Elias Peter Hoayek

Elias Peter Hoayek , was the 72nd Patriarch of Antioch for the Maronites, the largest Christian Catholic community in the Middle East from 1898 to 1931 when he died.

Elias Hoayek was born in Helta, Batroun, North Lebanon on December 4, 1843. He studied at the Seminary College of St. John Maroun in North Lebanon. He later went to the Jesuit seminary of Ghazir in 1859, where he studied languages as well as philosophy. In 1866 he went to Rome to study theology at the Propaganda Fide. In 1870, he was made a Catholic priest and returned to Lebanon. Upon his return he taught theology at his old school the Seminary of St. John Maroun. He was appointed secretary and moved to the patriarchal residence in 1872 where he remained until 1898 when he was elected Patriarch. He was consecrated titular bishop of Arca on December 14, 1889 by Patriarch Paul Peter Massad.

Source: Wikipedia