Mar Ignatius Peter III, Patriarch of Antioch

Mar Ignatius Peter III, Patriarch of Antioch served as the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church between 1872 and 1894. Born in Mosul to a well-known Christian family, many consider him to be the father of the modern church. 

He was a priest at the Monastery of Mor Hananyo and was consecrated Metropolitan Archbishop of Damascus in 1846, taking the name Julius. 

After the death of Patriarch Ignatius Jacob II, Ignatius Peter was unanimously elected by the synod as patriarch. Although he declined the position at first, he was eventually persuaded to accept and was consecrated and enthroned as patriarch 16 June 1872. At that point he took the Patriarchal name Ignatius.

Among his many accomplishments as Patriarch was the improvement of the Malankara Syrian Church in India, which involved diplomatic efforts in Britain and meeting with Queen Victoria. In Constantinople, he established a new church dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. 

He is buried at Beth Qadishe.