Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Mount Lebanon

Ishoʿ, bishop of Tripoli, also known as Bar Parson of Edessa, is mentioned in c. 1252 in the Ecclesiastical Chronicle of Barhebraeus.^[3] Philoxenus George ibn Qaraman was metropolitan of Hardine, Hama, and Tripoli in 1483–1504.^[4] Tripoli is also attested as a diocese under Patriarch Ignatius Noah of Lebanon (r. 1494–1509) with the bishops Philoxenus George and Cyril.^[5] Tripoli was included in the title of Gregorius Joseph Kurdji, metropolitan of Jerusalem in 1510–1537, and John of Karkar, metropolitan of Jerusalem (d. 1587).^[6] Balamand Monastery was reportedly Syriac Orthodox until 1603.^[5]

In the aftermath of the Sayfo, most of the Syriac Orthodox Christians at Adana took refuge at Tripoli in 1919.^[7] The Church of Saint Ephrem at Tripoli was built in 1958.^[8] The archdiocese was created in 1973 by Patriarch Ignatius Ya'qub III.^[9][a] It was carved out of the Archdiocese of Beirut.^[11] The Church of Saint Jacob of Serugh at Bushriye was built with episcopal offices by Theophilus George Saliba, metropolitan of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli, in 1983.^[9] By 1998, most of the Syriac Orthodox Christians in Lebanon lived in the archdiocese of Mount Lebanon and Tripoli.^[9] The archdiocese had 5 clergy in 2005, including 4 at Bushriye and 1 at Tripoli.^[12]

The following ecclesiastical properties belong to the archdiocese:

• Church of Saint Jacob of Serugh, Bushriye.^[9]
• Church of Saint Ephrem, Tripoli.^[8]
• Church of Saint Mary, Bourj Hammoud.^[13]
• Church of Saint Gabriel, Ajaltoun.^[14]