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Patriarchate (, ; , ''patriarcheîon'') is an ecclesiological term in
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
, referring to the office and
jurisdiction Jurisdiction (from Latin 'law' and 'speech' or 'declaration') is the legal term for the legal authority granted to a legal entity to enact justice. In federations like the United States, the concept of jurisdiction applies at multiple level ...
of a patriarch. According to Christian tradition, three patriarchates—
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, Antioch, and
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
—were established by the apostles as
apostolic see An apostolic see is an episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus or to one of their close associates. In Catholicism, the phrase "The Apostolic See" when capitalized refers specifically to the See of ...
s in the 1st century. These were officially recognized by the First Council of Nicaea. The Patriarchate of Constantinople was added in the 4th century, and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem followed in the 5th century. These five sees were later recognized collectively as the pentarchy by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. Over the course of Christian history, additional patriarchates were gradually recognized by the original ancient
episcopal see An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...
s. However, several of these later lost jurisdiction—primarily due to the Islamic conquests in the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
and
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
—and became titular or honorary patriarchates without real institutional authority over their historical territories.


History

As Christianity expanded throughout the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
, concentrations of believers were increasingly found in urban centers. Bishops in these cities came to hold pre-eminence in the
province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...
where their diocese was located, especially if the city was the provincial capital. Over time, some bishops attained authority beyond their province, becoming recognized as primus inter pares. The Council of Nicea formalized this structure into
canon law Canon law (from , , a 'straight measuring rod, ruler') is a set of ordinances and regulations made by ecclesiastical jurisdiction, ecclesiastical authority (church leadership) for the government of a Christian organization or church and its membe ...
, following secular Roman administrative patterns. It also introduced the term "Metropolitan" to describe bishops who presided over multiple dioceses within a province. By the 4th century, cities such as Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch had extended their ecclesiastical authority beyond a single province. For instance, Alexandria held jurisdiction over
Roman Egypt Roman Egypt was an imperial province of the Roman Empire from 30 BC to AD 642. The province encompassed most of modern-day Egypt except for the Sinai. It was bordered by the provinces of Crete and Cyrenaica to the west and Judaea, ...
, Roman Libya, and the Pentapolis, while Rome exercised primatial authority over surrounding provinces within 100 miles of the city. By virtue of this multi-provincial oversight, the sees of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch were already exercising a "supra-metropolitan" jurisdiction, later termed as Patriarchates. By the end of the 4th century, all of Italy had come under the broader primatial jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Rome. After the Imperial capital moved to Byzantium in 330, the renamed city of
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
grew in prominence within the Eastern Church. It was granted archiepiscopal status before the Council of 381, which ranked it second in honor after Rome. Archbishop Atticus expanded the jurisdiction of the see in the early 5th century. Following the Council of Ephesus in 431, Bishop Juvenal of Jerusalem sought to extend his oversight across all three provinces of Roman Palestine, aiming to elevate Jerusalem to a
Metropolitan See Metropolitan may refer to: Areas and governance (secular and ecclesiastical) * Metropolitan archdiocese, the jurisdiction of a metropolitan archbishop ** Metropolitan bishop or archbishop, leader of an ecclesiastical "mother see" * Metropolitan ...
. This move was opposed by
Cyril of Alexandria Cyril of Alexandria (; or ⲡⲓ̀ⲁⲅⲓⲟⲥ Ⲕⲓⲣⲓⲗⲗⲟⲥ;  376–444) was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He was enthroned when the city was at the height of its influence and power within the Roman Empire ...
and Pope Leo I, who argued against separating Jerusalem from the authority of Antioch. Juvenal later claimed metropolitan authority over Roman Arabia and Phoenicia. At the Council of Chalcedon, negotiations with Archbishop Maximus of Antioch led to approval for Jerusalem’s oversight over all of Palestine but not beyond. The council recognized Jerusalem as a Metropolitanate, elevating it alongside the sees of Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch. Emperor
Justinian Justinian I (, ; 48214 November 565), also known as Justinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 527 to 565. His reign was marked by the ambitious but only partly realized ''renovatio imperii'', or "restoration of the Empire". This ambition was ...
would later recognize Jerusalem as one of the five official Patriarchates. The East–West Schism of 1054 separated the
Latin Church The Latin Church () is the largest autonomous () particular church within the Catholic Church, whose members constitute the vast majority of the 1.3 billion Catholics. The Latin Church is one of 24 Catholic particular churches and liturgical ...
’s
See of Rome See or SEE may refer to: * Visual perception Arts, entertainment, and media * Music: ** ''See'' (album), studio album by rock band The Rascals *** "See", song by The Rascals, on the album ''See'' ** "See" (Tycho song), song by Tycho * Televisio ...
from the Byzantine patriarchates of the East, resulting in the formation of the modern
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
and
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
. Today, the four Eastern Orthodox patriarchates—Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem—alongside their Western counterpart, Rome, are regarded as "senior" (Greek: πρεσβυγενή, ''presbygenē'', "senior-born") or "ancient" (παλαίφατα, ''palèphata'', "of ancient fame") patriarchates. These are considered
apostolic see An apostolic see is an episcopal see whose foundation is attributed to one or more of the apostles of Jesus or to one of their close associates. In Catholicism, the phrase "The Apostolic See" when capitalized refers specifically to the See of ...
s, each traditionally founded by one of the apostles or evangelists:
Andrew Andrew is the English form of the given name, common in many countries. The word is derived from the , ''Andreas'', itself related to ''aner/andros'', "man" (as opposed to "woman"), thus meaning "manly" and, as consequence, "brave", "strong", "c ...
, Mark, Peter, James, and Peter again, respectively. In the case of
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
, Andrew is said to have visited the earlier city of Byzantium in 38 AD (prior to its renaming by
Constantine the Great Constantine I (27 February 27222 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was a Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337 and the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity. He played a Constantine the Great and Christianity, pivotal ro ...
in 330 AD). According to tradition, he appointed Stachys the Apostle as bishop, who remained in office until 54 AD. Therefore, the apostolic heritage of Constantinople is attributed to the original See of Byzantium.


Roman Catholic Church

Within the
Catholic Church The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
, six patriarchs lead the Eastern Catholic Churches '' sui iuris''. These include the heads of the Coptic Catholic Church ( Patriarchate of Alexandria), the Maronite Church, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church, the Syriac Catholic Church (each using the title
Patriarch of Antioch The Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (, , from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian community, the position has ...
), the Chaldean Catholic Church (Patriarchate of Baghdad), and the Armenian Catholic Church ( Patriarchate of Cilicia). The Pope, as Bishop of Rome and Supreme Pontiff, leads the Latin Church and holds supreme authority over the entire Catholic Church. While Pope Francis reinstated the historical title "Patriarch of the West" in 2024, it had been officially dropped by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 and is not commonly used to describe the Pope’s role within the Latin Church. There are also four Major Archbishops, each heading an Eastern Catholic Church ''sui iuris'' without a patriarchal title. These include the Ukrainian Greek Catholic, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara, and Romanian Greek Catholic Churches. Though they rank just below patriarchs in precedence, Major Archbishops hold similar authority within their Churches. A key procedural difference is that patriarchs request ''ecclesiastica communio'' (ecclesiastical communion) from the Pope following their election and enthronement, while a Major Archbishop’s election requires papal confirmation before enthronement. In the Latin Church, there are four titular patriarchates—historical archdioceses where the archbishop holds the honorary title of patriarch. This title grants ceremonial precedence but no jurisdiction beyond the archdiocese (except in the case of Jerusalem, which retains territorial jurisdiction). These are the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, the Patriarchate of Lisbon, the Patriarchate of Venice, and the Patriarchate of the East Indies. It is not uncommon for multiple Eastern Catholic Patriarchates—and the Latin Church—to have overlapping jurisdictions, particularly in the Middle East and diaspora regions. For example, among the three Patriarchates of Antioch, the Melkite Patriarch is based in Damascus, Syria; the Maronite Patriarch resides in Bkerké, Lebanon; and the Syriac Catholic Patriarch is based in Beirut, Lebanon.


Eastern Orthodox Church

Nine of the current autocephalous
Eastern Orthodox Church The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church, is List of Christian denominations by number of members, one of the three major doctrinal and ...
es—among them the four ancient churches of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem—are organized as patriarchates. In chronological order of establishment, the other five patriarchates are the Bulgarian Patriarchate (the first to be founded after the Pentarchy), the Georgian Patriarchate, the Serbian Patriarchate, the Moscow Patriarchate, and the Romanian Patriarchate. The Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch relocated its headquarters to
Damascus Damascus ( , ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population, largest city of Syria. It is the oldest capital in the world and, according to some, the fourth Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. Kno ...
in the 13th century, during the period of Mamluk rule over
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
. Although a Christian community had existed in Damascus since apostolic times ( Acts 9), the see continues to be known as the Patriarchate of Antioch. In certain legal jurisdictions, a patriarchate is considered to have
legal personality Legal capacity is a quality denoting either the legal aptitude of a person to have rights and liabilities (in this sense also called transaction capacity), or the personhood itself in regard to an entity other than a natural person (in this sen ...
, meaning it is recognized similarly to a corporation. For example, in 1999, the Eastern Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem filed a lawsuit in New York against Christie's Auction House, disputing the ownership of the Archimedes Palimpsest.


Oriental Orthodoxy

Several patriarchates exist within the
Oriental Orthodox Churches The Oriental Orthodox Churches are Eastern Christian churches adhering to Miaphysite Christology, with approximately 50 million members worldwide. The Oriental Orthodox Churches adhere to the Nicene Christian tradition. Oriental Orthodoxy is ...
. These include four ancient sees: the Coptic Orthodox Church (Alexandria), the Syriac Orthodox Church (Antioch), and two Armenian patriarchates—one based in
Jerusalem Jerusalem is a city in the Southern Levant, on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. It is one of the List of oldest continuously inhabited cities, oldest cities in the world, and ...
( Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem) and the other in
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
( Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople). In addition to these, two modern patriarchates have been established: the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church. There are also several autocephalous churches that function similarly to patriarchates, even though they do not use the patriarchal title. These include the Indian Orthodox Church, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (Armenian Catholicosate of Etchmiadzin), and the Holy See of Cilicia (Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia).


Church of the East

Patriarch of the Church of the East The patriarch of the Church of the East (also known as patriarch of the East, patriarch of Babylon, the catholicose of the East or the grand metropolitan of the East) is the patriarch, or leader and head bishop (sometimes referred to as Cath ...
is the head of the Church of the East. Today, there are three rival patriarchs: * Catholicos-Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East *Catholicos Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East * Chaldean Catholic patriarch of Baghdad (of the Catholic church)


Protestantism

The head of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church is also called a Patriarch.Patriarcha
Czechoslovak Hussite Church


Apostolic Catholic Church

The Patriarch of the Apostolic Catholic Church is called a Patriarch.


See also

*
Holy See The Holy See (, ; ), also called the See of Rome, the Petrine See or the Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and Vatican City. It encompasses the office of the pope as the Bishops in the Catholic Church, bishop ...
*
Patriarch of Alexandria The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot"). The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major epi ...
*
Patriarch of Antioch The Patriarch of Antioch is a traditional title held by the bishop of Antioch (modern-day Antakya, Turkey). As the traditional "overseer" (, , from which the word ''bishop'' is derived) of the first gentile Christian community, the position has ...


References


Sources

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External links

* {{Particular churches sui iuris footer