Jean-Baptiste Gourion

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His Excellency, The Most Reverend

Jean-Baptiste Gourion

OSB Oliv.
Auxiliary Bishop of Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem
Dom Paul Grammont and Brother Jean-Baptiste Gourion at his right
ChurchCatholic Church
AppointedBishop of Lydda
Other post(s)Former Patriarchal Vicar of Hebrew-speaking catholics in Israel
Orders
Ordination29 June 1967
Consecration9 November 2003
by Patriarch Michel Sabbah
RankBishop
Personal details
Born(1934-10-24)24 October 1934
Died23 June 2005(2005-06-23) (aged 70)
Jerusalem
NationalityFrench
MottoIn Jerusalem Consolabimini
Coat of armsJean-Baptiste Gourion's coat of arms

Jean-Baptiste Gourion, O.S.B. Oliv. (24 October 1934 – 23 June 2005) was a French Catholic Benedictine monk who served as an Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem from 2003 until his death in 2005.

Biography[edit]

Gourion was born in 1934 in Oran, Algeria, to a Jewish family, when Algeria was a French colony. When studying medicine in France, he decided to enlist in the French Army during the Algerian War.

Gourion converted from Judaism to the Catholic Church in 1958. In 1961, he entered a Benedictine Monastery, and in 1967, he was ordained a priest.[1] Gourion came to Israel in 1976 with two other monks in order to rebuild the old monastery in Abu Gosh and in 1999 was named its abbot.[2]

In 2003, Gourion was nominated Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem by Pope John Paul II. In the same year he was also appointed to the titular see of Lydda.[1][3] His mission notably included care of Hebrew Catholics' spiritual necessities.

He died on 23 June 2005 at the age of 70.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The Hierarchy of the Catholic Church – Bishop Jean-Baptiste Gourion, O.S.B."
  2. ^ "Association of Hebrew Catholics – Interview with Bishop Jean-Baptiste Gourion, O.S.B."
  3. ^ "Association of Hebrew Catholics – Hebrew Catholic Bishops of Jerusalem".