The Spiritual leader of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church retired on Saturday after Pope Francis accepted his resignation.
Melkite Greek Patriarch of Antioch, His Beatitude Gregory III Laham resigned from pastoral office on May 6.
A letter from the Holy Father to the Patriarch-emeritus and all the Melkite bishops explains that His Beatitude presented his resignation during the course of a special audience with the Holy Father in February, and that the Holy Father has decided to accept the resignation.
