His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II nominated Very Rev. Raban Roger-Youssef Akhrass to be Archbishop Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies. Having received the votes of their Eminences Archbishops members of the Holy Synod, His Holiness will consecrate Very Rev. Raban Roger-Youssef Akhrass Archbishop Patriarchal Vicar for Syriac Studies at St. Mary’s Church at the Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh, on Friday June 25, 2021 at 5 pm.

Very Rev. Raban Roger-Youssef Akhrass was born in Sarba – Lebanon in 1981. He joined Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya in 1999 and graduated from it in 2002. He was tonsured monk on May 19, 2002. He was ordained priest on July 18, 2004. He was decorated with the pectoral cross in 2007. He received a degree of Bachelor in Theology and Philosophy from the Catholic University in Paris in 2005, a Masters Degree in Theology from University of the Holy Spirit in Kaslik – Lebanon in 2009, and a Ph.D. in Theology with high distinction from the Catholic University in Paris in 2013. He teaches Biblical studies and the sacraments of the church as well as Syriac language courses at Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary in Maarat Saydnaya since 2005. He was the spiritual guide and vice-rector of the seminary between 2014 and 2016. He also teaches Patristics at the University of the Holy Spirit in Kaslik since 2017. His Holiness appointed him as Director of the Department of Syriac Studies in 2015. He is also the executive editor of the Patriarchal Journal (the new academic journal) since 2015. Among his ecumenical activities, he is the co-secretary for the Oriental Orthodox Churches in the Official International Theological Dialogue with the Anglican Communion. He is a member of the liturgical synodical committee. He edited and translated several books and published more than 40 academic theological articles.

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