leadership
His Holiness Pope Jean Pierre I,
Primate of Unity Church
His Holiness Pope Jean Pierre I, was born in 1960. He is the brother of six boys and five girls. The northern town of Aydamoun , the birthplace of His Holiness, is the third most educated Lebanese town. In addition to the fact that it is a small Lebanon, it has many sects and religions, and it is a model of coexistence among all sects and sects.
His Holiness, completed his primary studies at the Eidmoun Public School and his complementary studies at the Marmoura Al-Qubayat School, Akkar, Lebanon, in the North. Then he joined the Latin Seminary in Beit Jala in occupied Palestine, where he completed his secondary studies, as well as the first year of philosophy. His Holiness entered the Jesuit University in Innsbruck, Austria, in 1980, where he completed his philosophical and theological studies. His Holiness holds a BA in philosophy and a BA in theology.
His Holiness entered the Faculty of Law in Bordeaux / France in 1992 and obtained a DEA degree at the Faculty of Law at the University of Perpignan, France, in 1998. He also completed his degree in Belgium and obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2002. His Holiness completed his doctoral thesis on marriage and its abolition in Islamic doctrines. He translated several books from the Great Blog by Judge Sahnoun bin Saeed into French.
Pope Jean I, was ordained a priest in the Greek Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul on April 14, 1985, and an Archimandrite (senior among the priests) on April 9, 1988, by the laying on of the hand of the Most Merciful Bishop Elias Najma, the Greek Catholic Archbishop of Tripoli and North Lebanon. He served as a priest in the parishes of Shudra and Eidmon. He taught at the Freres School in Tripoli and was sanctified in the Latin rite of the brothers.
After completing his postgraduate studies in France and Belgium, His Holiness returned again to serve his parish, Shudra and Eidmon, and manage the St. Therese of the Child Jesus School in Shudra. He left his parish in Eidmon permanently on Easter Sunday 2015.
His Holiness was consecrated a bishop in Paris by the laying of the hand of His Holiness Patriarch Nicholas I, Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of the Nations, on May 21, 2015. As a result, he founded the Unity Church, which is an independent Church that combines the Catholic and Byzantine Orthodox ecclesiastical heritage. It has many churches all over the world, in addition to being the only Church that allows Catholic and Orthodox bishops and priests who belong to a valid apostolic succession have the right to actively participate in the Divine Liturgy with their bishops and priests, and to receive with them the holy mysteries with one heart and one spirit,
His Holiness was installed as Archbishop of Brussels and first president of the Supreme Court of the Unity Church on June 20, 2015. He was promoted to the rank of Metropolitan on September 14, 2017.
The Holy Synod of the Unity Church, composed of 42 bishops at the time, representing dioceses from various parts of the world, elected His Holiness, Patriarch on November 10, 2017, he chose the name Benjamin I. In July 2019, The Holy Synod elected His Holiness Pontiff General of Unity Church.
On August 14th and 15th in 2019, Pope Jean Pierre I, Primate drew up the Charter of the United Church and invited all the Heads of the Churches for its ratification.
On July 23rd 2024, the College of Cardinals elected His Holiness Pope and Primate of the Unity Church. His Holiness chose the name Jean Pierre I, Primate.
This election represents a huge step for the Church of Unity, as Pope John Peter becomes one of the five Popes currently serving in the world. Other Popes include His Holiness Pope Francis (Pope of the Catholic Church and Bishop of Rome), His Holiness Pope Tawadros II (Pope of the Copts and Archbishop of Alexandria), His Highness Apostolic Rutherford I, Pope of the Ruthenian Church, known as the Prince Bishop, and His Holiness Pope Peter III (Head of one of the churches in Spain).This highlights the fact that the title of Pope is not limited to the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican State, because in fact, this title simply means "Father".
This diverse blend creates a unique spiritual community that affirms the unity of the churches in the face of all the challenges they face.
Through this papal election, the Unity Church demonstrates its commitment to promoting dialogue and cooperation among different Christian traditions. The new pope will play a crucial role in leading the church and promoting the message of unity and reconciliation.
The Role of the Pope in the Unity Church
As the newly elected Pope of the Unity Church, His Holiness Pope John Peter I will continue to provide spiritual leadership and guidance to the clergy and faithful, represent the Unity Church in interfaith dialogues and ecumenical initiatives to promote the unity of the world’s churches, and oversee the dissemination of its new constitution, constitutional norms, and canon law. The Importance of Multiple Popes. The presence of multiple popes in the Christian world may seem unusual to some, but it reflects the diversity and complexity of the Christian community worldwide. Each Pope represents a particular tradition or branch of Christianity, and his roles and responsibilities vary accordingly. As Pope John Peter I begins his term as head of the Church of Unity, many are eager to see how he will shape the future of the Church.
This is an exciting new chapter in the history of this unique religious movement. As the Unity Church continues to grow and evolve, Pope John Peter I’s leadership will undoubtedly play a crucial role in shaping its future and promoting a message of unity and reconciliation, first among all Christians and later with other faiths.
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His Eminence Cardinal George
Primate of the United Kingdom
Head the Congregation of Eastern Churches for Unity
Pontifical Coadjutor to the Apostolic See
His Eminence was born in the Middle East in a Christian Family. From his youth, he was inclined to serve the Church. In the mid 80's, due to unstable political situation and civil wars in the region, he travelled to New York, USA to attend Saint Vladimir Orthodox Theological Seminary where he read Theology. He attained a MA Degree in Divinity; he also holds a MA Degree in Business Administration from Cornell University and a PHD in Eastern Theology as well.
In June 1995 he was consecrated a Titular Bishop. In 1998, then Bishop George, he was asked to take on reinvigorating the missionary work in Eastern Africa. His mission was to create a strong Christian community mission work and education system in that part of the world.
In 2005, he established a missionary school in Elegu, a town in Northern Region of Uganda. It sits across the international border from the town of Nimule, South of Sudan.
To aid the children who lost their parents during the civil war, he founded in 2014, an Orphanage in Juba, South of Sudan. The Orphanage took care of 52 children and sheltered displaced women. Working in Africa, he had the opportunity to work closely with many International Humanitarian Organizations and was successful in the many projects he was overseeing.
In 2016, after serving many years in Central Equatoria and East Africa where he worked closely with Refugees’ Camps, Orphanages and Field Hospitals, then His Eminence due to political instability, Bishop George left Africa leaving a legacy through his efforts to assimilate with the indigenous Christians and empower them to embrace Christianity as their own. His Eminence moved to the United Kingdom to continue his mission and work in the vineyard of our Lord.
On Sunday April 1st, 2018, he founded the Companions of Christ Christian Fellowship. Its primary objective is to fully promote Christian dialogue in order to achieve unity among Churches, to consolidate efforts and support the initiatives of Christians aimed at its development, to promote the expansion of the Christian faith, to be involved in charitable work, and the defence of Christian traditions, to play a crucial role in preserving and defending the Christian faith and traditions, to engage in charitable work and humanitarian efforts, providing support to those in need, to be engaged with theological studies and discussions. One of its main purposes is to produce innovative, high-quality research and insights into the rich tapestry and complex dynamics of Christian cultures and societies, past and present. This is achieved through a range of research projects, scholarly collaborations, conferences, seminars, workshops, and academic publications.
In October 2021, He was elevated to the rank of Metropolitan Archbishop to serve Great Britain. In 2022, he was awarded by the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, Knights of Malta the Ukrainian Relief Medal of Honour in recognition to his aid and support to the refugees of Ukraine in the UK. In 2026, The Ukraine Grand Priory of the Knights of Malta, Sovereign Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem awarded His Eminence the Ukraine Star Medal in recognition to his humanitarian aid.
In 2023, Metropolitan Archbishop was received into the Unity Church by His Holiness Pope Jean Pierre I, Primate. His Eminence was elevated to the rank of Cardinal and was assigned Primate of the United Kingdom, Head the Congregation of Eastern Churches for Unity; an institution established by Pope Jean Pierre I, Primate of the Unity Church.
His Eminence is proficient in: English, Arabic, Patristic Greek, Classical Hebrew and Aramaic.