Patriarch
Encyclopedia
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic
authority as a pater familias
over an extended family
. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy
. This is a Greek
word, a compound of πατριά (patria), "lineage, descent", esp. by the father's side (which comes from – patēr meaning "father") and (archon
) meaning "leader", "chief", "ruler", "king", etc.
Abraham
, Isaac
, and Jacob
are referred to as the three patriarchs
of the people of Israel
, and the period in which they lived is called the Patriarchal Age
. It originally acquired its religious meaning in the Septuagint version of the Bible
.
The word has mainly taken on specific ecclesiastical meanings. In particular, the highest-ranking bishop
s in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy
, the Roman Catholic Church
(above Major Archbishop
and Primate
), and the Assyrian Church of the East
are called Patriarchs. The office and ecclesiastical conscription (comprising one or more provinces, though outside his own (arch)diocese he is often without enforceable jurisdiction) of such a Patriarch is called a Patriarchate
. Historically, a Patriarch may often be the logical choice to act as Ethnarch
, representing the community that is identified with his religious confession within a state or empire of a different creed (as Christians within the Ottoman Empire
).
, sometimes also referred to as Nestorian, the Church of Persia, the Sassanid Church, or, in modern times, the Assyrian Church of the East
, trace their lineage of patriarchs back to the 1st century.
formulated by Justinian I
(527-565), the emperor assigned as a patriarchate to the Bishop of Rome the whole of Christianized Europe (including almost all of modern Greece
), except for a small area near Constantinople and along the coast of the Black Sea. He included in this patriarchate also the western part of North Africa. Justinian's system was given formal ecclesiastical recognition in the Quinisext Council
of 692, which the see of Rome
has, however, not recognized.
Popes have in the past occasionally used the title Patriarch of the West, without attaching to it a clear meaning. Beginning in 1863, this title appeared in the annual reference publication, Annuario Pontificio
, which in 1885 became a semi-official publication of the Holy See. This publication suppressed the title in its 2006 edition. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
explained the decision in a press release issued later that year. It stated that the title "Patriarch of the West" had become "obsolete and practically unusable" and that it was "pointless to insist on maintaining it". Since the Second Vatican Council
, the Latin Church
, with which the title could be consider linked, is now organized as a number of episcopal conference
s and their international groupings.
with a claim to one (or more) of the ancient Patriarchal Sees.
," a new title created in 1963 and essentially equivalent to the title of Patriarch.
.
is one who has been ordained to the office of Patriarch in the Melchizedek Priesthood
. The term is considered synonymous with the term evangelist
. One of the patriarch's primary responsibilities is to give Patriarchal blessing
s, as Jacob did to his twelve sons in the Old Testament. Patriarchs are typically assigned in each stake
and hold the title for life.
Autocracy
An autocracy is a form of government in which one person is the supreme power within the state. It is derived from the Greek : and , and may be translated as "one who rules by himself". It is distinct from oligarchy and democracy...
authority as a pater familias
Pater familias
The pater familias, also written as paterfamilias was the head of a Roman family. The term is Latin for "father of the family" or the "owner of the family estate". The form is irregular and archaic in Latin, preserving the old genitive ending in -as...
over an extended family
Extended family
The term extended family has several distinct meanings. In modern Western cultures dominated by nuclear family constructs, it has come to be used generically to refer to grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, whether they live together within the same household or not. However, it may also refer...
. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy
Patriarchy
Patriarchy is a social system in which the role of the male as the primary authority figure is central to social organization, and where fathers hold authority over women, children, and property. It implies the institutions of male rule and privilege, and entails female subordination...
. This is a Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word, a compound of πατριά (patria), "lineage, descent", esp. by the father's side (which comes from – patēr meaning "father") and (archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
) meaning "leader", "chief", "ruler", "king", etc.
Abraham
Abraham
Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...
, Isaac
Isaac
Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...
, and Jacob
Jacob
Jacob "heel" or "leg-puller"), also later known as Israel , as described in the Hebrew Bible, the Talmud, the New Testament and the Qur'an was the third patriarch of the Hebrew people with whom God made a covenant, and ancestor of the tribes of Israel, which were named after his descendants.In the...
are referred to as the three patriarchs
Patriarchs (Bible)
The Patriarchs of the Bible, when narrowly defined, are Abraham, the ancestor of all the Abrahamic nations; his son Isaac, the ancestor of the nations surrounding Israel/Judah; and Isaac's son Jacob, also named Israel, the ancestor of the Israelites...
of the people of Israel
Israelite
According to the Bible the Israelites were a Hebrew-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited the Land of Canaan during the monarchic period .The word "Israelite" derives from the Biblical Hebrew ישראל...
, and the period in which they lived is called the Patriarchal Age
Patriarchal Age
The Patriarchal Age is the era of the three biblical Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, according to the narratives of Genesis 12-50. ....
. It originally acquired its religious meaning in the Septuagint version of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
.
The word has mainly taken on specific ecclesiastical meanings. In particular, the highest-ranking bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy
Oriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
(above Major Archbishop
Major Archbishop
right|200 px|thumb|Archbishop [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk]], Major Archbishop of Kyiv-HalychIn the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous particular Church that an Eastern patriarch has in...
and Primate
Primate (religion)
Primate is a title or rank bestowed on some bishops in certain Christian churches. Depending on the particular tradition, it can denote either jurisdictional authority or ceremonial precedence ....
), and the Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
are called Patriarchs. The office and ecclesiastical conscription (comprising one or more provinces, though outside his own (arch)diocese he is often without enforceable jurisdiction) of such a Patriarch is called a Patriarchate
Patriarchate
A patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
. Historically, a Patriarch may often be the logical choice to act as Ethnarch
Ethnarch
Ethnarch, pronounced , the anglicized form of ethnarches refers generally to political leadership over a common ethnic group or homogeneous kingdom. The word is derived from the Greek words and ....
, representing the community that is identified with his religious confession within a state or empire of a different creed (as Christians within the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
).
Church of the East
Patriarchs of the Church of the EastChurch of the East
The Church of the East tāʾ d-Maḏnḥāʾ), also known as the Nestorian Church, is a Christian church, part of the Syriac tradition of Eastern Christianity. Originally the church of the Persian Sassanid Empire, it quickly spread widely through Asia...
, sometimes also referred to as Nestorian, the Church of Persia, the Sassanid Church, or, in modern times, the Assyrian Church of the East
Assyrian Church of the East
The Assyrian Church of the East, officially the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East ʻIttā Qaddishtā w-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi d-Madnĕkhā d-Āturāyē), is a Syriac Church historically centered in Mesopotamia. It is one of the churches that claim continuity with the historical...
, trace their lineage of patriarchs back to the 1st century.
- The Catholicos-Patriarch of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, head of the Assyrian Church of the East
- The Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the EastAncient Church of the EastThe Ancient Church of the East was established in 1968. It follows the traditions of one of the oldest Christian churches, the Church of the East, whose origins trace back to the See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon in central Mesopotamia...
, a split from the Assyrian Church of the East
Eastern Orthodoxy
- The ancient Patriarchates, which originally also included and were equal in rank to the See of RomeHoly SeeThe Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
:- The Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, head of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople and the Spiritual Leader of Eastern Orthodoxy
- The Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa and the head of the Greek Orthodox Church of AlexandriaGreek Orthodox Church of AlexandriaThe Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity.Officially, it is called the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria to distinguish it from the...
- The Patriarch of Antioch and the head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and All the East in the Near East
- The Patriarch of JerusalemOrthodox Patriarch of JerusalemThe Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem is the head bishop of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since 2005, the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has been Theophilos III...
and the head of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem and Holy ZionOrthodox Church of JerusalemThe Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem , also known as the Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, is an autocephalous Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity. Headed by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, it is regarded by Orthodox Christians as the mother church of all of...
in Israel, Palestine, Jordan and All Arabia
- The five junior Patriarchates created after the consolidation of the Pentarchy, in chronological order of their recognition as Patriarchates by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople:
- The Patriarch of All Bulgaria and the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox ChurchBulgarian Orthodox ChurchThe Bulgarian Orthodox Church - Bulgarian Patriarchate is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox Church with some 6.5 million members in the Republic of Bulgaria and between 1.5 and 2.0 million members in a number of European countries, the Americas and Australia...
in Bulgaria, recognized as a Patriarchate in 927 - The Catholicos-Patriarch of All GeorgiaCatholicos-Patriarch of All GeorgiaCatholicos–Patriarch has been the title of the heads of the Georgian Orthodox Church since 1010. The first Catholicos–Patriarch of All Georgia was Melkisedek I...
and the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church in Georgia, recognized as a Catholicate (Patriarchate) in 1008 - The Serbian Patriarch and the head of the Serbian Orthodox ChurchSerbian Orthodox ChurchThe Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
in Serbia (and the former Yugoslavia), recognized as a Patriarchate in 1375 - The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia and the head of the Russian Orthodox ChurchRussian Orthodox ChurchThe Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
in Russia, recognized as a Patriarchate in 1589 - The Patriarch of All Romania and the head of the Romanian Orthodox ChurchRomanian Orthodox ChurchThe Romanian Orthodox Church is an autocephalous Eastern Orthodox church. It is in full communion with other Eastern Orthodox churches, and is ranked seventh in order of precedence. The Primate of the church has the title of Patriarch...
in Romania, recognized as a Patriarchate in 1925
- The Patriarch of All Bulgaria and the head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church
Eastern Patriarchs outside the Orthodox Communion
- The Patriarch of Moscow and All RussiaRussian Old-Orthodox ChurchThe Russian Old Orthodox Church is an Eastern Orthodox Church of the Old Believers tradition, born of a schism within the Russian Orthodox Church during the 17th century . This jurisdiction incorporated those Old Believer groups which refused to accept the authority of Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy,...
head of the Russian Old-Orthodox ChurchRussian Old-Orthodox ChurchThe Russian Old Orthodox Church is an Eastern Orthodox Church of the Old Believers tradition, born of a schism within the Russian Orthodox Church during the 17th century . This jurisdiction incorporated those Old Believer groups which refused to accept the authority of Belokrinitskaya Hierarchy,... - The Patriarch of Kiev head of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church – Kiev Patriarchate
- The Patriarch of Kyiv and All Rus-Ukraine of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church Canonical
- The Patriarch of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Europe (www.mission-orthodoxe.org)
Oriental Orthodox Churches
- The Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All Africa and the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria in Egypt and All Africa and the Spiritual Leader of Oriental OrthodoxyOriental OrthodoxyOriental Orthodoxy is the faith of those Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the First Council of Ephesus. They rejected the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon...
- The Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of AntiochSyriac Orthodox ChurchThe Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
and Supreme Leader of the Universal Syriac Orthodox ChurchSyriac Orthodox ChurchThe Syriac Orthodox Church; is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church based in the Eastern Mediterranean, with members spread throughout the world. The Syriac Orthodox Church claims to derive its origin from one of the first Christian communities, established in Antioch by the Apostle St....
in the Near East- The Catholicos of India and the head of the Malankara Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church in India
- The Catholicos of Etchmiadzin, Armenia and of All Armenians and Supreme Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic ChurchThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
and the head of the Armenian Apostolic ChurchArmenian Apostolic ChurchThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
- The Patriarch of Constantinople for the Armenians in Turkey
- The Patriarch of Jerusalem and of Holy Zion for the Armenians in Israel, Palestine, Jordan and the Persian Gulf
- The Catholicos of Cilicia and head of the Armenian Apostolic Church of the House of CiliciaArmenian Apostolic ChurchThe Armenian Apostolic Church is the world's oldest National Church, is part of Oriental Orthodoxy, and is one of the most ancient Christian communities. Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion in 301 AD, in establishing this church...
in Antelias, Lebanon and the Middle East - The Catholicos of the EastCatholicos of the EastCatholicos of the East is an ecclesiastical title used historically by the Church of the East and the Syriac Orthodox Church, and now used in successor churches. The title Catholicos, or "universal leader", is used in several Eastern Christian churches and implies a degree of sovereignty and...
and the head of the Indian Orthodox ChurchIndian Orthodox ChurchThe Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, also known as the Indian Orthodox Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church centred in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the churches of India's Saint Thomas Christian community, which traces its origins to the evangelical activity of Thomas...
in India - The Archbishop of Axum and Patriarch Catholicos of All Ethiopia and the head of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo ChurchEthiopian Orthodox Tewahedo ChurchThe Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church is the predominant Oriental Orthodox Christian church in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Church was administratively part of the Coptic Orthodox Church until 1959, when it was granted its own Patriarch by Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of All...
in Ethiopia - The Archbishop of Asmara and Patriarch of All Eritrea and the head of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church in Eritrea
Catholic Church
Patriarchate of the West (not extant)
In the PentarchyPentarchy
Pentarchy is a term in the history of Christianity for the idea of universal rule over all Christendom by the heads of five major episcopal sees, or patriarchates, of the Roman Empire: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem...
formulated by Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
(527-565), the emperor assigned as a patriarchate to the Bishop of Rome the whole of Christianized Europe (including almost all of modern Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), except for a small area near Constantinople and along the coast of the Black Sea. He included in this patriarchate also the western part of North Africa. Justinian's system was given formal ecclesiastical recognition in the Quinisext Council
Quinisext Council
The Quinisext Council was a church council held in 692 at Constantinople under Justinian II. It is often known as the Council in Trullo, because it was held in the same domed hall where the Sixth Ecumenical Council had met...
of 692, which the see of Rome
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
has, however, not recognized.
Popes have in the past occasionally used the title Patriarch of the West, without attaching to it a clear meaning. Beginning in 1863, this title appeared in the annual reference publication, Annuario Pontificio
Annuario Pontificio
The Annuario Pontificio is the annual directory of the Holy See. It lists all the popes to date and all officials of the Holy See's departments...
, which in 1885 became a semi-official publication of the Holy See. This publication suppressed the title in its 2006 edition. The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently from 1962–1965.Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement...
explained the decision in a press release issued later that year. It stated that the title "Patriarch of the West" had become "obsolete and practically unusable" and that it was "pointless to insist on maintaining it". Since the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, the Latin Church
Latin Church
The Latin Church is the largest particular church within the Catholic Church. It is a particular church not on the level of the local particular churches known as dioceses or eparchies, but on the level of autonomous ritual churches, of which there are 23, the remaining 22 of which are Eastern...
, with which the title could be consider linked, is now organized as a number of episcopal conference
Episcopal Conference
In the Roman Catholic Church, an Episcopal Conference, Conference of Bishops, or National Conference of Bishops is an official assembly of all the bishops of a given territory...
s and their international groupings.
| Type | Church | Patriarchate | Patriarch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patriarch of the West | Latin | Rome Pope The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle... |
Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See... |
| Titular and actual Latin-Rite Patriarchs | Latin | Aquileia | suppressed in 1751 |
| Latin | Grado Patriarch of Grado This is a list of the Patriarchs of Grado . The patriarchate came into being when the schismatic Patriarch of Aquileia, Paulinus , moved to Grado in the mid 6th century. But in their reunion with Rome in 606, a rival office was set up in Old-Aquileia. Aquileia later entered communion with Rome but... |
suppressed in 1451 | |
| Latin | Jerusalem Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus... |
Patriarch Fouad Twal Fouad Twal Fouad Twal is the Roman Catholic archbishop and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem since June 2008.He was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1966. After his ordination he was the vicar of Ramallah. In 1972 he entered the Pontifical Lateran University where he studied for a doctorate in canon law. ... |
|
| Latin | Lisbon Patriarch of Lisbon The Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI... |
Cardinal José Policarpo | |
| Latin | Venice Patriarch of Venice The Patriarch of Venice is the ordinary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. The bishop is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church... |
Cardinal Angelo Scola | |
| Latin | Alexandria Latin Patriarch of Alexandria This is a list of The Latin Patriarchs of Alexandria established in 1215 during the pontificate of Pope Innocent III. This titular office was abolished in 1964. His patriachal seat in Rome was the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls.... |
suppressed in 1964 | |
| Latin | Antioch Latin Patriarch of Antioch The Latin Patriarch of Antioch was an office created in 1098 by Bohemund, founder of the Principality of Antioch, one of the crusader states.... |
suppressed in 1964 | |
| Latin | Constantinople Latin Patriarch of Constantinople The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after.... |
suppressed in 1964 | |
| Latin | East Indies Patriarch of the East Indies The Titular Patriarch of the East Indies in the Catholic hierarchy is the title of the Archbishop of Goa and Damão in India; another title of his is that of the Primate of the East. Unlike the patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui juris, the Patriarch of the East Indies enjoys a purely... |
Patriarch Filipe Neri Ferrão Filipe Neri Ferrão Filipe Neri António Sebastião do Rosário Ferrão is the seventh Roman Catholic Patriarch of the East Indies and thirty-fifth Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, India.... |
|
| Latin | West Indies | vacant since 1963 | |
| Eastern Catholic Patriarchs | Coptic Coptic Catholic Church The Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite particular Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. Historically, Coptic Catholics represent a schism from the Coptic Orthodox Church, leaving that church in order to come into full communion with the Bishop of Rome.The current Coptic... |
Alexandria | Cardinal Antonios Naguib Antonios Naguib Antonios I Naguib is the Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria since 30 March 2006.... |
| Greek-Melkite Melkite Greek Catholic Church The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of... |
Antioch | Patriarch Gregory III Laham Gregory III Laham Gregory III , Patriarch of the Church of Antioch, is the spiritual leader of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. He was elected patriarch on November 29, 2000, succeeding Maximos V Hakim, who resigned at age 92 due to failing health, dying seven months later... |
|
| Maronite Maronite Church The Syriac Maronite Church of Antioch is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See of Rome . It traces its heritage back to the community founded by Maron, a 4th-century Syriac monk venerated as a saint. The first Maronite Patriarch, John Maron, was elected in the late 7th... |
Antioch | Patriarch Bechara Boutros al-Rahi Bechara Boutros al-Rahi Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi is the 77th Maronite Patriarch of Antioch, a position he has held since 15 March 2011, succeeding Patriarch Cardinal Mar Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir.-Early life:... |
|
| Syrian Syriac Catholic Church The Syriac Catholic Church is a Christian church in the Levant having practices and rites in common with the Syriac Orthodox Church. They are one of the Eastern Catholic Churches following the Antiochene rite, the Syriac tradition of Antioch, along with the Maronites and Syro-Malankara Christians... |
Antioch | Patriarch Ignatius Joseph III Younan | |
| Armenian Armenian Catholic Church |- |The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church sui juris in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law... |
Cilicia | Patriarch Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni | |
| Chaldean Chaldean Catholic Church The Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church... |
Babylon | Cardinal Emmanuel III Delly Emmanuel III Delly Mar Emmanuel III Delly is the Patriarch of Babylon of the Chaldeans and Primate of the Chaldean Catholic Church, an Eastern Catholic sui juris Particular church of the Catholic Church and a Cardinal. He was born on October 6, 1927 in Tel Keppe and was ordained a priest on December 21, 1952. He was... |
|
| Eastern Catholic Major Archbishops | Ukrainian Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope... |
Kiev-Halych | Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk Sviatoslav Shevchuk Sviatoslav Shevchuk is the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church since 25 March 2011.-Life:Sviatoslav Shevchuk was born in 1970, in Stryi, Ukrainian SSR. He was ordained as a priest on 26 June 1994. From 2002 to 2005 he worked as head of the secretariat of Patriarch Lubomyr Husar... |
| Syro-Malabar Syro-Malabar Catholic Church The Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India is an East Syrian Rite, Major Archiepiscopal Church in full communion with the Catholic Church. It is one of the 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in the Catholic Church. It is the largest of the Saint Thomas Christian denominations with more than 3.6... |
Ernakulam-Angamaly | Major Archbishop George Alencherry | |
| Syro-Malankara Syro-Malankara Catholic Church The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See... |
Trivandrum | Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis | |
| Romanian Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language.... |
Făgăraş and Alba Iulia | Major Archbishop Lucian Mureşan Lucian Mureşan Lucian Mureşan is the Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia and thus head of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic.... |
List of Latin Rite Patriarchs
- The Latin Patriarch of JerusalemLatin Patriarch of JerusalemThe Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is the title possessed by the Latin Rite Catholic Archbishop of Jerusalem. The Archdiocese of Jerusalem has jurisdiction for all Latin Rite Catholics in Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Jordan and Cyprus...
- The Patriarch of the East IndiesPatriarch of the East IndiesThe Titular Patriarch of the East Indies in the Catholic hierarchy is the title of the Archbishop of Goa and Damão in India; another title of his is that of the Primate of the East. Unlike the patriarchs of the Eastern Catholic Churches sui juris, the Patriarch of the East Indies enjoys a purely...
a titular patriarchal see, united to Goa and Daman. - The Patriarch of LisbonPatriarch of LisbonThe Patriarch of Lisbon is an honorary title possessed by the archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lisbon.The first patriarch of Lisbon was D. Tomás de Almeida, who was appointed in 1716 by Pope Clement XI...
- The Patriarch of VenicePatriarch of VeniceThe Patriarch of Venice is the ordinary bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Venice. The bishop is one of the few Patriarchs in the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church...
Historical Latin Rite Patriarchs
- The Latin Patriarch of AntiochLatin Patriarch of AntiochThe Latin Patriarch of Antioch was an office created in 1098 by Bohemund, founder of the Principality of Antioch, one of the crusader states....
– abolished in 1964 - The Latin Patriarch of AlexandriaLatin Patriarch of AlexandriaThis is a list of The Latin Patriarchs of Alexandria established in 1215 during the pontificate of Pope Innocent III. This titular office was abolished in 1964. His patriachal seat in Rome was the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls....
– abolished in 1964 - The Patriarch of Aquileia – dissolved in 1752
- The Latin Patriarch of CarthagePatriarchate of CarthageThis is a list of bishops and archbishops of Carthage, often referred to as Primate proconsular Africa, Numidia, Mauritania and Tripolitania. Until the seventh century, the bishops are recognized by the Orthodox Church and The Roman Church as their own....
– the title largely titular after the 7th century - The Latin Patriarch of ConstantinopleLatin Patriarch of ConstantinopleThe Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after....
- Abolished in 1964 - The Patriarch of GradoPatriarch of GradoThis is a list of the Patriarchs of Grado . The patriarchate came into being when the schismatic Patriarch of Aquileia, Paulinus , moved to Grado in the mid 6th century. But in their reunion with Rome in 606, a rival office was set up in Old-Aquileia. Aquileia later entered communion with Rome but...
– In 1451 merged with the Bishopric of Castello and Venice to form the Archdiocese of Venice - The Patriarch of the West IndiesPatriarch of the West IndiesThe Titular Patriarchate of the West Indies is a Latin Rite Titular Patriarchate of the Roman Catholic Church. It is vacant since the death of its last holder in 1963.-Attempt to create a jurisdictional Patriarchate in the Spanish Indies:...
a titular patriarchal see, vacant since 1963
List of Eastern Catholic Patriarchs
Six of the particular Eastern Catholic Churches are headed by a PatriarchPatriarchs of the east
The Patriarchs of the East are generally speaking the head bishops of Eastern Christian traditions mainly in the Middle East. They may be Patriarchs of Orthodox or Catholic churches.-Orthodox Patriarchs of the East:...
with a claim to one (or more) of the ancient Patriarchal Sees.
- The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria and head of the Coptic Catholic ChurchCoptic Catholic ChurchThe Coptic Catholic Church is an Alexandrian Rite particular Church in full communion with the Pope of Rome. Historically, Coptic Catholics represent a schism from the Coptic Orthodox Church, leaving that church in order to come into full communion with the Bishop of Rome.The current Coptic...
- The Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and the head of the Syrian Catholic Church
- The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, of Alexandria, and of Jerusalem and the head of the Melkite Greek Catholic ChurchMelkite Greek Catholic ChurchThe Melkite Greek Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See as part of the worldwide Catholic Church. The Melkites, Byzantine Rite Catholics of mixed Eastern Mediterranean and Greek origin, trace their history to the early Christians of Antioch, Syria, of...
- The Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and all the East, head of the Maronite Catholic Church
- The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Babylon and the head of the Chaldean Catholic ChurchChaldean Catholic ChurchThe Chaldean Catholic Church , is an Eastern Syriac particular church of the Catholic Church, maintaining full communion with the Bishop of Rome and the rest of the Catholic Church...
- The Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia and the head of the Armenian Catholic ChurchArmenian Catholic Church|- |The Armenian Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church sui juris in union with the other Eastern Rite, Oriental Rite and Latin Rite Catholics who accept the Bishop of Rome as spiritual leader of the Church. It is regulated by Eastern canon law...
Major Archbishops
Four more of the Eastern Catholic Churches are headed by prelate known as a "Major ArchbishopMajor Archbishop
right|200 px|thumb|Archbishop [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk]], Major Archbishop of Kyiv-HalychIn the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous particular Church that an Eastern patriarch has in...
," a new title created in 1963 and essentially equivalent to the title of Patriarch.
- The Major Archbishop of Kiev-Halych and head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic ChurchUkrainian Greek Catholic ChurchThe Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church , Ukrainska Hreko-Katolytska Tserkva), is the largest Eastern Rite Catholic sui juris particular church in full communion with the Holy See, and is directly subject to the Pope...
- The Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly and head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic ChurchSyro-Malabar Catholic ChurchThe Syro-Malabar Catholic Church in India is an East Syrian Rite, Major Archiepiscopal Church in full communion with the Catholic Church. It is one of the 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in the Catholic Church. It is the largest of the Saint Thomas Christian denominations with more than 3.6...
- The Major Archbishop of Trivandrum and head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic ChurchSyro-Malankara Catholic ChurchThe Syro-Malankara Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See...
- The Major Archbishop of Făgăraş and Alba Iulia and head of the Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-CatholicRomanian Church United with Rome, Greek-CatholicThe Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic is an Eastern Catholic Church which is in full union with the Roman Catholic Church. It is ranked as a Major Archiepiscopal Church and uses the Byzantine liturgical rite in the Romanian language....
Independent Patriarchs
These Patriarchs are not part of traditional ecclesiastical communions of either the Eastern or the Catholic variety. Their churches were generally founded in the last century or so and reject many of the teachings of traditional apostolic Christian faith, for example by allowing women to attempt ordination or by allowing priests to marry after ordinationClerical celibacy
Clerical celibacy is the discipline by which some or all members of the clergy in certain religions are required to be unmarried. Since these religions consider deliberate sexual thoughts, feelings, and behavior outside of marriage to be sinful, clerical celibacy also requires abstension from these...
.
- The Patriarch of the Catholic Apostolic National Church of Brazil
- The Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal ChurchCharismatic Episcopal ChurchThe Charismatic Episcopal Church, more officially known as the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church , is an international Christian denomination established as an autocephalous communion in 1992...
- The Patriarch of the Apostolic Catholic ChurchApostolic Catholic ChurchThe Apostolic Catholic Church is a self-governing church that claims to trace its faith and worship from the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church that Jesus Christ and his Apostles established. The church believes the Trinitarian Doctrine that states that the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit...
- The Patriarch of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch
- The Patriarch of the American Orthodox Catholic ChurchAmerican Orthodox Catholic ChurchThe American Orthodox Catholic Church is a name given to a number of small independent denominations that are broadly in the Old Catholic tradition.Examples include the American Orthodox Catholic Church – Western Rite Mission, Diocese of New York....
- The Patriarch of the Assembly of Jerusalem
Mormonism
According to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a patriarchPatriarch (Mormonism)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, Patriarch is an office of the Priesthood whose main duty is to give Patriarchal blessings to church members. It is considered to be either an office of the Patriarchal Priesthood or the Melchizedek priesthood...
is one who has been ordained to the office of Patriarch in the Melchizedek Priesthood
Melchizedek priesthood
The Melchizedek priesthood is the greater of the two orders of priesthood recognized in Mormonism. The others are the Aaronic priesthood and the rarely recognized Patriarchal priesthood...
. The term is considered synonymous with the term evangelist
Evangelist (Latter Day Saints)
In the Latter Day Saint movement, an evangelist is an ordained office of the ministry. In some denominations of the movement, an evangelist is referred to as a patriarch . However, the latter term was deprecated by the Community of Christ after the church began ordaining women to the priesthood...
. One of the patriarch's primary responsibilities is to give Patriarchal blessing
Patriarchal blessing
In the Latter Day Saint movement, a patriarchal blessing is a blessing or ordinance given by a patriarch to a church member. Patriarchal blessings are modeled after the blessing given by Jacob to each of his sons prior to his death...
s, as Jacob did to his twelve sons in the Old Testament. Patriarchs are typically assigned in each stake
Stake (Mormonism)
A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. A stake is approximately comparable to a diocese in the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations...
and hold the title for life.
See also
- List of current Popes and Patriarchs
- Lists of Patriarchs
- PatriarchatePatriarchateA patriarchate is the office or jurisdiction of a patriarch. A patriarch, as the term is used here, is either* one of the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, earlier, the five that were included in the Pentarchy: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, but now nine,...
- PatriarchyPatriarchyPatriarchy is a social system in which the role of the male as the primary authority figure is central to social organization, and where fathers hold authority over women, children, and property. It implies the institutions of male rule and privilege, and entails female subordination...
- MatriarchyMatriarchyA matriarchy is a society in which females, especially mothers, have the central roles of political leadership and moral authority. It is also sometimes called a gynocratic or gynocentric society....
- List of Bishops and Archbishops
- Major archbishopMajor Archbishopright|200 px|thumb|Archbishop [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk]], Major Archbishop of Kyiv-HalychIn the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous particular Church that an Eastern patriarch has in...
- List of Metropolitans and Patriarchs of Moscow