Sovereign Imperial & Royal House of Ghassan

In Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council
Officially Recognized by the Government of the Lebanese Republic

Royal House Chaplains serve the spiritual needs of the royal family, especially the Head of House and Name and the Crown Prince.

They perform various duties, including preaching, leading a religious service, saying grace at a meal, giving a blessing, counseling, arranging services, advising, and teaching.

A Statement on Religion

By origin, the Ghassanids were Monophysite Christians. After the Islamic conquest in the 7th century, many couldn't afford the taxes (Jiziya) and converted to Islam. Gradually, part of the remaining Christian Ghassanids became Chalcedonian (mainstream) Orthodox. The part of the Royal family and the people who sought refuge in Mount Lebanon became Maronites. Therefore, the El Chemor family is Maronite Catholic. HRH Prince Gharios El Chemor was baptized as a Roman Catholic and studied Tibetan Buddhism. He vigorously defends the peaceful rights of all traditional religions in the world. While visiting the Grand Mufti of Jordan in 2014, as the head of the Ghassanid Royal Family, Prince Gharios El Chemor symbolically revoked a fourteen centuries old decree that prohibited any Ghassanid to marry or convert to any other religion than Christianity.

By historical nature, the Royal House is Ecumenical and Interfaith.

HIRH Prince Gharios El Chemor of Ghassan Al-Numan VIII
Head of the Sovereign Imperial and Royal House of Ghassan

Chaplains of the Royal House of Ghassan

Orthodox Chaplain

His Grace Bishop Ignatios (Sotiriadis) of Salona

His Grace Bishop Ignatios of Salona was born in Katerini, Greece 1961. He graduated from the Department of History in the School of Philosophy at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1984 and later from the Theological School of the same university in 2001. He earned a Master’s in Church History from the Pontificio Istituto Orientale in Rome in 1987. In 1988, he pursued courses in Canon Law at the same institute, supported by a scholarship from the Pontifical Council for the Unity of Christians, and he resides at the Almo Collegio Capranica. Between 1988 and 1991, he attended Byzantine History, Modern Greek Language, and Culture lectures at the University of Cologne. During this time, he also researched German university and church libraries as a scholar of the Conference of German Bishops and the Holy Metropolis of Switzerland. A monk of the Holy Patriarchal Monastery of Vlatades, he received his monastic name from His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople. He was ordained as a deacon in Katerini in 1992 and as a presbyter in 1997 by His Eminence Metropolitan Agathonikos of Kitros and Katerini. He served as a preacher in the Holy Metropolises of Italy and Kitros and Katerini. In z023, as Secretary of the Synodal Committee for Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations, His Grace was elected Assistant Bishop by the Body of the Hierarchy of the Church of Greece and the title of the once illustrious Bishopric of Salona. He also serves as the Grand Chancellor for the Orthodox Order of St George the Great Martyr. MORE...

The following Religious Leaders have been appointed to be Chaplains of the Royal House.

Protestant Chaplain

His Grace Archbishop Thomas Paul Schirrmacher

His Grace is the former Secretary General of the World Evangelical Alliance 2021–2024, which connects Protestant churches belonging to 143 National Evangelical Alliances with 600 million members. Before becoming Secretary-General, Schirrmacher served WEA in various leadership roles over the last two decades, including Associate Secretary General for Theological Concerns and Intrafaith and Interfaith Relations. He is currently President of the International Council of the International Society for Human Rights (Frankfurt), President of the International Institute for Religious Freedom (Costa Rica, Vancouver, Bonn), Co-President of Religions for Peace (New York), and President of the Bonn Abrahamic Center for Global Peace, Justice and Sustainability (BAC). MORE...

Roman Catholic Chaplain (Brazil)

His Excellency Bishop Roberto Francisco Ferrería Paz of Campos

His Excellency, Dom Roberto, was born in Montevideo (Uruguay), on June 5, 1953. He has been a Brazilian citizen for many years. He completed his studies in philosophy at the Major Seminary of Porto Alegre - RS and his Theology (1st) at the Institute of Theology of the Pontifical Catholic University of Porto Alegre - RS and, later, at the Theological Institute of the Archdiocese of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, in Rio de Janeiro, RJ. He specialized in History at the University of Montevideo, Uruguay, and has a Master's in Canon Law at the Higher Institute of Canon Law of Rio de Janeiro. In addition, he specialized in Ecclesiastical Notaries, Catholic Matrimonial Law, advanced training for judges and employees of Ecclesiastical Courts, Bioethics, Ethics in Research, Spirituality, Bioethics, and Religious Traditions. In 2016, the Equestrian Order of Michael Archangel (House of Ghassan) was canonically erected in the Roman Catholic Church by His Excellency Bishop Dom Roberto in the Diocese of Campos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, recognizing the Order's Grand Priory of Brazil as a valid Canonical Organization according to the laws of the Holy See (Vatican). MORE...