Athanasius VII bar Qatra was the Patriarch of Antioch, and head of the Syriac Orthodox Church from 1139 until his death in 1166.
Members of the faction suggested that Joscelin should hold another synod to elect a new patriarch according to the canons of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
However, Joscelin forbade the proclamation of Athanasius as patriarch throughout the County of Edessa as he had not paid homage to the count.
In return, John received the ritual objects needed to consecrate a new patriarch that Joscelin had seized from the Monastery of Mor Barsoum in 1129.
On 9 December 1157, Athanasius, alongside Baldwin III, King of Jerusalem, Aimery of Limoges, Latin Patriarch of Antioch, Thoros II, Lord of Cilicia, Michael Rabo, abbot of the Monastery of Mor Barsoum and future successor to Athanasius, and others, attended the consecration of a new church in Antioch.