Archbishop Elias Chacour of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church for Akko, Haifa, Nazareth and Galilee in Israel, will visit the Diocese of Sacramento and speak at three events Oct, 15-16.

The archbishop, a Palestinian Christian who is an Israeli citizen, was ordained in February 2006. A parish priest of the northern Galilee village of Ibillin and founder and director of Mar Elias College there, he has been active in reconciliation and interfaith dialogue in Israel, both personally and through the college.

He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times and was awarded the 2001 Niwano Peace Prize.

His archdiocese includes nearly all of Israel, but not East Jerusalem or what Palestinians consider to be Israeli-occupied territories, which make up a separate diocese.

Archbishop Chacour is originally from the Melkite village of Biram, whose residents were evacuated by the fledging Israeli army in 1948 with the promise that they would be able to return in two weeks; villagers are still fighting in court to be allowed to return to their land.

One of his primary efforts as archbishop has been to build schools that are open to students of all ages and all religious backgrounds. A church-run school being constructed in the Galilean village of Mughar will serve Christian, Muslim and Druze children.

The archbishop, who has written several books about his experience, holds degrees from the Sorbonne at the University in Paris and Jerusalem’s Hebrew University.

Archbishop Chacour will speak at the following events:

• Monday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. during a vespers service at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, located at 1017 11th St. in Sacramento.

• Tuesday, Oct. 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Anthony Church, located at 660 Florin Rd. in Sacramento, and at 7:30 p.m. at Fremont Presbyterian Church, located at 5770 Carlson Dr. in Sacramento. The presentation at St. Anthony will be for priests, permanent deacons and religious in the diocese, but interested laity and the public are also invited to attend.

The archbishop will also address religious leaders from the Sacramento area at a breakfast meeting Oct. 17 at the Delegata Conference Center.

Bishop William K. Weigand invited Archbishop Chacour to Sacramento as “a way to inform as many people as possible about the situation in the Middle East and possible solutions,” said Father Michael Kiernan, director of ecumenical and interreligious affairs for the diocese.

He said the public events are jointly sponsored by Bishop Weigand and interreligious leaders in Sacramento.

Archbishop Chacour “has a record of long and distinguished service in the Middle East,” Father Kiernan added. “Bishop Weigand wanted to provide an opportunity for Catholics and people of all faiths to hear from someone who has a very personal perspective about the the blessings and challenges facing the Holy Land.”

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