Pope names officials for Synod on Middle East

Pope Benedict XVI has named the officials for a special meeting of the Synod of Bishops devoted to the Middle East, which will take place in Rome in October.

Three Eastern Catholic patriarchs will be honorary president delegates, along with the prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, Cardinal Leonardo Sandri. The Eastern prelates filling that role will be Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Pierre Sfeir, Chaldean Patriarch Emmanuel III Delly, and Syrian Patriarch Ignace Youssif III Younan. Perhaps not coincidentally, all three Eastern patriarchs will come to Rome from nations that have seen bloody conflicts in recent years: Patriarch Delly from Iraq; Patriarchs Sfeir and Younan from Lebanon.

Coptic Catholic Patriarch Antonios Naguib will be relator general for the Synod meeting. Archbishop Joseph Soueif of Cyprus, a Maronite, will be special secretary.

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