He was born in Ain - Ebel in the south of Lebanon in 1907. He had his primary studies at a school in the village and was sent to Rome to continue his philosophical and theological studies at the age of 13. He received his doctorate in philosophy at the age of 16 but due to an illness, returned to Lebanon, and continued his theological studies at the University of Saint Joseph in Beirut.  
Bishop Choukrallah Khoury ordained him priest at the Cathedral of Tyr on April 11th, 1930 where he began his priesthood life by teaching. He was appointed director of the Maronite seminary in Beirut La Sagesse. On 28th August 1950, Pope Pie XII designated him an honorary Bishop of Tarsous. Following this he became member of the commission of the Bishops of Vatican II, and member of the commission in charge of the statute of the clergy and the Christian people during the length of his council. At the end of the council, he became member of the Roman Curia for the suit of saints and remained there until his Patriarchate. In 1973, he became member of the new commission to revise the oriental cannon law and president of the legal commission of the APECL. Finally he became Patriarchal Curator and Assistant General to the patriarchal parish on 11th April 1974 with Bishop Nasrallah SFEIR.

He was elected Patriarch on February 3rd, 1975. He was invested in his function as a Patriarch on Sunday 9th February, the day of the feast of St Maroun.  
He made official visits to Rome, Paris and the United States and attended the Synod of Bishops, which is held in Rome every three years.  
During his Patriarchate the blessed Charbel MAKHLOUF was declared Saint of the Universal church in an imposing ceremony at the Basilica St Pierre on 9th October 1977.  
During his Patriarchate sister Rafka, a Lebanese nun of Hamlaya, was also declared blessed at the Basilica St Pierre on 17th November 1985. He was the second Lebanese Patriarch to become Cardinal the on 2nd February 1983. During his patriarchal period, the first worldwide Maronite Convention was held in Mexico in 1979 and the second in New York in 1980.  
He submitted his resignation as Patriarch to the Holy Father on 17th November 1985 at the age of 78 years.