Shaheen was born in Ebrine, Lebanon. On March 25, 1939, he was consecrated priest. He was appointed first Maronite bishop of the Maronite Catholic Eparchy of Saint Maron of Montreal on August 27, 1982. Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, Cardinal Anthony Peter Khoraish, consecrated him bishop on November 7, 1982[2] and his co-consecrators were Archeparch Francis Mansour Zayek of Brooklyn and the Auxiliary bishop of Antioch, Bishop Roland Aboujaoudé. On March 13, 1985[3] Elias Shaheen was appointed Archbishop of Montréal. On November 23, 1990 he became Archbishop emeritus and was until his death on 5 December 1991.[4] Shaheen was succeeded by Bishop Georges Abi-Saber, OLM.
