César Essayan

Born on 15 July 1962, he completed his schooling with the Marist Brothers in Champville; he then studied civil engineering (specialising in architecture) at ESIB. A member of the Eucharistic Youth Movement (MEG) from 1970 to 1987, he helped to set up the group responsible for coordinating the movement at national level.

He entered the Order of Friars Minor Conventual in 1986 and completed his novitiate in Padua (Italy). He took his temporary vows on 8 September 1988 and his solemn vows on 21 September 1991.

At the ‘San Bonaventura’ College, or Seraphicum, in Rome, he attended theology courses at the Faculty of St Bonaventure, where he obtained a Master’s degree in Christology, and at PISAI he obtained a diploma in Islamic studies.

He was ordained a priest on 17 April 1993 at the parish church of St Anthony of Padua in Sin El Fil. Among other roles, he served as parish priest and was responsible for catechesis.
In 2001, he was appointed guardian of the Convent of St Anthony of Padua in Sin El Fil (Lebanon), a post he held for two four-year terms; and then, from 2009, of the Convent of St Francis in Zahle (Lebanon).

During this period, he taught catechism at the schools run by the Sisters of Besançon in Hadath, and later in Champville, and gave courses on Islamic studies at the ISSR.
In 2010, the Custodial Chapter elected him Provincial Custodian of the East and the Holy Land, a role he held until his appointment, on 2 August 2016, as Apostolic Vicar of the Latins in Lebanon.

His episcopal ordination took place in Saint Louis Cathedral in Beirut on 8 October 2016.
In 2010, he took part as a Synodal Father in the Synod on the Middle East. And in 2018, he participated in the Synod on Young People.

He is currently Vice-President of the Conference of Latin Bishops of the Arab Regions and President of the Episcopal Commission for Missionary Animation and the Pastoral Care of Migrants within the APECL.

Since 2022, he has been actively supporting the “Mediterranean Youth Council”, established by the Italian Bishops’ Conference and the Mare Nostrum Network as part of the Meetings of Mediterranean Bishops.