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Bishop Joseph was [[ordination|ordained]] to the holy [[deacon|diaconate]] while a student in Salonica, in December, 1976. Subsequently, he was ordained to the Holy Priesthood by His Beatitude, Patriarch [[Ignatius IV (Hazim) of Antioch|Ignatius IV]], at St. Mary Cathedral in Damascus in December, 1980. While a deacon, he served parishes in Salonica. As a [[priest]], he was dean of St. Mary Cathedral of Damascus, and overseer of the Holy Cross Church and other parishes in the suburbs of Damascus. In 1983, he pastored the Arab Orthodox faithful living in London, England, and in 1986 was sent to Cyprus to minister to the Arab Orthodox living on the island. His election to the holy episcopate was on [[May 5]], 1991, and the [[consecration of a bishop|consecration]] was on [[June 30]], 1991, in the Holy Cathedral of the [[Church of Antioch|Patriarchate]] in Damascus with the title ''Bishop of Katana, Syria''.

===Administrative roles===

During his clerical ministry, he served as General Supervisor and Professor of Religious Education at the Al Assiyeh Orthodox College and supervised the Patriarchal headquarters in Damascus. Besides being the Patriarchal Assistant during the past several years, Bishop Joseph served as the secretary to the Holy Synod of Antioch, Editor-in-Chief of the Patriarchal Bulletin and participated in several theological conferences in Greece, Texas and Australia.

On [[September 12]], 2004, His Grace, Bishop Joseph, was [[enthronement|enthroned]] as the first bishop of the Holy Diocese of Los Angeles and the West by Metr. Philip and the Local Holy Synod of the Archdiocese.

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