Ignatius Andrew Akijan

Ignatius Andreas Akhidjan (* 1622 in Mardin, † July 18, 1677 in Aleppo ) was a Catholic Patriarch of Antioch of the Syrians.

Andreas Akhidjan ( Abd el- Ghal ) was born in a Syriac Orthodox family and learned by Carmelite missionaries know Catholicism. From 1649 he studied at the College of the Propaganda fide in Rome and returned after three years in the Orient. He initially worked for some time with Elzéar de Sanxay OFM Cap. in Cairo, who wanted to send him in 1649 as a missionary to Ethiopia. In 1652 he was ordained by the patriarch of the Maronites presbyter for Cyprus and on June 29, 1656 to the bishop of Aleppo. In Aleppo, the catholic -minded party on April 19, 1662 reached his election to the Syrian Patriarch of Antioch, based in Aleppo. On August 3, 1662 Sultan Mohammed IV confirmed him in office.