, image = , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Coat of arms , abbreviation = , type = , main_classification = , orientation = , scripture = , theology = , polity = , governance = , structure = , leader_title = , leader_name = , leader_title1 = Primate , leader_name1 = Patriarch

Theophilos III Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem ( el, Πατριάρχης Ιεροσολύμων Θεόφιλος Γ'; ar, غبطة بطريرك المدينة المقدسة اورشليم وسائر أعمال فلسطين كيريوس كيريوس � ...

of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all

Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

, beyond the

Jordan River The Jordan River or River Jordan ( ar, نَهْر الْأُرْدُنّ, ''Nahr al-ʾUrdunn'', he, נְהַר הַיַּרְדֵּן, ''Nəhar hayYardēn''; syc, ܢܗܪܐ ܕܝܘܪܕܢܢ ''Nahrāʾ Yurdnan''), also known as ''Nahr Al-Shariea ...

Cana of Galilee Cana of Galilee ( grc, Κανὰ τῆς Γαλιλαίας; ar, قانا الجليل , translit= Qana al-Jalil , lit=Qana of the Galilee) is the location of the Marriage at Cana, at which the miracle of turning water into wine took place in ...

, and Holy Zion , leader_title2 = , leader_name2 = , leader_title3 = , leader_name3 = , fellowships_type = , fellowships = , fellowships_type1 = , fellowships1 = , division_type = , division = , division_type1 = , division1 = , division_type2 = , division2 = , division_type3 = , division3 = , associations = , area = , language = Greek, Hebrew, Arabic, English , liturgy = , headquarters = Jerusalem , territory = Israel,

Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...

, Jordan , possessions = United States,
South America , origin_link = , founder = The

Apostles An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...

, founded_date = , founded_place = , independence = 451 AD , reunion = , recognition = Eastern Orthodox , separated_from = , branched_from = , merger = , absorbed = , separations = , merged_into = , defunct = , congregations_type = , congregations = , members = Estimated 130,000 People , ministers_type = , ministers = , missionaries = , churches = , hospitals = , nursing_homes = , aid = , primary_schools = , secondary_schools = , tax_status = , tertiary = , other_names = , publications = , website
http://www.jerusalem-patriarchate.info/
, slogan = , logo = , footnotes = The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem or Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, officially Patriarch of Jerusalem ( el, Πατριάρχης Ιεροσολύμων; ar, بطريرك القدس; he, פטריארך ירושלים), is the head bishop of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, ranking fourth of nine Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Since 2005, the Eastern Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem has been

. The Patriarch is styled "Patriarch of the Holy City of Jerusalem and all

, beyond the

, Cana of

Galilee Galilee (; he, הַגָּלִיל, hagGālīl; ar, الجليل, al-jalīl) is a region located in northern Israel and southern Lebanon. Galilee traditionally refers to the mountainous part, divided into Upper Galilee (, ; , ) and Lower Galil ...

, and Holy Zion." The Patriarch is the head of the

Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre ( el, Ιερά Αγιοταφιτική Αδελφότητα, ; Palestinian Arabic: ) or Holy Community of the All-Holy Sepulchre is an Eastern Orthodox monastic fraternity guarding the Church of the Holy Se ...

, and the religious leader of about 130,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians in the

, most of them Palestinians. The Patriarchate traces its line of succession to the first Christian bishops of Jerusalem, the first being

James the Just James the Just, or a variation of James, brother of the Lord ( la, Iacobus from he, יעקב, and grc-gre, Ἰάκωβος, , can also be Anglicized as "Jacob"), was "a brother of Jesus", according to the New Testament. He was an early lead ...

in the 1st century AD. Jerusalem was granted

autocephaly Autocephaly (; from el, αὐτοκεφαλία, meaning "property of being self-headed") is the status of a hierarchical Christian church whose head bishop does not report to any higher-ranking bishop. The term is primarily used in Eastern O ...

in 451 by the Council of Chalcedon and in 531 became one of the initial five patriarchates. On the importance of Jerusalem in Christianity, the '' Catholic Encyclopedia'' reads:

History

In the Apostolic Age the Christian Church was organized as an indefinite number of local Churches that in the initial years looked to that at Jerusalem as its main centre and point of reference.

, who was martyred around 62, is described as the first Bishop of Jerusalem. Roman persecutions following the Jewish revolts against Rome in the later 1st and 2nd centuries also affected the city's Christian community, and led to Jerusalem gradually being eclipsed in prominence by other sees, particularly those of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and Rome. However, increased pilgrimage during and after the reign of

Constantine the Great Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...

increased the fortunes of the see of Jerusalem, and in 325 the First Council of Nicaea attributed special honor, but not

metropolitan Metropolitan may refer to: * Metropolitan area, a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories * Metropolitan borough, a form of local government district in England * Metropolitan county, a typ ...

status (then the highest rank in the Church), to the bishop of Jerusalem. Jerusalem continued to be a bishopric until 451, when the Council of Chalcedon granted Jerusalem independence from the metropolitan of Antioch and from any other higher-ranking bishop, granted what is now known as

, in the council's seventh session whose "Decree on the Jurisdiction of Jerusalem and Antioch" contains: "the bishop of Jerusalem, or rather the most holy Church which is under him, shall have under his own power the three Palestines". This led to Jerusalem becoming a patriarchate, one of the five patriarchates known as the pentarchy, when the title of "patriarch" was created in 531 by Justinian.The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, s.v. ''patriarch (ecclesiastical)'', also calls it "a title dating from the 6th century, for the bishops of the five great sees of Christendom". An
Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions
says: "Five patriarchates, collectively called the pentarchy, were the first to be recognized by the legislation of the emperor Justinian (reigned 527–565)". After the Saracen conquest in the 7th century, Muslims recognized Jerusalem as the seat of Christianity and the Patriarch as its leader. When the Great Schism took place in 1054 the Patriarch of Jerusalem and the other three Eastern Patriarchs formed the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Patriarch of Rome (i.e. the Pope) formed the Roman Catholic Church. In 1099 the Crusaders appointed a Latin Patriarch. As a result, the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs lived in exile in Constantinople until 1187.

Current position

Today, the headquarters of the patriarchate is the

Church of the Holy Sepulchre The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, hy, Սուրբ Հարության տաճար, la, Ecclesia Sancti Sepulchri, am, የቅዱስ መቃብር ቤተክርስቲያን, he, כנסיית הקבר, ar, كنيسة القيامة is a church i ...

in Jerusalem. The number of Eastern Orthodox Christians in the

is estimated to be about 200,000. A majority of Church members are Palestinian Arabs, and there are also a small number of

Assyrians Assyrian may refer to: * Assyrian people, the indigenous ethnic group of Mesopotamia. * Assyria, a major Mesopotamian kingdom and empire. ** Early Assyrian Period ** Old Assyrian Period ** Middle Assyrian Empire ** Neo-Assyrian Empire * Assyrian ...

, Greeks and

Georgians The Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. Georgian diaspora communities are also present throughout Russia, Turkey, G ...

. The patriarchate was recently involved in a significant controversy.

Patriarch Irenaios Emmanouil Skopelitis ( Greek: Εμμανουήλ Σκοπελίτης), born on 17 April 1939, was, under the name Irenaios, the 140th patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, from his election in 2001, when he succeeded Patriarch Diodo ...

, elected in 2001, was deposed, on decisions of the Holy Synod of Jerusalem, in the aftermath of a scandal involving the sale of church land in

East Jerusalem East Jerusalem (, ; , ) is the sector of Jerusalem that was held by Jordan during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to the western sector of the city, West Jerusalem, which was held by Israel. Jerusalem was envisaged as a separat ...

to Israeli investors. The move enraged many Eastern Orthodox Palestinian members, since the land was in an area that most Palestinians hoped would someday become part of a Palestinian state. On May 24, 2005 a special Pan-Orthodox

Synod A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''wikt:synod, synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin ...

was convened in Constantinople ( Istanbul) to review the decisions of the Holy Synod of Jerusalem. The Pan-Orthodox Synod under the presidency of the

Ecumenical Patriarch The ecumenical patriarch ( el, Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης, translit=Oikoumenikós Patriárchēs) is the archbishop of Constantinople (Istanbul), New Rome and '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the heads of th ...

Bartholomew I, voted overwhelmingly to confirm the decision of the

and to strike Irenaios' name from the diptychs, and on May 30, Jerusalem's Holy Synod chose Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra to serve as locum tenens pending the election of a replacement for Irenaios. On August 22, 2005, the Holy Synod of the Church of Jerusalem unanimously elected Theophilos, the former Archbishop of

Tabor Tabor may refer to: Places Czech Republic * Tábor, a town in the South Bohemian Region ** Tábor District, the surrounding district * Tábor, a village and part of Velké Heraltice in the Moravian-Silesian Region Israel * Mount Tabor, Galil ...

, as the 141st Patriarch of Jerusalem.

List of patriarchs

Resident in Jerusalem (451–1099)

The Council of Chalcedon in 451 raised the bishop of Jerusalem to the rank of patriarch. (See Pentarchy) However, Byzantine politics meant that Jerusalem passed from the jurisdiction of Patriarch of Antioch to the Greek authorities in Constantinople. For centuries, Eastern Orthodox clergy, such as the

Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulcher The Brotherhood of the Holy Sepulchre ( el, Ιερά Αγιοταφιτική Αδελφότητα, ; Palestinian Arabic: ) or Holy Community of the All-Holy Sepulchre is an Eastern Orthodox monastic fraternity guarding the Church of the Holy S ...

, dominated the Jerusalem church. * Juvenal (451–458) * Anastasius I (458–478) * Martyrius (478–486) * Sallustius (486–494) * Elias I (494–516) * John III (516–524) * Peter (524–544) * Macarius II (544–552, 564–575) *

Eustochius Eustochius (also Eustachius) was the fifth bishop of Tours from 443 to 461. He was succeeded by his close relative, Saint Perpetuus. His extremely rare name suggests a possible connection to Saint Eustochium Eustochium (c. 368 – September 28, ...

(552–564) * John IV (575–594) * Amos (594–601) * Isaac (601–609) * Zacharias (609–632) *

Modestus Modestus was a Roman cognomen. It may refer to: * Julius Modestus (1st century BC), Roman freedman and grammarian * Marcus Mettius Modestus (procurator) (1st century AD), Roman governor of Egypt * Aufidius Modestus (1st century AD), Roman philo ...

(632–634) * Sophronius I (634–638) **''vacant'' (638–681?/692) ***Patriarchal Vicar

Stephen of Dora Stephen or Steven is a common English given name, first name. It is particularly significant to Christianity, Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Ac ...

assisted by

John of Philadelphia John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

(after 649–?) * Anastasius II (681?/692–706) *

John V John V may refer to: * Patriarch John V of Alexandria or John the Merciful (died by 620), Patriarch of Alexandria from 606 to 616 * John V of Constantinople, Patriarch from 669 to 675 * Pope John V (685–686), Pope from 685 to his death in 686 * J ...

(706–735) * Theodore (745–770) * Elias II (770–797) * George (797–807) * Thomas I (807–820) *

Basileus ''Basileus'' ( el, ) is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs in history. In the English-speaking world it is perhaps most widely understood to mean "monarch", referring to either a "king" or an "emperor" and al ...

(820–838) * John VI (838–842) * Sergius I (842–844) **''vacant'' (844–855) *

Solomon Solomon (; , ),, ; ar, سُلَيْمَان, ', , ; el, Σολομών, ; la, Salomon also called Jedidiah (Hebrew language, Hebrew: , Modern Hebrew, Modern: , Tiberian Hebrew, Tiberian: ''Yăḏīḏăyāh'', "beloved of Yahweh, Yah"), ...

(855–860) **''vacant'' (860–862) * Theodosius (862–878) * Elias III (878–907) * Sergius II (908–911) * Leontius I (912–929) *

Athanasius I Athanasius I may refer to: * Athanasius of Alexandria (c. 293 – 373), also called Pope Athanasius I of Alexandria, Christian theologian * Athanasius I Gammolo (died 631), Syriac Patriarch of Antioch * Athanasius I (bishop of Naples) (830–872) * ...

(929–937) * Christodolus (937–950) * Agathon (950–964) * John VII (964–966) * Christodolus II (966–969) * Thomas II (969–978) **''vacant'' (978–980) * Joseph II (980–983) * Orestes (983–1005) **''vacant'' (1005–1012) * Theophilus I (1012–1020) * Nicephorus I (1020–???) * Joannichius (???–???) * Sophronius II (???–1084) * Euthemius I (1084) * Simeon II (1084–1106)

In exile (1099–1187)

As a result of the First Crusade in 1099, a Latin Patriarchate was created, with residence in Jerusalem from 1099 to 1187. Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs continued to be appointed, but resided in Constantinople. * Savvas (1106–11??) * John VIII (11??–11??) *

Nicolas Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...

(11??–11??) * John IX (1156–1166) *

Nicephorus II Nikephoros II Phokas (; – 11 December 969), Latinized Nicephorus II Phocas, was Byzantine emperor from 963 to 969. His career, not uniformly successful in matters of statecraft or of war, nonetheless included brilliant military exploits whi ...

(1166–1170) * Leontius II (1170–1190)

Resident in Jerusalem (from 1187)

In 1187, the Latin Patriarch was forced to flee the city of Jerusalem due to the muslim reconquest of Jerusalem. The office of

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem The Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem ( la, Patriarchatus Latinus Hierosolymitanus) is the Latin Catholic ecclesiastical patriarchate in Jerusalem, officially seated in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was originally established in 1099, wit ...

remained and appointments continued to be made by the Catholic Church, with the Latin Patriarch residing in the Frankish-controlled Levant until 1374, and subsequently in Rome until modern times. The Eastern Orthodox Patriarchs at this period were. * Dositheos I (1187–1189) * Marcus II (1191–???) **''vacant'' (???–1223) * Euthemius II (1223) * Athanasius II (ca. 1231–1244) * Sophronius III (1236–???) *

Gregory I Gregory I may refer to: * Gregory the Illuminator (250s–330s), Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church in 288–325 * Gregory of Nazianzus (329–390), Patriarch Gregory I of Constantinople, in office 379–381 * Pope Gregory I (540–604), i ...

(???–1298) *

Thaddaeus Jude ( grc-gre, Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου translit. Ioúdas Iakóbou) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is generally identified as Thaddeus ( grc-gre, Θαδδαῖος; cop, ⲑⲁⲇⲇⲉⲟⲥ; ...

(1298) **''vacant'' (1298–1313) * Athanasius III (1313–1314) **''vacant'' (1314–1322) * Gregory II (1322) **''vacant'' (1322–1334) * Lazarus (1334–1368) **''vacant'' (1368–1376) * Dorotheus I (1376–1417) * Theophilus II (1417–1424) * Theophanes I (1424–1431) *

Joachim Joachim (; ''Yəhōyāqīm'', "he whom Yahweh has set up"; ; ) was, according to Christian tradition, the husband of Saint Anne and the father of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The story of Joachim and Anne first appears in the Biblical apocryphal ...

(1431–???) **''vacant'' (???–1450) * Theophanes II (1450) **''vacant'' (1450–1452) *Athanasius IV (1452–???) **''vacant'' (???–1460) *Jacob II (1460) **''vacant'' (1460–1468) *Abraham I (1468) *Gregory III (1468–1493) **''vacant'' (1493–1503) *Marcus III (1503) **''vacant'' (1503–1505) *Dorotheus II (1505–1537) *

Germanus Germanus or Germanos ( Greek) may refer to: People *Lucius Trebius Germanus, governor of Roman Britain around 126 *Germanus (died c. 290), possibly apocryphal martyr-saint tortured at the Pula Arena *Germanus (4th century), Spanish martyr-saint ...

(1537–1579) * Sophronius IV (1579–1608) *

Theophanes III Theophanes III of Jerusalem ( el, Θεοφάνης Γ΄ Ιεροσολύμων) was the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem from 1608 to 1644. The early life of Patriarch Theophanes is largely unknown. As the successor to Sophronius IV, Theoph ...

(1608–1644) *Paiseus (1645–1660) * Nectarius I (1660–1669) *

Dositheos II Dositheus II Notaras of Jerusalem ( el, Δοσίθεος Β΄ Ἱεροσολύμων; Arachova 31 May 1641 – Constantinople 8 February 1707) was the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem between 1669 and 1707 and a theologian of the Eastern Ort ...

(1669–1707) * Chrysanthus (1707–1731) * Meletius (1731–1737) * Parthenius (1737–1766) *

Ephram II Ephram II (died 1770) was a Greek writer. He was born in Athens. He was Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem , image = , imagewidth = , alt = , caption = Coat of arms , abbreviation ...

(1766–1771) * Sophronius V (1771–1775) * Abraham II (1775–1787) * Procopius I (1787–1788) * Anthemus (1788–1808) *

Polycarpus Polycarp (; el, Πολύκαρπος, ''Polýkarpos''; la, Polycarpus; AD 69 155) was a Christian bishop of Smyrna. According to the '' Martyrdom of Polycarp'', he died a martyr, bound and burned at the stake, then stabbed when the fire fail ...

(1808–1827) * Athanasius V (1827–1845) * Cyril II (1845–1872) *

Procopius II Procopius II (died 1880) was Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem (December 28, 1872 – 1875). 1880 deaths 19th-century Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Jerusalem {{EasternOrthodoxy-bishop-stub ...

(1872–1875) * Hierotheus (1875–1882) * Nicodemus I (1883–1890) * Gerasimus I (1891–1897) * Damian I (1897–1931) * Timotheus I (1935–1955) **''vacant'' (1955–1957) * Benedict I (1957–1980) *

Diodoros I Diodoros or Diodorus el, Διόδωρος; born Damianos G. Karivalis el, Δαμιανός Γ. Καρίβαλης (14 August 1923 – 20 December 2000) was the Patriarch of Jerusalem in the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem from 1980 t ...

(1980–2000) * Irenaios I (2000–2005) *

(2005–present)

Hierarchy of the throne

*Metropolitan of

Caesarea Caesarea () ( he, קֵיסָרְיָה, ), ''Keysariya'' or ''Qesarya'', often simplified to Keisarya, and Qaysaria, is an affluent town in north-central Israel, which inherits its name and much of its territory from the ancient city of Caesare ...

: Vasilios (Christos Blatsos) *Metropolitan of Scythopolis : Iakovos (George Kapenekas) *Metropolitan of

Petra Petra ( ar, ٱلْبَتْرَاء, Al-Batrāʾ; grc, Πέτρα, "Rock", Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu or Raqēmō, is an historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is adjacent to t ...

: Cornelios (Emmanuel Rodousakis) *Metropolitan of Ptolemais : Palladios (Vasilios Antoniou) *Metropolitan of

Nazareth Nazareth ( ; ar, النَّاصِرَة, ''an-Nāṣira''; he, נָצְרַת, ''Nāṣəraṯ''; arc, ܢܨܪܬ, ''Naṣrath'') is the largest city in the Northern District of Israel. Nazareth is known as "the Arab capital of Israel". In ...

: Kyriakos (Andreas Georgopetris) *Metropolitan of Neapolis : Amvrosios (Nikolaos Antonopoulos) *Metropolitan of Capitolias : Isyhios (Elias Condogiannis) *Metropolitan of Botsra : Timotheos (Theodoros Margaritis) *Metropolitan of Eleutheropolis : Christodoulos (Christos Saridakis) *Metropolitan of Philadelphia : Benediktos (George Tsekouras) *Archbishop of Gerasa : Theophanis (Theodosios Hasapakis) *Archbishop of Tiberias : Alexios (Alexios Moschonas) *Archbishop of

Abila Abila, also spelled Abyla, may refer to: Places * Abila in the Decapolis, ancient city in the Levant * Abila Lysaniou, capital of ancient Abilene, northwest of present-day Damascus, Syria * Abila (Peraea), archaeological site in Jordan * ''Abil ...

: Dorotheos (Demetrios Leovaris) *Archbishop of Joppa : Damaskinos (Anastasios Gaganiaras) *Archbishop of Constantina : Aristarchos (Antonios Peristeris) *Archbishop of

Mount Thabor Mount Tabor ( he, הר תבור) (Har Tavor) is located in Lower Galilee, Israel, at the eastern end of the Jezreel Valley, west of the Sea of Galilee. In the Hebrew Bible (Joshua, Judges), Mount Tabor is the site of the Battle of Mount Tabor ...

: Methodios (Nikolaos Liveris) *Archbishop of Jordan : Theophylactos (Theodosios Georgiadis) *Archbishop of Sebastia : Theodosios (Nizar Hanna) *Archbishop of

Askalon Ashkelon or Ashqelon (; Hebrew language, Hebrew: , , ; Philistine language, Philistine: ), also known as Ascalon (; Ancient Greek: , ; Arabic: , ), is a coastal city in the Southern District (Israel), Southern District of Israel on the Medite ...

: Nicephoros (Nikolaos Baltadgis) *Archbishop of Diocaesarea : Vacant

References

Sources

* *

External links

Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of JerusalemThe Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in the Greek-Israeli-Palestinian Triangle
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greek Orthodox Patriarch Of Jerusalem Lists of patriarchs Jer Apostolic sees Greek Orthodox Patriarchs Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem Jerusalem