Youssef TAYAN from Beyrouth (1796-1808)

From Maronite History

Patriarch Youssif Tyan was born in Beirut and belonged to a prominent Maronite family, who sent him to Rome at an early age where he was educated in the Maronite College and ordained priest in 1784. In the year 1786 he was consecrated bishop of Damascus, and in 1788 he became Patriarchal Vicar. April 28th 1796 he became Patriarch Youssif Tyan. When in 1799 Napoleon Bonaparte besieged Akka, being now Patriarch he asked the Prince of Lebanon Bashir II to rally to Napoleon with his Lebanese soldiers. Bachir did not respond, but Patriarch Tyan urged the Maronites to volunteer for the French forces. The Patriarch also sent ammunition and supplies to the French army. But despite this help Napoleon failed to capture Akka. The Patriarch decided to abdicate and sent a letter to the Roman See to this effect on 3rd October 1807. On June 8th 1809, Bishop Yuhanna El-Helou succeeded him. Patriarch Tyan then retired in the hermitage of Saint Ephrem in Dar'un, Kesrawan. A few years later he moved to a newly established Seminary college of St. John Marun in Kefar-Hay Batrun, where he taught theology. Patriarch Tyan lived and died in the odour of sanctity. After his retirement from the Patriarchate, he practically lived a hermit's existence, dedicating himself to prayer, meditation, asceticism and the contemplative life. He died on February 20th, 1820 at the Patriarchal Seat of Qannubeen. His body was found to be still incorrupt a hundred years after his death.