Flavien Zacharie Melki

Melki was born in the village of Kalat Mara, near Mardin (then part of the Ottoman Empire), during a period of significant upheaval for the Syriac Christian community. He was ordained to the priesthood on 3 May 1925.^[1][2] Future bishop Flavien Joseph Melki (1931–2026) was his nephew.^[1]

On 6 July 1963, he was appointed by the Synod of Bishops of the Syriac Catholic Church as a titular archbishop to assist the Patriarchal administration.^[2] He was assigned the Titular See of Amida of the Syriacs. He received his episcopal consecration on 15 August 1963 from Cardinal Ignatius Gabriel I Tappouni, the Patriarch of Antioch, with Athanase Jean Daniel Bakose and Grégoire Ephrem Jarjour serving as co-consecrators.^[1]

As Patriarchal Vicar, Melki played a significant role in the administration of the church in Lebanon during the difficult years of the Lebanese Civil War.^[2] He was also an active participant in the later sessions of the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965), contributing to the discussions regarding the Eastern Catholic Churches.^[3]

Archbishop Melki died in Beirut on 20 November 1989 at the age of 90.^[2]

• Archbishop Flavien Zacharie Melki at Catholic-Hierarchy.org