November 18. 2004: His Eminence Mor Meletius Barnaba entered into eternal rest
The late Archbishop Born at Azekh (Idil in modern Turkey) on October 1922, and named Georges after St. George. His father Rev. Fr. Yussef (Joseph) Georges and his mother leah Ari.Obtained his elementary studies at Azekh then joined St. Thomas Syriac parish school at Mosul, Iraq.In 1948 He was ordained as a deacon at the rank of Reader (ܩܪܘܝܐ) by the late Archbishop Athanasius Touma Qassir of Mosul.On May 1939 joined St. Ephrem Theological Seminary at Zahle, Lebanon, and was given the name of Barnaba, and there promoted to the rank of Subdeacon (Afudyaqno ܐܦܘܕܝܩܢܐ).When the Theological Seminary moved to Mosul in 1945, the late Patriarch Ephrem Barsoum (1933-1957) appointed him teacher in St. Ephrem Seminary in Mosul and later principle for two years. He obtained the Diploma of the Seminary On June 30th, 1947.In 1945 he became monk at St Matai Monastery by Archbishop Athanasius Touma Qassir of Mosul and Archbishop Timotheos Yacoub of the monastery.On August 1947 the Patriarch Ignatius Ephrem Barsoum appointed him as a second secretary of the Patriarchate.In 1950 he obtained priesthood by H. H. Mor Ignatius Ephrem Barsoum the Patriarch of Antioch at St. Mary's Cathedral (Um Al-Zunnar), Homs, Syria.In 1951 he was appointed by H. H. the Patriarch first Secretary, and Patriarchal Vicar of Homs, Syria.In 1955 he was designated Patriarchal Vicar of Cairo, Egypt. After a year and two months H. H. the Patriarch called him back to be the Patriarchal Vicar of Homs for the second time.On April 07th, 1957 he was elected and consecrated by H. H. Mor Ignatius Ephrem I, Archbishop Patriarchal Vicar of Homs, Syria at St. Mary Cathedral and given a name Mor Meletius Barnaba. Upon moving the Patriarchate from Homs to Damascus in 1959 been appointed officially by the Holy synod as Archbishop of Homs and Hama.In 1963 he founded the Syriac Orthodox Orphanage at the archbishopric premises.
On March 18th, 1983 His Holiness Mor Ignatius Zakka I. Iwas granted him the decoration of St. Ignatius Theophoros.He retired in 1997 after a car accident, and since then, he had been living at his former Archdiocesan headquarters where he was well cared for by the current Archbishop Mor Silvanus Petros and the faithful staff of the Archbishopric until he passed away on Thursday November 18th, 2004.His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, presided over the funeral services and burial of the late Mor Meletius Barnaba which was held on Monday November 22nd 2004 at 3:00 pm. at the Archdiocese Cathedral of the Virgin Mary (Um-AlZunnar) in Homs, Syria.
Our condolences to H. H. Mor Ignatius Zakka Iwas and to the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch, and to the family of the late Archbishop.
May God rest his soul in eternal peace with those who fulfilled His will , Amen
Photos of the funeral of His Eminence Mor Meletius"where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor"
John 12: 26
