Antoun ARIDA from Bécharré (1931– 1955)

From Maronite History

He was known as Selim Ben Abdel Ahad ARIDA and was born in Becharre on August 2nd 1863. He studied the Arab and Syriac languages at a school in his region, and in 1879, at the school of St Jean-Maroun at Kfar-Hay where he spent 5 years. He was sent to St. Sulpice School in France where he spent 6 years (1884-1890) and continued his studies in Theology. He was ordained priest by Bishop Mostel, superior of Bishops of the Curia on September 28th, 1890. He returned to Lebanon where Patriarch Youhanna El Hajj appointed him his secretary, advocate of the marriage sacrament and examiner of priests. Pope Pie X elected him prelate of the church with the title of Mgr. on July 31st, 1905 before being elected Bishop of the diocese in Tripoli, which was consecrated by Patriarch Elias Howayek in Bkerke on June 18th 1908. The Assembly of Bishops convened at Bkerke to elect him as a successor on April 30th 1932 after the death Patriarch Elias Howayek. He built a See at Dimane where a dignified church was erected with the assistance of his brother Rashid Arida.

He purchased a house in Marseille for the representative of the church and re-opened the seminary of St Maron in Ghazir. He founded and supervised another seminary in Ain-Warka and presented it to the Convent of Mar Abda - Harharaya. He opposed the Protocol of Alexandria on October 7th, 1944 and asked for its rectification, he sustained the Lebanese independence in 1943. At the age of 85 years, the Holy See appointed an apostolic committee to assist him, composed of the Bishops: Boulos Meouchi, Abdallah Khoury (which continued after his death) by Bishops Ghnatios Ziadé) and Boutros Dib. His last words before his death on Holy Thursday May 19th, 1955 at Bkerke were "God protect Lebanon".