The person selected for the Patriarchate was a priest and a monk from the Monastery of St Anthony in the Eastern Desert. His name was Paul ibn Kalil al-Masri (القس بولس الراهب الأنطوني المعروف بابن كليل المصري). He was a deacon and the son of a priest and then he became a monk and priest under the name Paul (القس بولس بن كليل) and was nicknamed "the son of Rev. Makarim ben Kalil"(ولد القس مكارم بن كليل). He was selected over a priest and monk named Gabriel, who was a relative of Bishop Abba Peter of Tanbadi (بطرس أسقف طنبدي), who was hoping for the position, supported by the children of Al-Assal (أولاد العسال), but the people rejected Gabriel the monk. Bishop Abba Yousab of Fouh and Upper Menouf the author of a useful work on Church History (الأنبا يوساب صاحب التاريخ أسقف فوه ومنوف العليا) played an important role in establishing the ordination of the priest Paul ibn Kalil the monk, and finally all agreed on his ordination.