Cathedral of Our Lady of Paradise
The World’s Largest Melkite Community in Brazil
The Greek Melkite Catholic Church is conscious of being the oldest in the world, direct and immediate successor of the Apostles. H.E. Patriarch Gregory III, bears the title “Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, Alexandria and Jerusalem”, the first centers of Christianity.
The Greek Melkite faithful in Brazil are generally inhabitants of the Middle East, that due to the crisis and persecution, immigrated from the nineteenth century. With the growth of this community, the first Parish priest, Archimandrite (Eastern Ecclesiastical title) arrived in Rio de Janeiro in 1939, and seven years later established the first parish in Rio de Janeiro: the Church of Saint Bassil. In 1972, Pope Paul VI named the first Eparch (Bishop) of the new Eastern diocese, based in Sao Paulo.
The cornerstone of the church Our Lady of Paradise, current Greek Melkite Catholic Cathedral of Brazil, was launched on August 23, 1951, with Benedito Calixto, de Jesus Neto authored project.
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Paradise expresses, through its architecture, tradition and environment of the Eastern churches, especially for its beautiful “Iconostasis” (division between the sanctuary – where is the alter and the church of the ship). In it are three doors and also the icons (images) of the Apostles and two precious Holy Icons of Christ Pantokrator (Christ Almighty) and the Theotokos (Mother of God). The paintings in the Apse of the sanctuary, the ceiling and side walls express the theological aspect of the Oriental tradition, which seeks to present the history of salvation in the form of images, causing the faithful to enter the temple, can contemplate several biblical passages, leading him to understand the various movements performed in the liturgical act.
- Bishops of Nossa Senhora do Paraíso em São Paulo (Greek-Melkite Rite) and Coadjutor
- Bishop Elias Coueter (November 29, 1971 – June 22, 1978)
- Bishop Spiridon Mattar (June 22, 1978 – April 20, 1990)
- Bishop Pierre Mouallem, S.M.S.P. (April 20, 1990 – July 29, 1998), appointed Archbishop of Akka [San Giovanni d’Acri; Tolemaide] (Melkite Greek), Israel
- Archbishop (personal title) Fares Maakaroun (December 18, 1999 – July 21, 2014)
- Bishop Joseph Gébara (October 31, 2013 – July 21, 2014), Coadjutor Bishop
- Bishop Joseph Gébara (later Archbishop) (July 21, 2014 – February 20, 2018), appointed Archbishop of Petra e Filadelfia (Melkite Greek), Jordan
- Bishop Sérgio de Deus Borges (May 23, 2018 – June 17, 2019), Apostolic Administrator
- Bishop George Khoury (since June 17, 2019)
Our Lady of Paradise Cathedral
(Nossa Senhora do paraiso)
Rua do Paraíso, 21 – Paraíso
CEP 04103-000 – São Paulo – SP
Brazil
Eparch George Khoury