Gabriel Acacius Coussa

Gabriel Acacius Coussa (August 3, 1897 - July 29, 1962) was a Melkite Catholic archbishop, expert in canon law and cardinal. Born in Aleppo, Syria he was ordained a priest of the Basilian Aleppian order on December 20, 1920. On March 3, 1946 Father Coussa was appointed Secretary of Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law for the Roman Curia. [ [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/bcoussag.html Catholic Hierarchy] , retrieved May 2007] He was an acquaintance of Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, who later was elected Pope John XXIII. [Sabrina Arena Ferrisi. [http://www.catholic.net/RCC/Periodicals/Igpress/2001-01/vatican.html Reaching to the East] . Catholic.net, retrieved May 2007] In 1961 he was consecrated Titular Archbishop of Hierapolis for the Melkite Church and named Pro-Secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches.

In March 1962 Coussa was elevated to Secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches and appointed Cardinal-Priest of Saint Atanasio. He was the first Eastern Catholic to serve as the head of the Congregation. His tenure, however, was short. Coussa died unexpectedly on July 29, 1962, just as the Second Vatican Council was opening. [ [http://www.melkite.org/xCouncil/Council-1.htm "The Melkite Church at the Council"] . www.Melkite.org, retrieved May 2007]

ee also

*Maximos IV Sayegh, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch
*Joseph Raya

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://www.melkite.org Official Website of the Melkite Church in the US] .
* [http://phoenicia.org/melkites.html Extensive history of the Melkite Church]

References