Cyril VII Siaj | |
Church: | Melkite Greek Catholic Church |
See: | Patriarch of Antioch |
Patriarch Of: | Patriarch of Antioch |
Enthroned: | 11 December 1794 |
Ended: | 6 August 1796 |
Predecessor: | Athanasius IV Jawhar |
Successor: | Agapius II Matar |
Death Date: | 6 August 1796 |
Death Place: | Aitanite, Lebanon |
Birth Name: | Francis Siaj |
Consecration: | December 1763 (Bishop) |
Consecrated By: | Euthymius Fadel |
Cyril VII Francis Siaj (or Siage or Siagi) was Patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church from 1794 to 1796.
Francis Siaj was a monk of the Basilian Salvatorian Order. Between 1760 and 1768 he was an open partisan of Athanasius Jawhar in the clashes for the patriarchate between patriarch Theodosius V Dahan and anti-patriarch Athanasius Jawhar. In this frame he went with Jawhar to Rome in 1762, and when returned to Lebanon he was consecrated bishop of Bosra and Hauran a few days after 23 December 1763, and took the name Cyril.[1] Because his consecration was celebrated by Euthymius Fadel bishop of Zahle and Forzol and a partisan of Jawhar,[2] the patriarch Theodosius V Dahan did not recognized his appointment[3] till the appeasement in 1768 between Theodosius Dahan and Athanasius Jawhar.
Cyril Francis Siaj was elected patriarch by the synod of bishops on 11 December[4] 1794.[5] His election was confirmed by Pope Pius VI on 28 June 1796. Cyril VII Siaj died on 6 August 1796[6] at Aitanite, where he was buried.