George Beseb'ely was born in the village of Beseb'el (from which his surname came), near
Tripoli, Lebanon, in about 1595, son of Hadj Rizqallah. He was chosen as auxiliary bishop and consecrated by Patriarch
John Bawab Safrawy on July 25, 1656. After the death of Patriarch John Bawab Safrawy happened on December 23, 1656, the bishops elected as patriarch the monk George Habquq, who anyway for humility refused and escaped in a cave of the
Kadisha Valley to live as an hermit. So a second election was held and on January 1, 1657, the Archbishop George Beseb'ely was elected patriarch. The new patriarch sent to
Rome his credentials to obtain confirmation of the pope; but, for unknown reasons, the
Holy See took the deal for long, to the point that the patriarch had to renew his instances. His election was confirmed by
Pope Alexander VII on May 26, 1659, and he received the
pallium on August 30, 1660. George Beseb'ely used, as his predecessor, to live in a monastery subject to the strict discipline of the monks. During his patriarchate he kept good relations with the
Kingdom of France, which in 1662 appointed for the first time as French
Consul in
Beirut a Maronite noble, Abu Nawfal of the
Khazen family. ==See also==