Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East


The Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ is the head of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch. He is the Head of the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church, the highest authority of Syriac Orthodox Church.
The position of the Patriarch of Antioch was established and first held by St. Peter the Apostle. The Patriarch sits on the Holy Apostolic See at Antioch. The Patriarchate of Antioch is part of the Pentarchy of the Christian Church. He is the Bishop of Antioch, and considered as Primus Inter Pares or First Among the Equals/Bishops.

History of the Patriarchate

was established by St. Peter in AD 32.
When St. Peter left Antioch, to go to Rome, he appointed St. Evodius as the Patriarch. St. Evodius was succeeded by St. Ignatius, who was the first to describe the church as "Catholic" meaning "Universal".
During the Synod of Nicaea, the Bishop of Antioch became one of the Patriarchs of the Pentarchy. After the Council at Chalcedon, Christianity split into the Catholics and the Oriental Orthodox, thus splitting the Church of Antioch. The Patriarch of Antioch and Pope of Alexandria were leading the Oriental Orthodox, and the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Pope of Rome were leading the Catholic Church.
St. Severus, the Patriarch of Antioch, was exiled to Egypt by the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire for following the Oriental Orthodox Church. The Catholic group of the Church of Antioch, accepted the new Patriarch, appointed by the Pope of Rome, as their new Patriarch, after the exile of St. Severus. The Syriac Orthodox Church, or the Oriental Orthodox group of the Church of Antioch, continued to accept St. Severus as the Patriarch until his death in AD 538.
In AD 518 the Patriarchate was forced to flee from Antioch and it continues move from place to place until it moved to Dayro d-Mor Hanayo, in Mardin, Turkey in 1106.
By AD 544, the Syriac Orthodox Church had only three bishops remaining. During this time, Fr. Jacob a priest, traveled to Constantinople, to ask Empress Theodora's, the Daughter of a Syriac Orthodox priest, consent to be ordained as a bishop. He was ordained as Mor Jacob Baradeus, by Pope Theodosius I, Pope of Alexandria and he traveled to many places to revive the Syriac Orthodox Church. He managed to consecrate 27 bishops, and hundreds of priests and deacons for the church. He led the consecration of Mor Segius of Tella as the Patriarch of Antioch in 544. It is after this saint that the Syriac Orthodox Church in India gets the name "Jacobite" He revived the Miaphisite belief in the Church of Antioch throughout persecution.
The Syriac Orthodox Church continued to be persecuted under the Arabs, Mongols, Crusaders, Mamluks, and Ottomans.
During 1915, more than 250,000 Syriac Orthodox Christians in the Middle East were wiped out by the Ottoman Empire. Many Syriac Orthodox Villages were emptied, and historical monasteries and churches were destroyed.
During World War I, the Patriarchate was again forced to flee by the Ottoman Empire and the patriarchate was forced to flee to Homs, Syria in 1953, and later, Damascus, in 1957.
The Syriac Orthodox Church continues to grow to this day under the Patriarchate. The Syriac Orthodox Church, along with the other Oriental Orthodox Churches, is now in communion with the Catholic Church, and is working on a communion with the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Authority of the Patriarch

The Patriarch is consider the legitimate successor of St. Peter the Apostle, on the Holy Throne of Antioch.
The Patriarch, as first among the Bishops, convenes the Holy Synod of the Syriac Orthodox Church and presides over the meeting.
The Patriarch, has the authority to consecrate the Maphrian and bishops who are elected by the Holy Synod, but he has to be assisted by two other bishops. He is the only one authorized to conduct the consecration of Bishop. The Maphrian and other bishops can do it with the consent of the Patriarch. He is also the only one that can consecrate the Holy Chrism.
The Patriarch signs all documents with other denominations and he alone is in charge of external relations with other churches. The Patriarch dispatches clergy on ecclesiastical and cultural works.
When the Patriarch visits a diocese, he sits on the Cathedral seat of the church. The bishops are not allowed to carry their pastoral staff and wear their red vestment in front of the Patriarch in respect to the Apostolic See.
The Patriarch has the right to change, introduce, or abolish church rites. All Syriac Orthodox monasteries are in the hands of the Patriarch and he alone has the authority to appoint its care takers.

Requirements and Restrictions for the Patriarch

Requirements:
Restrictions:
The following are a list of titles of the Patriarch of AntiochThe official title of the Patriarch of Antioch is:
His Holiness/Thrice Blessed Moran Mor Ignatius Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church.
ܩܕܝܫܘܬܗ/ ܬܠܝܬܝ̈ ܛܘܒܐ̈ ܕܡܪܢ ܡܪܝ ܐܝܓܢܛܝܘܣ... ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ ܘܕܟܠܗ̇ ܡܕܢܚܐ ܘܪܝܫܐ ܓܘܢܝܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܬܪܝܨܬ ܫܘܒܚܐ ܒܟܠܗ̇ ܬܐܒܠ
Qaddišuṯeh/Tlithoy Tube ḏ-Moran Mor Iḡnaṭius... Paṭriarḵo ḏ-Anṭiuḵia waḏ-Kuloh Maḏĕnḥo w-Rišo Gawonoyo ḏ-ʿItto Suryoyto Triṣaṯ Šuḇḥo ḇ-Kuloh Tiḇel
Other titles for the Patriarch include: