Born in Zahlé, Lebanon on August 6, 1841, Géraigiry was ordained priest on March 16, 1862, with a special permission due to his young age.

[1] On February 21, 1886, patriarch Gregory II Youssef consecrated bishop Géraigiry[2] and appointed him responsible of the newly created diocese of Paneas, where he set up twenty-three Christian schools.

Although his election was considered null by the Roman Congregation of Propaganda Fide, Pope Leo XIII confirmed it shortly later.

[3] Some discontent arose from appointments of bishops taken without consulting the synod, and from his attempt to move the Patriarchal See from Damascus to Beirut.

Also his relations with the Congregation of Propaganda Fide were often tense, mainly because Rome wanted him to summon a synod to define in details the powers and the autonomy of the patriarch and of all the Melkite clergy, while Géraigiry hesitated and took time.