On 11 June 1988 he was appointed by Pope John Paul II as Archbishop of Archeparchy of Cyprus with headquarters in Nicosia. On 11 September 1988 his episcopal ordination was performed by Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir; his co-consecrators were his predecessor Archeparch Elie Farah and Joseph Mohsen Béchara, Archbishop of Antelias of the Maronites in Lebanon.[citation needed]