Rachel Evans
The term patriarch refers to a high-ranking bishop in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church, the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches. In the Catholic Church, the Pope is the Patriarch of the West, and all Western bishops are subject to his papal and patriarchal jurisdiction. There are several Catholic patriarchs, including the Patriarch of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, the Patriarch of the British Orthodox Church, and the Patriarch of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church. The number of Catholic patriarchs is not fixed, as the title is also assumed by leaders and church officers of certain Christian denominations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Patriarchs in the Catholic Church | Pope Francis (who is also the Patriarch of the West), Patriarch of the American Orthodox Catholic Church, Patriarch of the British Orthodox Church, Patriarch of the Czechoslovak Hussite Church, Patriarch of the Catholic Apostolic Church of Antioch, Patriarch of the Apostolic Catholic Church in the Philippines, Patriarch of the Brazilian Catholic Apostolic Church, Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, Patriarch of the Assyrian Church of the East, Patriarch of the Ancient Church of the East, Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad, Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia, and several others. |
| Number of Catholic Patriarchs | There is no clear number, as there are several patriarchs within the Catholic Church, including those in the Eastern Catholic Churches and the "minor" patriarchs in Venice, Lisbon, and the West and East Indies. |
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What You'll Learn
Patriarchs in the Catholic Church
The term "Patriarch" is used for the leaders and church officers of certain Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church. In the Catholic Church, the Pope is the Patriarch of the West, and all Western bishops are subject to his papal and patriarchal jurisdiction.
The Catholic Church has several patriarchs, including the Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria, and of Jerusalem. The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch is the actual and sole patriarchate, while Alexandria and Jerusalem are titular patriarchates vested in his see. There is also the Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and the Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad, recognised in 1553. Additionally, there is the Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia, recognised in 1742. Four more of the Eastern Catholic Churches are headed by a prelate known as a "Major Archbishop," a title created by Pope Paul VI in 1963, which is equivalent to that of Patriarch.
There are also "minor" patriarchs in Venice, Lisbon, and the West and East Indies. These minor patriarchs have no power greater than that held by other bishops, but they are honoured due to the history of their sees.
In 2006, Benedict XVI renounced the title of "Patriarch of the West", but in 2024, Pope Francis reinstated the title to foster closer ties with the other Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox faith.
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Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Church
The Patriarch of the Eastern Orthodox Church is called the Ecumenical Patriarch, and he has a position as "first among equals". The Ecumenical Patriarch convenes pan-Orthodox conferences after consulting with the leaders of other Orthodox churches. The Eastern Orthodox Church considers itself the unbroken continuation of the Christian Church established by Christ and his apostles in the first century CE. It does not recognize any council since the Second Council of Nicea (787 CE) as ecumenical.
The Eastern Orthodox Church consists of several autocephalous (self-governing) churches. These include the four ancient Patriarchates of the early church: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. In addition, there are four Patriarchates of more recent origin: Russia, Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria. The Catholicosate of Georgia and the churches of Cyprus, Greece, Poland, Albania, and the Czech Lands and Slovakia are also part of the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The Eastern Orthodox Church also includes the autonomous Orthodox churches of Finland and Estonia, each with its own jurisdiction. Some Orthodox churches in the United States and Japan have been granted autonomy or semi-autonomy, although they are not universally recognized by all Orthodox churches. The monastery of Sinai is an autonomous monastic community related to the Patriarchate of Jerusalem, and Mount Athos and the semi-autonomous Church of Crete fall under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
The term "patriarch" is derived from the Greek "patriarchēs", meaning "chief or father of a family". It originally referred to a man who exercised authority as the head of an extended family. In the context of the Eastern Orthodox Church, patriarchs are the highest-ranking bishops. They hold authority over their metropolitans, similar to the authority metropolitans hold over their suffragan bishops. However, it is important to note that Eastern patriarchs claim independence from any other patriarch.
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The Pope as Patriarch of the West
The origin of the definition of the patriarch of the West is linked to the disestablishment of the ancient system based on the three apostolic centres of Rome, Antioch (both founded by Saint Peter) and Patriarchy of Alexandria (founded by Saint Mark, the disciple of Peter). This led to the establishment of the new Pentarchy, with the First Council of Constantinople in 381 and the Council of Chalcedon in 451, which resulted in the elevation of the Patriarchates of Constantinople and Jerusalem. In this system, Rome became the seat with authority over the territories of the Western Roman Empire.
The title "Patriarch of the West" was one of the various papal titles, including Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Eparchy of Rome, Sovereign of the State of Vatican City, and Servant of the Servants of God.
In 2006, Benedict XVI renounced the title of "Patriarch of the West" to open up new ways of thinking about the exercise of papal primacy as a global spokesperson for Christianity. In 2024, Pope Francis reinstated the title to bring closer ties to the other Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox faith. The patriarch of the West title symbolises the pope's special relationship with, and jurisdiction over, the Latin Church.
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The role of a patriarch
The word "patriarch" is derived from the Greek "πατριάρχης" (patriarchēs), meaning "chief or father of a family". In the context of the Catholic Church, a patriarch is a bishop who is the head of a particular autonomous church, known in canon law as a church sui iuris. They are the highest-ranking bishops in the Roman Catholic Church, above major archbishops, primates, and metropolitans.
Patriarchs have the same authority over their metropolitans as metropolitans have over their suffragan bishops. However, a patriarch is not subject to another patriarch's jurisdiction. All Catholics, including patriarchs, obey the supreme (papal) authority of the Roman pontiff. The pope, or Patriarch of the West, is the only patriarch with power over other bishops.
The current patriarchal heads of Catholic autonomous churches are:
- The Patriarch of Rome (Pope), as head of the Latin Church
- The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria (Pope) and head of the Coptic Catholic Church, recognised in 1824
- The Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and head of the Maronite Church, recognised in 685
- The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem, head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- The Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and head of the Syriac Catholic Church
- The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad and head of the Chaldean Catholic Church, recognised in 1553
- The Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia and head of the Armenian Catholic Church, recognised in 1742
There are also several "minor patriarchs", who do not have jurisdiction over other metropolitan bishops. These include the Patriarch of Lisbon, established in 1716, and the Patriarch of the East Indies, established in 1886.
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Patriarchs in other religions
The term "patriarch" is derived from the Greek "πατριάρχης" (patriarchēs), meaning "chief or father of a family". In the context of religion, the term is used to refer to the highest-ranking bishops in various Christian denominations, as well as in Judaism and Islam.
In the Catholic Church, the bishop who is the head of a particular autonomous church is known as a patriarch. The Catholic Church recognizes several patriarchs, including:
- The Patriarch of Rome (Pope), as head of the Latin Church
- The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria (Pope) and head of the Coptic Catholic Church
- The Maronite Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and head of the Maronite Church
- The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, of Alexandria, and of Jerusalem, head of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
- The Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and head of the Syriac Catholic Church
- The Chaldean Catholic Patriarch of Baghdad and head of the Chaldean Catholic Church
- The Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia and head of the Armenian Catholic Church
In Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Hussite Church, the Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches, the highest-ranking bishops are also termed patriarchs. Additionally, in the Latter Day Saint movement, a patriarch is an ordained leader in the Melchizedek priesthood, responsible for giving patriarchal blessings.
In Judaism and Islam, the patriarchs of the Bible are narrowly defined as Abraham, his son Isaac, and Isaac's son Jacob, also known as Israel. These figures are considered the ancestors of the Israelites and play significant roles in Hebrew scripture.
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Frequently asked questions
There are several patriarchs in the Catholic Church. These include the patriarchs of Rome, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. There are also patriarchs of the Armenian, Maronite, Melkite, and Chaldean rites. Additionally, there are minor patriarchs in Venice, Lisbon, and the West and East Indies.
All Catholics, including patriarchs, obey the supreme (papal) authority of the Roman pontiff, who is also known as the pope and is considered the Patriarch of the West.
A patriarch is a prelate who holds precedence over primates, metropolitans, and bishops. The term is derived from the Greek "πατριάρχης" (patriarchēs), meaning "chief or father of a family".
Yes, there are both major and minor patriarchs. Major patriarchs have the same authority over their metropolitans as metropolitans have over their suffragan bishops. Minor patriarchs do not have jurisdiction over other metropolitan bishops.
