Fr. Elias Yazbeck is the pastor of Saint Elias Church, bringing both his Maronite heritage and extensive theological training to his ministry. Born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon, Fr. Elias moved to the United States in 2015, and his journey in faith has taken him from studies in Lebanon and Rome to ordination in 2018. He earned a Master of Divinity from Saint John’s Seminary in California, as well as a Master’s in Bioethics and Medical Humanities from Case Western Reserve University.

Prior to his appointment at Saint Elias Church in July 2024, Fr. Elias served as pastor of Saint Maron Church in Cleveland, Ohio, where he guided his community through spiritual and ethical matters alike. Now, he looks forward to continuing his pastoral mission with the Saint Elias community, fostering a space rooted in faith and connection.

I am a lifelong member of Saint Elias and a retired attorney. My wife, Theresa Bolus, is a retired pediatrician. Together, we are blessed with four children and four grandchildren. I have been active at Saint Elias over the years serving the parish in many roles, including altar server, lector, President of the Maronite Youth  Organization and the Maronite Young Adults, multiple-term member of the Church Council, including two terms as Council Chair; and as Co-founder of the Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival, held annually in Birmingham.

In 2019, during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, I experienced a profound change in my focus and sense of purpose through a calling from the Lord. Although I was initially uncertain about the nature of that calling, I eventually discerned that I was being called to serve as a deacon in our Church.

On July 2, 2023, during the celebrated Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, Bishop A. Elias Zaidan ordained me as a subdeacon. On March 2, 2025, the Feast of Saint John Maron, Bishop Zaidan ordained me as a deacon. During my studies, I became convinced that the Lord was calling me to become a married priest, and I entered the seminarian program before my ordination to the diaconate.

In August 2025, I earned a master’s degree in the New Evangelization from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. I was ordained a priest at my home parish on June 26, 2026, and celebrated my first liturgy on the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul. I also have a special devotion to Saint Sharbel, a Lebanese saint widely known for the many documented miracles attributed to his intercession.

My message is simple: with God’s grace, all things are possible. May God continue to bless our church community and help us, through our words and actions, to share His message of love to the ends of the world, as we are all called to do.