John Elya facts for kids
Quick facts for kids His Grace, The Most Reverend John Adel Elya, B.S.O. |
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| Eparchial Bishop of Newton | |
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| Church | Melkite Greek Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Melkite Greek Catholic Eparchy of Newton |
| Enthroned | January 25, 1994 |
| Reign ended | June 22, 2004 |
| Predecessor | Ignatius Ghattas |
| Successor | Cyril Salim Bustros |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | February 17, 1952 |
| Consecration | June 29, 1986 by Maximos V Hakim, Joseph Tawil and Michel Hakim |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 September 1928 Maghdouché, Lebanon |
| Died | 19 July 2019 (aged 90) Joun, Lebanon |
| Previous post | Auxiliary Eparch of Newton Titular Bishop of Abila Lysaniae |
| Motto | That all may be one |
| Styles of John Adel Elya, B.S.O. |
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| Reference style |
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| Spoken style | His Grace |
| Religious style | Eparch |
John Adel Elya (born September 16, 1928 – died July 19, 2019) was an important leader in the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. From 1993 to 2004, he served as the Eparch of Newton. An eparch is like a bishop who leads a group of churches in a specific area. Bishop Elya was in charge of the Melkite churches across the United States.
Contents
About Bishop Elya's Life
Early Life and Education
John Adel Elya was born in Maghdouché, a town in Lebanon. When he was young, he joined a religious group called the Basilian Salvatorian Order. He made his official promises to the order in 1949.
After studying deeply about philosophy and religion, he became a priest on February 17, 1952. He later earned a special degree in theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. He also taught important subjects like moral theology and philosophy in a monastery in Lebanon. For a time, he was also in charge of a seminary (a school for training priests) in Methuen, Massachusetts.
Serving as a Priest
Bishop Elya served as a parish priest in many different places. He worked in Zerka, Jordan, helping the local church community. Later, he moved to North America.
He was a pastor in churches in Manchester, New Hampshire, Toronto, Ontario, and Lawrence, Massachusetts. He also led the Annunciation Melkite Catholic Cathedral in Roslindale, Massachusetts. While working as a priest in the United States, he continued his education and earned a master's degree from Boston College.
Becoming a Bishop
In 1977, John Elya was given the title of archimandrite, which is a high rank for a priest. He was then appointed as a titular Bishop of Abilene of Lysanias. This means he was given the title of a bishop for a historical place, but he didn't lead a church there. Instead, he served as an auxiliary (a helper) to the Eparch of Newton.
On November 25, 1993, he was chosen to become the Eparch of Newton. He took over from Bishop Ignatius Ghattas, who had passed away. Bishop Elya officially began his role on January 25, 1994. He served as the eparch until he retired on June 22, 2004. After his retirement, Archbishop Cyril Salim Bustros became the new eparch.
Important Change for Priests
In 1996, Bishop Elya made a very important decision. He ordained a married man to become a priest. This was a big step because, at that time, there were some rules that made it difficult for married men to become priests in Eastern Catholic churches in North America.
Before this, if a married Melkite man wanted to become a priest, he often had to travel overseas for his ordination. Bishop Elya was the first to ordain a married man right there in the United States. This helped change things for the future. In 2011, the Melkite Eparchy officially announced that they would not follow the old rule about married men. Later, in 2014, Pope Francis ended the prohibition for good.
| Part of the series on Eastern Christianity |
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 Eastern Christianity Portal |
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History |
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Traditions |
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Liturgy and Worship |
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Theology |
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Honors and Titles
Bishop Elya was recognized for his service. He held the title of Grand Prior for the United States Province of the Patriarchal Order of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem. This is an honor given for special service.
More to Explore
- Gregory III Laham, a former leader of the Melkite Church
- Joseph Tawil, another former eparch
- Melkite Christianity in Lebanon, to learn more about his home country's church
Leadership Roles
| Catholic Church titles | ||
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| Preceded by Ignatius Ghattas |
Eparch of Newton 1994–2004 |
Succeeded by Cyril Salim Bustros |
| Preceded by – |
Auxiliary Eparch of Newton 1986–1994 |
Succeeded by – |
