Greek Orthodox Patriarch Yazigi pledges to seek unity among Christians

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Youhanna X Yazigi said he was pleased to be the first Patriarch appointed by al-Balamand Institute for the service of the Antioch Church.

"We’ll continue to seek unity among Christians and we will always work with our Muslim partners to ensure decent living and equality," he said in a mass he led at the Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand on Wednesday.

Yazigi had arrived to the Monastery earlier in the day, in his first visit to Lebanon following his inauguration.      

A massive turnout of people welcomed the Orthodox Patriarch who was officially inaugurated in a ceremony held in Damascus on Sunday in the presence of Maronite Patriarch Cardinal Beshara Rai and many other religious dignitaries.      

Patriarch Youhanna X will stay in Lebanon for a week and will preside over a mass at the St. Nicolas Church on Sunday ahead of taking part in a lunch banquet thrown in his honor by Metropolitan Elias Audi.

Yazigi was appointed following elections that were held on December 17th, 2012, at the Balamand Monastery in Lebanon following the death of Patriarch Hazim Ignatius IV.      

He obtained a degree in theology in 1978 from the St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology at the Balamand University and a doctorate in theology in 1983 from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece.    

He was appointed as deacon in 1979 and a priest in 1983. In 1981 he started teaching liturgy at St. John of Damascus Faculty of Theology at the Balamand University, and was appointed dean of the faculty from 1988-1991 and 2001-2005.     

He became the head of the Our Lady of Balamand Monastery from 2001 to 2005.       

In 2008 he was elected bishop of Western and Central Europe.