Biography

Fr. Joseph Moukarzel is the President of the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK), where he has played a key role in advancing the university’s academic and cultural mission since 2001. He holds a PhD in History from Sorbonne University – Paris IV in addition to a BA in Theology and MA in Philosophy from USEK.

A full professor in the Department of History since 2021, Fr. Moukarzel also teaches at the Pontifical School of Theology and the Department of Sacred Art. He has been a member of the University Council since 2001, contributing to long-term institutional development.

In parallel with his academic roles, he has led major initiatives to preserve and promote Lebanon’s cultural heritage. As University Librarian since 2001, and Director of both the USEK Archaeological Museum and the Phoenix Center for Lebanese Studies, he has transformed these entities into national reference points in the fields of heritage preservation and research.

Fr. Moukarzel is a prolific author and researcher with numerous publications in the areas of Lebanese history, manuscript heritage, Syriac and Garshuni texts, Christian–Muslim relations, and monastic traditions. He is an active member of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Société d’Études Syriaques, and several other international academic and heritage institutions.