Cyril VIII Geha

Cyril VIII Geha (or Jeha), (November 26, 1840 – January 11, 1916) was patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1902 until 1916. He was the last Melkite Catholic patriarch of the Ottoman era.

Life
Geha was born in Aleppo, Syria in 1840, he was consecrated the Melkite Catholic Archbishop of Aleppo on May 3, 1885 by patriarch Gregory II Youssef. On June 29, 1902 he became patriarch of the Melkites.

In 1909 Cyril convoked a synod at Ain Traz to develop the disciplinary legislation of the Melkite Church. However, the work of the synod failed to gain confirmation from Pope Pius X, who lacked the desire of his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII, to promote the traditional rights and privileges of the Eastern Churches.

Upon Cyril's death in 1916 the patriarchal see was vacant until the election of Demetrius I Qadi in 1919.

Distinctions

 * Order of Saint Lazarus (statuted 1910)