New apostolic vicar named to Aleppo

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has appointed Fr. Georges Abou Khazen, OFM, as the new Latin-rite apostolic vicar of Aleppo in Syria sede vacante et ad nutum Sanctae Sedis. Khazen will govern the vicariate until the Holy See makes other provisions.

He succeeds Bishop Giuseppe Nazzaro, OFM, who resigned at the age of 76, after holding the post for nearly 11 years.

Khazen was born in 1947 in Lebanon. A Maronite, he made final vows as a Franciscan in 1972 and was ordained a priest the following year. He is a member of the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land.

Among his pastoral appointments, he was the pastor of parishes in Jerusalem and Bethlehem. As of 2004, he served as guardian and pastor of St. Francis of Aleppo, and as vicar general for northern Syria. He speaks Arabic, Italian and French.