Ain Traz

The Ain Traz Seminary of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, located southeast of Beirut, Lebanon, has served various roles during its 200 year history. Founded in 1811 by Melkite Patriarch Agapius II Matar, it was originally intended as a seminary. After having been looted by the Druze in 1841 and in 1845, it was re-opened in 1870. [cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Patriarchal See of Antioch - Damascus
work =
publisher = Global Melkite Association
date =
url = http://www.melkites.org/en/ea.php
format =
accessdate = 2008-09-26 ]

After the foundation of the Melkite Seminary of St. Anne at Jerusalem, Ain Traz was no longer used as a seminary. [King (2007), p. 95] Instead, it was then used for late vocations and for married men preparing for the priesthood. It also served as a monastery and as summer residence for the Melkite patriarch. Starting in 1948 it was also used by Patriarch Maximos IV for the annual meetings of the Melkite Synod of Bishops. became yearly events. Throughout its history the facility hosted several important Melkite councils, such as the legislative synod convened in 1909 by Patriarch Cyril VIII Jaha. [Descy (1993), p. 66]

In 1983, during the violence following the Lebanese Civil War, Ain Traz was looted and burned, resulting in the loss of much of the patriarchal library and archives. The new patriarchal summer residence in Rabweh, completed in 1977, replaced Ain Traz. However, Ain Traz has been restored and is once again used for synods.

Notes

References

*cite book
last = Descy
first = Serge
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Melkite Church
publisher = Sophia Press
date = 1993
location = Boston
id =
*cite book
last = King
first = Archdale
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Rites of Eastern Christendom
publisher = Gorgias Press LLC
date = 2007
location = Boston
id = ISBN 1593333927
URL = http://books.google.com/books?id=hprU9PDXS1kC&pg=PA94&lpg=PA94&dq=Ain+Traz&source=web&ots=X6vybHs5CE&sig=C3NA7D5k0swOFwvc0XgX4bbdTd0&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA95,M1
*cite web
last =
first =
authorlink =
coauthors =
title = The Patriarchal See of Antioch - Damascus
work =
publisher = Global Melkite Association
date =
url = http://www.melkites.org/en/ea.php
format =
accessdate = 2008-09-26

External links

* [http://www.pgc-lb.org/english/index.shtml Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch, Alexandria and Jerusalem]
* [http://www.opuslibani.org.lb/melkitmenu.html L'Église Melkite/The Melkite Church] .
* [http://www.mliles.com/melkitecatholic/index.shtml Melkite Catholic Web Ring] .
* [http://phoenicia.org/melkites.html Extensive history of the Melkite Church]