After the repose of his predecessor Pope Peter V (the 83rd Patriarch of Alexandria) on 6 July 1348 AD, the Episcopal Seat remained vacant for two months (60 days). Finally, a monk (and also a priest) by the name of Gabriel (أبونا الراهب القس غبريال) from the Monastery of Shahran (دير شهران) was chosen as patriarch under the name Pope Mark IV of Alexandria. It was the monastery where his predecessor, Pope Peter V, used to be its priest before his elevation to the episcopal seat in 1340 AD. At the time of his elevation to the episcopal seat, Priest Gabriel was assigned to serve at the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary and St Damiana, known as the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo (كنيسة العذراء المعروفة بالمعلقة). Priest Gabriel was also one of those who attended the consecration of the Holy Oil of Chrismation (Miron) in 1342 AD at the time of his predecessor, Pope Peter V (Episcopate 1340 - 1348 AD).