[1] He succeeded Elias I as patriarch of Antioch in April 724 (AG 1035),[2] and was consecrated at the monastery of Qartmin by Theodosius, bishop of Reshʿayna, according to the Chronicle of Michael the Syrian.
[3] Bar Hebraeus in his Ecclesiastical History noted it was alternatively asserted that Athanasius had been a monk at the monastery of Harbaz, and that he was consecrated at Edessa by its bishop Gabriel, but this can be disregarded.
[4] Upon his ascension to the patriarchal office, Athanasius exchanged synodal letters with the Coptic Pope Alexander II of Alexandria to confirm their two churches were in communion.
[6][7] The issue stemmed from the split between Severus of Antioch and Julian of Halicarnassus in that the former argued the body of Christ was theoretically corruptible, which was accepted by the Syriac Orthodox Church, whilst the latter advocated the belief that Christ's body was incorruptible, which was supported by the Julianist sect.
[8] After they had exchanged letters, John convened the council of Manzikert to settle the issue and achieve union between the Armenian and Syriac churches, for which Athanasius sent six bishops to represent him.