During his tenure as Patriarch the persecution of Christians By Al Hakim became even more fierce, and many of them became Islamists or sought refuge in other countries. During these years, Theophilos was living in Constantinople as he could not stay in Egypt . He intervened in the dispute between Emperor Vasilios Voulgaroktonos (975-1025) and Patriarch Sergios II of Constantinople (999-1019) on whether or not to enforce the law of “solidarity”, and led the two to conciliation. From that time the Patriarch of Alexandria was given the title of “Judge of the Universe”, with the added privilege of wearing a second stole (Kritato).
