Pope mourns death of Syrian Cardinal

Pope Benedict XVI has sent a telegram of condolences to the Church of Antioch of the Syrians following the death of the Patriarch emeritus, His beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud.

Pope Benedict writes : “In these days when we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord, remembering the people of the region who are living through difficult times, I pray that He may welcome into his joy and his peace, the soul of this faithful pastor who devoted himself with faith and generosity to the service of God's people”.

Born in 1930 in the Syrian village of Meskané, near Homs, Cardinal Doud was archbishop of that city, before being appointed Syriac Patriarch of Antioch by Pope John Paul II in 1998. He was also the first bishop of the East came to occupy the position of Prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, between 2000 and 2007. He was created cardinal in the consistory of 2001. SyriacCatholics are now about 150,000 in the world, principally in Iraq, Syria and in the diaspora. The patriarch's residence is in Beirut.


Below a Vatican Radio Translation of French text:

His Beatitude Ignace Youssif III Younan
Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians BEIRUT

Having learned with sorrow of the death of His Beatitude Cardinal Ignace Moussa I Daoud, Patriarch emeritus of Antioch of the Syrians and Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Eastern Churches, I would like to express my union in prayer with your patriarchal Church, with the deceased's family and everyone affected by this loss. In these days when we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord, remembering the people of the region who are living through difficult times, I pray that He may welcome into his joy and his peace, the soul of this faithful pastor who devoted himself with faith and generosity to the service of God's people. As a pledge of comfort, I bestow with all my heart my Apostolic Blessing upon you, Beatitude, as well as bishops, priests and faithful of the Patriarchate of Antioch of the Syrians, members of the bereaved family and to all persons taking part in hope at the funeral liturgy.
Benedictus PP XVI "


The cardinal was born September 18, 1930 in Meskané, a village in the eparchy of Homs of the Syrians (Syria). Ordained a priest on 17 October 1954, he graduated in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University in 1964. The Syrian Patriarchal Synod, meeting in Charfet (Lebanon) July 2, 1977, elected him bishop for the seat of the Syrians in Cairo (Egypt). Paul VI gave his assent to the election July 22, 1977. He received Episcopal consecration on September 18th of that year.

He was first consultant, and later member of the Pontifical Commission for the Revision of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Church (CCEO), and chaired the Commission for the Arabic translation of the CCEO. The Syrian Patriarchal Synod promoted him to Archbishop of Homs of the Syrians on 1 July 1994. Elected patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians in the Syrian Catholic Holy Synod of October 13, 1998, he obtained from John Paul II "ecclesiastical communion" on October 20, 1998. He was consecrated and enthroned Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians the following Sunday on the feast of Christ the King Cathedral in Beirut. On November 25, 2000, John Paul II appointed him prefect of the Congregation for Eastern Churches. On January 8, 2001 he resigned as Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians. As prefect of this department he was also the Chancellor of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. John Paul II created him a cardinal in the consistory of February 21, 2001.

With the death of Cardinal Daoud the College of Cardinals is now composed of 211 cardinals, of whom 123 electors and 88 non-electors.