Antoine Hayek was born at Aleppo in 1910 and was ordained priest on June 10, 1933. On August 15, 1959 he was consecrated bishop of Aleppo by Patriarch Ignatius Gabriel I Tappouni and served there till his appointment as Primate and Patriarch on March 10, 1968. His resignation was accepted on July 23, 1998. He died on February 21, 2007.