- 8. The Melkite Church at the Present Time.
The Melkites, then, are the Arab-speaking Catholics of the Byzantine rite in Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. The Head of their Church, under the Pope, is their Patriarch. As soon as the Patriarch dies, the Holy See appoints a Vicar Apostolic Patriarchal, who corresponds to the Vicar Capitular in the West. He may be any bishop of the Patriarchate. He then summons a synod to elect the new Patriarch. Propaganda always desires that the Latin delegate be present and preside at this synod; but he has no vote. As a matter of fact, synods to elect a Patriarch have often been held without the presence of the delegate. The matter seems still uncertain. All the bishops of the Patriarchate, whether Ordinaries or titular, have a vote, no one else. Till now an absolute majority has been sufficient.[1] As soon as the Patriarch is elected, and has accepted his election, he is proclaimed and enthroned. The president hands him the Patriarchal Dikanikion, all the bishops come up and kiss his hand; then they sing a Polychronion in his honour. It is curious that this ceremony takes place before he is confirmed at Rome. Then the synod and the Patriarch-elect write to the Pope. He sends a profession of faith and begs for the pallium. In theory he should come to Rome for his pallium; but he never does. There have been many cases of Melkite Patriarchs using jurisdiction before they had the pallium, and much dispute about this.[2] If the Pope approves of the election, he sends the pallium, which is given to the Patriarch by the Latin Delegate. On this occasion the Patriarch makes a new profession of faith. He is then confirmed by the Turkish Government and receives his Berat.[3]
The Patriarch's title is the result of the development of his position. Originally he was Patriarch of Antioch only, succeeding Cyril VI in that line. Then, when there were a few Melkites in Palestine and Egypt, but not enough to justify the erection of separate Patriarchates, these were entrusted to the care of the Patriarch of Antioch, at first without any title for them.[4] Then the Pope allowed Maximos III to call himself also Patriarch of Alexandria and Jerusalem; but this was a personal favour, not to continue to his successors.[5] When
