PATRIARCHS. — I. ORIGINS
Already Canon 6 of the Council of Nicaea (325) recognized as invested with a special primacy the bishops of Alexandria (v.) for Egypt and Cyrenaica, of Antioch (v.) for the East, and of Rome for all the West (without prejudice, of course, to the primacy of the Roman See over the whole Church).
In Canon 2 of the Council of Constantinople (381), the bishop of Constantinople (v.) was added to these, because this city was the new Rome, although until then ancient Byzantium had been only a diocese within the province of Thrace. Subsequently, this state of affairs was linked to St. Peter, inasmuch as the Apostle had governed the Church of Antioch, had sent his disciple Mark to Alexandria, and had died in Rome; for Constantinople, recourse was had to St. Andrew, brother of St. Peter. During the 5th century, the latter city succeeded in asserting its primacy over Asia Minor (Ephesus and Caesarea in Cappadocia); while Rome continued to assert its rights over all the Danubian provinces, Macedonia, Greece, and the Aegean islands, except Cyprus, which remained autocephalous. At the Council of Chalcedon (451), the bishop of Jerusalem succeeded in having himself recognized as a metropolitan with patriarchal powers over Palestine (Canon 28). Only at the Fifth Lateran Council (1215) was the patriarch of Constantinople granted the first place after the Roman Pontiff.
In the West, during the Schism of the Three Chapters, AQUILA (v.) arrogated to itself patriarchal authority (end of the 6th century); and when the province was divided into two, both Aquileia and Grado proclaimed themselves patriarchal sees, until the former was suppressed in 1751 and the latter was united with the see of Olivolo-Castello and transferred to Venice (1451).
During the period of the Crusades, the Latin patriarchates of Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria, and Constantinople were established (after the temporary occupation of 1204), soon reduced to mere titular prelatures that continued to be conferred until recent times; while the successions of the Eastern patriarchs, whether heretical or schismatic, were not interrupted.
Following the union with Rome of part of the populations of Eastern rite, a patriarchate was recognized for each of them according to their respective rites; thus there are patriarchates of Antioch for the Melchites, Syrians, and Maronites; a patriarchate of Babylon for the Chaldeans, and another of Sis and Cilicia for the Armenians; while a Latin patriarchate of Jerusalem was established in 1847 with jurisdiction over Palestine and Cyprus, and a patriarchate for the Coptic Catholics of Egypt after 1895.
After the discovery of America and the establishment of the hierarchy in those regions, the patriarchate of the West Indies was established with residence in Madrid. Clement XI in 1716 granted the archbishop of Lisbon (v.) the title of patriarch, and Leo XIII, on September 9, 1886, granted that of patriarch of the East GOLA (v.) in India. For Latin-rite patriarchs, according to current discipline, no jurisdiction superior to that of any metropolitan pertains to them.
II. EASTERN DISCIPLINE
Eastern-rite patriarchs, after their election by the bishops of their rite, are confirmed by the Supreme Pontiff and request the pallium from him. The patriarch’s authority includes, first of all, the direct governance of his own eparchy or diocese and, through the bishops, that of the individual dioceses of the patriarchate.
To him, therefore, are subject the bishops, clergy, monks, and faithful within his jurisdiction. He exercises ordinary jurisdiction over them with legislative, judicial, and even coercive power, which does not exclude, in more serious cases, the direct intervention of the Apostolic See. The patriarch visits the patriarchate, convenes and presides over synods, authentically interprets their decisions, and in particular cases grants dispensations for the entire patriarchate. He oversees the activity of individual bishops, supplies their negligence, and upon the vacancy of any diocese assumes temporary governance, providing for the appointment of a successor, who is confirmed by the Holy See and consecrated by the patriarch himself. By virtue of the ancient right of stauropogy, by planting the patriarchal cross in some sacred place (monastery, shrine, house, hospital) outside the patriarchal diocese, he renders it exempt from the local bishop and subjects it to his direct jurisdiction. Without the consent of the Holy See, he may not exercise authority over faithful of his rite living outside the patriarchal territory who are not his subjects; however, he must ensure that his rite is everywhere faithfully and integrally observed; nor may he, indeed, introduce modifications without the approval of the Holy See.
A more recent determination of the powers of the patriarchs in matters of marriage, ecclesiastical trials, religious, and the administration of ecclesiastical temporal goods is contained in the laws on these subjects promulgated by Pope Pius XII (Crebrae allatae, February 22, 1949; Sollicitudinem nostram, January 6, 1950; Postquam Apostolicis, February 9, 1952; AAS, 41 (1949), pp. 90-119; 42 (1950), pp. 5-120; 43 (1952), pp. 65-150), while a more complete revision of patriarchal rights is awaited from the Apostolic See in the codification of Eastern canon law. Additional privileges and honors, which are an external and solemn recognition of patriarchal authority, include the title of “Beatitude”; precedence over all bishops and metropolitans; the privilege of being preceded, within the territory, by the patriarchal cross; the use of the sacred pallium throughout the territory; and, according to norms established by the Holy See, the faculty to pontificate in all the churches of the patriarchate. The exclusive privilege of consecrating the Holy Chrism and distributing it to individual bishops, as well as reserving to himself the consecration of antimension, the privilege of being commemorated, immediately after the pope, in the liturgy and on other prescribed occasions by all the bishops and clergy of the patriarchate. For further details, it is necessary to consult the documents pertaining to the various patriarchates.