In 1898, he held the First Alexandria Council for the Catholic Copts heading as vicar. He served as Vicar until 19 June 1899 when he was appointed as Patriarch of Alexandria as the first patriarch of the reinstated Coptic Catholic Patriarchate and was officially ordained as Patriarch in July 1899 and was instrumental in organizing the dioceses and the churches. His successes however prompted much opposition, upon which he tended his resignation from the seat and retreated to Beirut, Lebanon.