Metropolitan JOSEPH:

The following inconvenient questions come from a multitude of Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s readers around the planet who feel that the time for silence and secrecy is over. (We do mean “around the planet”: the number of readers from Syria, Lebanon, the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan has shot through the roof these past four days.) Read More

This statement appeared earlier today on the website of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese in response to Orthodoxy in Dialogue’s reporting. For context see the Metropolitan Joseph: The Scandal section in the Archives 2020-22 linked above.

Orthodoxy in Dialogue asks that you keep His Eminence’s victim(s) in your prayers during this difficult time.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2022
A Message from the Antiochian Archdiocese
Department of Communications

As you may now be aware, there has been an accusation (of a violation of the Church canons) against His Eminence Metropolitan Joseph. The Antiochian Archdiocese takes all accusations against a clergyman very seriously and investigates them for the protection of all parties concerned. An investigation by an independent legal team not associated with the Antiochian Archdiocese is underway. His Eminence denies the accusation against him and asks that you keep him in your prayers during this difficult time.

communications@antiochian.org

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