The Falling Asleep in the Lord of Thrice Blessed Metropolitan Elias (Youssef) of Aleppo

(August 1, 1931 - August 6, 2000)

Born on August 1, 1931, in Tartous, Syria, Metropolitan Elias of Thrice Blessed Memory studied theology in the Clerical School of Balamand and in the Universities of Athens and Thessaloniki. In 1971, he was elected Metropolitan of Aleppo and was consecrated by Patriarch Elias IV of Thrice Blessed memory, and the Metropolitans Ignatius of Lattakia, Athansios of Hama and Constantine of Baghdad and Alexis of Homs.

His Eminence reposed in the Lord at St. George Hospital in Beiurt, on the afternoon of the feast of the Holy Transfiguration, August 6, 2000. The funeral service was held on August 9, 2000, in Aleppo, by His Beatitutde IGNATIUS IV Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and the members of the Holy Synod, accompanied by a large number of clergy and faithful.

May God give Metropolitan Elias eternal rest with the saints. Amen.