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H.E. Mor Yostinos Paulos Safar, the Patriarchal Vicariate for the Archdiocese of Zahle & Bekaa in Mount Lebanon, was born in Syria, Kamechly in 1971, and was raised in a faithful Syriac family. He studied at the Syriac schools, then entered the university in Aleppo and got his degree as a dentist in 1993. In the same year after his graduation, he went to St. Ephrem Monastery in Damascus, to study philosophy and theology, and took his diploma in these two majors.
In 1995, he professed his vows, then His Holiness the Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas sent him to Italy in order to achieve his studies. He got his degree in Ecumenical Theology from St Nicola Institute in Bari, and a PHD in Canon Law from the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome. As well as he learned four languages: Syriac, Italian, English and French.
When he returned to Damascus, His Holiness appointed him to be a canon law teacher at St Ephrem Theological Seminary at Maaret Saydnaya, where he also served for three years at Virgin Mary Church in Saydnaya.
On April 17th 2005, His Holiness consecrated him a Metropolitan Patriarchal vicar at the Archdiocese in Zahle and Bekaa, after the death of the Late Archbishop Mor Severios Saliba Touma.
On April 20th 2005, he was enthroned on the Archdiocese See. Also the Patriarch
nominated him to be an alternate member in the executive committee of the Middle
East Council of Churches, and as a member in the Orthodox Committee for the
dialog with the United Bible societies.
Source: Archdiocesan website
