On July 21, 1781, Patriarch George IV died, and the bishops (five bishops were present), clergy and laity met in the Dayr al-Zafaran monastery and elected him as Patriarch; he accepted only after the reading and the approval of a Catholic declaration of faith in the church of the Forty Martyrs.
He was enthroned in Dayr al-Zafaran monastery on January 22, 1783 and took the traditional name of Ignatius III.
His election was confirmed by the Pope on September 14, 1783, and he received the Pallium, the sign of patriarchal authority, on December 15 of the same year.
The Syrian Catholic Church once again had a Patriarch, having lacked one since the death in 1702 of Ignatius Gregory Peter VI Shahbaddin.

Two bishops opposed his election: two days after Michael's enthronement they took the money of the monastery and paid a group of Kurds who attacked Mardin making fatalities: Michael saved himself, but lost many days.
In the meantime one of these two Orthodox bishops, Mar Matta ben Abdel-Ahad Saalab bishop of Mosul, consecrated bishop four of his monks in order to hold a second election and thus he was elected patriarch.
This party arrived at Istanbul before Michael's envoy, and received the formal approval of the Ottoman authorities: thus Michael became an outlaw and was imprisoned.
After the payment of a ransom, Michael moved to Baghdad, waiting for the appeal, and later escaped from Baghdad disguised as Bedouin.
He arrived in Lebanon having lost everything, and went to live in the ruins of the Kesroan monastery.

Helped by the Maronites, and with some funds raised in Europe, Michael Jarweh bought on September 22, 1786 the Al-Charfet (or Sharfeh) monastery on Mount Lebanon that he dedicated to Our Lady of Deliverance.
This monastery was used as a seminary for the education of new priests and a large library was set up.
On September 19, 1791 the patriarchal See was moved from Mardin to Al-Charfet; it is still used as the summer abode of the Syrian Catholic Patriarch.
Lebanon granted a certain security, but the majority of believers lived far away, mainly in the areas of Aleppo and Mosul.

Michael Jarweh died on September 4, 1800.
On July 21, 1781, Patriarch George IV died, and the bishops (five bishops were present), clergy and laity met in the Dayr al-Zafaran monastery and elected him as Patriarch; he accepted only after the reading and the approval of a Catholic declaration of faith in the church of the Forty Martyrs. He was enthroned in Dayr al-Zafaran monastery on January 22, 1783 and took the traditional name of Ignatius III. His election was confirmed by the Pope on September 14, 1783, and he received the Pallium, the sign of patriarchal authority, on December 15 of the same year. The Syrian Catholic Church once again had a Patriarch, having lacked one since the death in 1702 of Ignatius Gregory Peter VI Shahbaddin.
Two bishops opposed his election: two days after Michael's enthronement they took the money of the monastery and paid a group of Kurds who attacked Mardin making fatalities: Michael saved himself, but lost many days. In the meantime one of these two Orthodox bishops, Mar Matta ben Abdel-Ahad Saalab bishop of Mosul, consecrated bishop four of his monks in order to hold a second election and thus he was elected patriarch. This party arrived at Istanbul before Michael's envoy, and received the formal approval of the Ottoman authorities: thus Michael became an outlaw and was imprisoned. After the payment of a ransom, Michael moved to Baghdad, waiting for the appeal, and later escaped from Baghdad disguised as Bedouin. He arrived in Lebanon having lost everything, and went to live in the ruins of the Kesroan monastery.
Helped by the Maronites, and with some funds raised in Europe, Michael Jarweh bought on September 22, 1786 the Al-Charfet (or Sharfeh) monastery on Mount Lebanon that he dedicated to Our Lady of Deliverance. This monastery was used as a seminary for the education of new priests and a large library was set up. On September 19, 1791 the patriarchal See was moved from Mardin to Al-Charfet; it is still used as the summer abode of the Syrian Catholic Patriarch. Lebanon granted a certain security, but the majority of believers lived far away, mainly in the areas of Aleppo and Mosul.
Michael Jarweh died on September 4, 1800.
Ignatius Michael III Jarweh