The delegation requested the reinstatement of the seat of the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate.
The papal decision followed quickly on 26 November 1895 reestablishing the patriarchal seat, assigning two eparchies, namely The Eparchy of Hermopolis (El Minia) to be headed by Bishop Maximus Sedfawi and Eparchy of Taybeh (Luxor) to be headed by Bishop Ignatius Barazi, and confirmed Kyrillos Makarios as Apostolic Vicar.
In 1898, he held the First Alexandria Council for the Catholic Copts heading as vicar.
His successes however prompted much opposition, upon which he tended his resignation from the seat and retreated to Beirut, Lebanon.
During this period, Maximos Sedfaoui served as locum tenens of the Coptic Catholic Church (1908–1925) with Kyrillos Makarios remaining as Patriarch Emeritus (a titular position) until his death on 18 May 1921.