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During his patriarchate, Patr. Neophytos incurred heavy debts that he was unable to pay bringing about his decision to retire in 1682. This left Cyril III Zaim as the only claimant to being patriarch. But, this situation did not last long.
[[Athanasius III Dabbas of Antioch|Athanasius Dabbas]], supported by his uncle Michael Khayat and Franciscan monks who had charged Cyril III with simony, claimed the patriarchal throne. In 1685, Michael Khayat, through his influence with the Sublime Porte, obtained a firman from the Ottoman government appointing Athanasius Dabbas Patriarch of Antioch. On [[July 5]],1685, Dabbas was consecrated a bishop and then enthroned patriarch of Antioch with the name Athanasius III.
The two claiming Patriarchs, Cyril III Zaim and Athanasius III Dabbas, engaged in a continuing conflict for next nine years. The dispute ended in October 1694 when the rivals came to an agreement following an arbitration by Salmon, an Aleppian Jew. The agreement specified that Athanasius recognize Cyril as patriarch in exchange of 13,000 Ecus and with an appointment to the [[See]] of Aleppo with the right to succeed as patriarch at Cyril's death.
