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ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Maronite Catholic Church in the United States is about to ordain its first married priest.

A Maronites’ spokesman in St. Louis says Pope Francis gave his permission for married Deacon Wissam Akiki to be ordained. The ceremony is set for Thursday.

Maronites are among more than a dozen Eastern Catholic church groups in the United States. Eastern Catholics accept the authority of the pope, but have many of their own rituals and liturgy.



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