Flavien Joseph Melki

Flavien Joseph Melki was born on 10 October 1931 in Hassaké, in northeastern Syria. Archbishop Flavien Zacharie Melki (1899–1989) was his paternal uncle. He was ordained a priest on 17 October 1954 for the Syriac Catholic Church. == Episcopal ministry ==

On 24 June 1995, Melki was appointed auxiliary bishop of the Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and Titular Bishop of Arethusa dei Siri. He received episcopal consecration on 30 December 1995, with Patriarch Ignatius Antoine II Hayek as principal consecrator. His role formed part of the patriarchal administration of the Syriac Catholic Church, as reflected in ecclesiastical listings and diocesan records. Melki was officially listed among the bishops participating in the 2010 Special Assembly for the Middle East of the Synod of Bishops, confirming his curial status at the time. He retired from office on 10 October 2011 upon reaching the customary age of episcopal retirement. == Public activity ==

During the 2010 Synod for the Middle East, Melki delivered an intervention addressing the situation of Christian communities in the region. His remarks were archived by Vatican Radio. In later years, Melki appeared in European regional media discussing the decline of Christian populations in the Middle East and expressing criticism of Western political approaches toward the region. == Death ==

Melki died in Beirut on 30 January 2026, at the age of 94. == References ==