archbishop joseph (born al-zehlaoui on november 2, 1950) is the metropolitan of the antiochian orthodox christian archdiocese of north america after the holy synod of the greek orthodox patriarchate of antioch and all the east elected him as metropolitan at its meeting on july 3, 2014 at the our lady of balamand patriarchal monastery in northern lebanon following the death of metropolitan philip saliba. from september 12, 2004 to his election as metropolitan in 2014, joseph al zehlaoui was the first and only bishop of the holy diocese of los angeles and the west for the antiochian orthodox christian archdiocese of north america.