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The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (, ; ; , "Roman Orthodox Patriarchate, Ecumenical Patriarchate of Istanbul") is one of the fifteen to seventeen autocephalous churches that together compose the
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 ...
. It is headed by the
Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople () is the List of ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople, archbishop of Constantinople and (first among equals) among the heads of the several autocephalous churches that comprise the Eastern Orthodox ...
. Because of its historical location as the capital of the former Eastern Roman Empire and its role as the mother church of most modern Eastern Orthodox churches,
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 ...
holds a special place of honor within Eastern Orthodox Christianity and serves as the seat for the Ecumenical Patriarch, who enjoys the status of '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the world's Eastern Orthodox prelates and is regarded as the representative and spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians. Phanar (Turkish: '' Fener''), the name of the neighbourhood where ecumenical patriarch resides, is often used as a
metaphor A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide, or obscure, clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas. Metaphors are usually meant to cr ...
or shorthand for the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople promotes the expansion of the Christian faith and Eastern Orthodox doctrine, and the Ecumenical Patriarchs are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, charitable work, and the defense of Orthodox Christian traditions. Prominent issues for the Ecumenical Patriarchate's policy in the 21st century include the safety of the believers 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 ...
, reconciliation of the Eastern Orthodox and
Catholic 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 ...
churches, and the reopening of the Theological School of Halki, which was closed down by the Turkish authorities in 1971.


History


The Great Church of Christ

In 330 AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great moved his residence to the town renaming it '' Nova Roma'' (), or "New Rome". Thenceforth, the importance of the church there grew, along with the influence of its bishop. Prior to the moving of the imperial capital, the bishop of Byzantium had been under the authority of the metropolitan of Heraclea, but from the 4th century on, he grew to become independent in his own right and even to exercise authority throughout what is now
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
, Asia Minor, Pontus, and
Thrace Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...
. With the development of the hierarchical structure of the Church, the bishop of Constantinople came to be styled as exarch (a position superior to metropolitan). Constantinople was recognized as the fourth patriarchate at the First Council of Constantinople in 381, after Antioch,
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 ...
, and
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, ...
. The patriarch was usually appointed by Antioch. Because of the importance of the position of Constantinople's church at the center of the Roman Empire, affairs involving the various churches outside Constantinople's direct authority came to be discussed in the capital, particularly where the intervention of the emperor was desired. The patriarch naturally became a liaison between the emperor and bishops traveling to the capital, thus establishing the position of the patriarch as one involving the unity of the whole Church, particularly in the East. In turn, the affairs of the Constantinopolitan church were overseen not just by the patriarch, but also by synods held including visiting bishops. This pan-Orthodox synod came to be referred to as the (, " resident synod"). The resident synod not only governed the business of the patriarchate but also examined questions pertinent to the whole Church as well as the eastern half of the old empire. The patriarch thus came to have the title of ''Ecumenical'', which referenced not a universal episcopacy over other bishops but rather the position of the patriarch as at the center of the , the "household" of the empire. As the Roman Empire stabilized and grew, so did the influence of the patriarchate at its capital. This influence came to be enshrined in Orthodox
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 ...
, to such an extent that it was elevated even beyond more ancient patriarchates: Canon 3 of the First Council of Constantinople (381) stated that the bishop of that city "shall have primacy of honor after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople is the New Rome." In its disputed 28th Canon, the Council of Chalcedon in 451 recognized an expansion of the boundaries of the Patriarchate of Constantinople and of its authority over bishops of dioceses "among the barbarians", which has been variously interpreted as referring either to areas outside the Byzantine Empire or to non-Greeks. The council resulted in a schism with the Patriarchate of Alexandria. In any case, for almost a thousand years the Patriarch of Constantinople presided over the church in the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire and its missionary activity that brought the Christian faith in its Byzantine form to many peoples north of the imperial borders. The cathedral church of Constantinople,
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
(Holy Wisdom), was the center of religious life in the eastern Christian world. The Ecumenical Patriarchate came to be called the "Great Church of Christ" and it was the touchstone and reference point for ecclesiastical affairs in the East, whether in terms of church government, relations with the state, or liturgical matters.


Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate

In history and in canonical literature (i.e. the Church's canons and traditional commentaries on them), the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been granted certain prerogatives () that other autocephalous Orthodox churches do not have. Not all of these prerogatives are today universally acknowledged, though all do have precedents in history and canonical references. The following is a (non-exhaustive) list of these prerogatives and their reference points: * Equal prerogatives to Old Rome (Canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council, Canon 36 of the Quinisext Council); * The right to hear appeals, if invited, regarding disputes between clergy (Canons 9 and 17 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council); * The right to ordain bishops for areas outside defined canonical boundaries (Canon 28 of the Fourth Ecumenical Council); * The right to establish stavropegial monasteries even in the territories of other patriarchates (the Epanagoge, commentaries of Matthew Blastares and Theodore Balsamon)


Iconoclast controversy

In the eighth and ninth centuries the iconoclast movement caused serious political unrest throughout the Empire. The emperor Leo III issued a decree in 726 against images and ordered the destruction of an image of Christ over one of the doors of the Chalke, an act which was fiercely resisted by the citizens. Constantine V convoked a church council in 754, which condemned the worship of images, after which many treasures were broken, burned, or painted over with depictions of trees, birds or animals: one source refers to the church of the Holy Virgin at Blachernae as having been transformed into a "fruit store and aviary". Following the death of his son Leo IV in 780, the empress Irene restored the veneration of images through the agency of the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. The iconoclast controversy returned in the early 9th century, only to be resolved once more in 843 during the regency of Empress Theodora, who restored the icons.


Great Schism of 1054

The relations between the papacy and the Byzantine court were good in the years leading up to 1054. The emperor Constantine IX and the Pope Leo IX were allied through the mediation of the Lombard catepan of Italy, Argyrus, who had spent years in Constantinople, originally as a political prisoner. Patriarch Michael I Cerularius ordered a letter to be written to John, the Bishop of Trani in which he attacked the "Judaistic" practices of the West, namely the use of unleavened bread. The letter was to be sent by John to all the bishops of the West, including the Pope. John promptly complied and the letter was passed to Humbert of Mourmoutiers, the cardinal-bishop of Silva Candida, who translated the letter into Latin and brought it to the Pope, who ordered a reply to be made to each charge and a defence of papal supremacy to be laid out in a response. Although he was hot-headed, Michael was convinced to cool the debate and thus attempt to prevent the impending breach. However, Humbert and the pope made no concessions and the former was sent with legatine powers to the imperial capital to solve the questions raised once and for all. Humbert, Frederick of Lorraine, and Peter, Archbishop of Amalfi, arrived in April 1054 and were met with a hostile reception; they stormed out of the palace, leaving the papal response with Michael, who in turn was even more angered by their actions. The patriarch refused to recognise their authority or, practically, their existence. When Pope Leo died on April 19, 1054, the legates' authority legally ceased, but they effectively ignored this technicality.Norwich, John J. (1992). ''Byzantium, The Apogee''. pp. 320–321. In response to Michael's refusal to address the issues at hand, the legatine mission took the extreme measure of entering the church of the
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
during the Divine Liturgy and placing a bull of excommunication on the altar. The events of the East-West Schism are generally dated from the acts of 1054. However, these events only triggered the beginning of the schism. The full schism was not actually consummated by the seemingly mutual excommunications. The New Catholic Encyclopedia reports that the legates had been careful not to intimate that the bull of excommunication implied a general excommunication of the Byzantine Church. The bull excommunicated only Cerularius, Leo of Achrida, and their adherents. Thus, the New Catholic Encyclopedia argues that the dispute need not have produced a permanent schism any more than excommunication of any "contumacious bishop". The schism began to develop when all the other Eastern patriarchs supported Cerularius. According to the New Catholic Encyclopedia, it was the support of Emperor Michael VI Stratiotikos that impelled them to support Cerularius. Some have questioned the validity of the bull on the grounds that Pope Leo IX had died at that time and so the authority of the legates to issue such a bull is unclear. The legates left for Rome two days after issuing the bull of excommunication, leaving behind a city near riot. The patriarch had the immense support of the people against the emperor, who had supported the legates to his own detriment. To assuage popular anger, the bull was burnt, and the legates were anathematised. Only the legates were anathematised and, in this case too, there was no explicit indication that the entire Western church was being anathematised. In the bull of excommunication issued against Patriarch Michael I Cerularius by the papal legates, one of the reasons cited was the alleged deletion by the Eastern Church of the "Filioque" from the original Nicene Creed. In fact, it was precisely the opposite: the Eastern Church had not deleted anything; it was the Western Church that had added this phrase to the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. As Bishop Kallistos Ware writes, "Even after 1054 friendly relations between East and West continued. The two parts of Christendom were not yet conscious of a great gulf of separation between them. ��The dispute remained something of which ordinary Christians in East and West were largely unaware". In fact, efforts were made in subsequent centuries by Popes and Patriarchs to heal the rift between the churches. However, a number of factors and historical events worked to widen the separation over time.


Fall of Constantinople in 1204 and the exile in Nicaea

The Fourth Crusade in exchange for promised funds attempted to help the deposed emperor Alexius IV regain his throne. After taking Constantinople, returning Alexius IV to the throne, the revolt against and murder of Alexius IV left the Crusaders without payment. On 12 April 1204, the crusaders inflicted a severe sacking on Constantinople for three days, during which many ancient and medieval Roman and Greek works were either stolen or destroyed. Despite their oaths and the threat of excommunication, the Crusaders ruthlessly and systematically violated the city's holy sanctuaries, destroying, defiling, or stealing all they could lay hands on; nothing was spared. It was said that the total amount looted from Constantinople was about 900,000 silver marks. The Venetians received 150,000 silver marks that was their due, while the Crusaders received 50,000 silver marks. A further 100,000 silver marks were divided evenly up between the Crusaders and Venetians. The remaining 500,000 silver marks were secretly kept back by many Crusader knights. Nicetas Choniates gives a vivid account of the sack of Constantinople by the Frankish and Venetian Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade: :
The Latin soldiery subjected the greatest city in Europe to an indescribable sack. For three days they murdered, raped, looted and destroyed on a scale which even the ancient Vandals and
Goths The Goths were a Germanic people who played a major role in the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the emergence of medieval Europe. They were first reported by Graeco-Roman authors in the 3rd century AD, living north of the Danube in what is ...
would have found unbelievable. Constantinople had become a veritable museum of ancient and Byzantine art, an emporium of such incredible wealth that the Latins were astounded at the riches they found. Though the Venetians had an appreciation for the art which they discovered (they were themselves semi-Byzantines) and saved much of it, the French and others destroyed indiscriminately, halting to refresh themselves with wine, violation of nuns, and murder of Orthodox clerics. The Crusaders vented their hatred for the Greeks most spectacularly in the desecration of the greatest Church in Christendom. They smashed the silver iconostasis, the icons and the holy books of Hagia Sophia, and seated upon the patriarchal throne a whore who sang coarse songs as they drank wine from the Church's holy vessels. The estrangement of East and West, which had proceeded over the centuries, culminated in the horrible massacre that accompanied the conquest of Constantinople. The Greeks were convinced that even the Turks, had they taken the city, would not have been as cruel as the Latin Christians. The defeat of Byzantium, already in a state of decline, accelerated political degeneration so that the Byzantines eventually became an easy prey to the Turks. The Crusading movement thus resulted, ultimately, in the victory of Islam, a result which was of course the exact opposite of its original intention.
Meanwhile, the Latin Empire of Constantinople was established, and Byzantine refugees founded their own successor states, the most notable of these being the Empire of Nicaea under Theodore Lascaris (a relative of Alexius III), the Empire of Trebizond, and the Despotate of Epirus. The new seat of the Patriarchate was established in the city of Nicaea until in 1261, when Constantinople was reconquered by the Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos.


Fall of Constantinople in 1453 and Ottoman period

In accordance with the traditional custom at the time, Sultan
Mehmed II Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...
allowed his troops and his entourage three full days of unbridled pillage and looting in the city shortly after it was captured. Once the three days passed, he would then claim its remaining contents for himself. However, by the end of the first day, he proclaimed that the looting should cease as he felt profound sadness when he toured the looted and enslaved city. Hagia Sophia was not exempted from the pillage and looting and specifically became its focal point as the invaders believed it to contain the greatest treasures and valuables of the city.Nicol, ''The End of the Byzantine Empire'', p. 90. Shortly after the defence of the Walls of Constantinople collapsed and the Ottoman troops entered the city victoriously, the pillagers and looters made their way to the Hagia Sophia and battered down its doors before storming in. Throughout the period of the siege of Constantinople, the trapped worshippers of the city participated in the Divine Liturgy and the Prayer of the Hours at the
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
and the church formed a safe-haven and a refuge for many of those who were unable to contribute to the city's defence, which comprised women, children, elderly, the sick and the wounded.Runciman. ''The Fall of Constantinople'', pp. 133–134.Nicol, Donald; ''The Last Centuries of Byzantium 1261–1453'', Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press Cambridge University Press was the university press of the University of Cambridge. Granted a letters patent by King Henry VIII in 1534, it was the oldest university press in the world. Cambridge University Press merged with Cambridge Assessme ...
, 1972, p. 389.
Being trapped in the church, the many congregants and yet more refugees inside became spoils-of-war to be divided amongst the triumphant invaders. The building was desecrated and looted, with the helpless occupants who sought shelter within the church being enslaved. While most of the elderly and the infirm/wounded and sick were killed, and the remainder (mainly teenage males and young boys) were chained up and sold into slavery. The women of Constantinople also suffered from rape at the hands of Ottoman forces. According to Barbaro, "all through the day the Turks made a great slaughter of Christians through the city". According to historian Philip Mansel, widespread persecution of the city's civilian inhabitants took place, resulting in thousands of murders and rapes, and 30,000 civilians being enslaved or forcibly deported. George Sphrantzes says that people of both genders were raped inside
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
. After Constantinople was overrun by the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Patriarchate came to care more directly for all the Orthodox living in the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
.
Mehmed II Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...
appointed Gennadius II of Constantinople as the Patriarch in 1454 and designated him as the spiritual leader as well as the ethnarch or, in Turkish, ''
millet Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae. Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...
'' of all the Orthodox Christians in the Empire, regardless of ethnic origin; not only Greeks but also
Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...
,
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Southeastern Europe who share a common Serbian Cultural heritage, ancestry, Culture of Serbia, culture, History of Serbia, history, and Serbian lan ...
,
Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...
, Wallachians, Moldavians, Croatis,
Syrians Syrians () are the majority inhabitants of Syria, indigenous to the Levant, most of whom have Arabic, especially its Levantine Arabic, Levantine and Mesopotamian Arabic, Mesopotamian dialects, as a mother tongue. The culture of Syria, cultural ...
, orthodox
Arabs Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of yea ...
,
Georgians Georgians, or Kartvelians (; ka, ქართველები, tr, ), are a nation and Peoples of the Caucasus, Caucasian ethnic group native to present-day Georgia (country), Georgia and surrounding areas historically associated with the Ge ...
and Lazs came under the spiritual, administrative,Jelavich, Barbara; "History of the Balkans, 18th and 19th Centuries" (1983), p. 52 fiscal, cultural and legal jurisdiction of the Patriarchate. Some of the other patriarchs came at various points to live permanently in Constantinople and function as part of the local church government. This situation, according to some of the Orientalists and historians, shows the '' Pax Ottomana'' (or ''Pax Ottomanica'', literally "the Ottoman Peace"). The Russian Orthodox Church, which for centuries had been a diocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, declared its independence in 1448 shortly before Constantinople fell owing to its protest over the Council of Florence, in which representatives of the patriarchate had signed onto union with
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, ...
, trading doctrinal concessions for military aid against the encroaching Ottomans. The military aid never came and those concessions were subsequently repudiated by the patriarchate but, from 1448, the Russian church came to function independently as a council of Russian bishops elected their own metropolitan. After the fall of Constantinople to
Mehmed II Mehmed II (; , ; 30 March 14323 May 1481), commonly known as Mehmed the Conqueror (; ), was twice the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from August 1444 to September 1446 and then later from February 1451 to May 1481. In Mehmed II's first reign, ...
of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
on 29 May 1453, Moscow became the only independent Orthodox power and its leaders soon began to advance the claim that Moscow was the successor to the Byzantine Empire, calling it the " third Rome". In 1589, 141 years later, Constantinople came to recognize Russia's independence and led the
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 ...
in declaring
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
also to be a patriarchate, numbering Moscow's bishop as fifth in rank behind the ancient patriarchates. The Russian Orthodox Church became the largest of the
Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodoxy, otherwise known as Eastern Orthodox Christianity or Byzantine Christianity, is one of the three main Branches of Christianity, branches of Chalcedonian Christianity, alongside Catholic Church, Catholicism and Protestantism ...
churches in the world. As Ottoman rule weakened, various parts of the Orthodox Church that had been under the direct influence of the Ecumenical Patriarchate came to be independent. These churches at first usually declared their independence without universal approval, which came after Constantinople gave its blessing. The rate at which these new autocephalous ("self-headed") churches came into being increased in the 19th century, particularly with the independence of Greece. In 1833, the Church of Greece declared its autocephaly, which was subsequently recognized by the patriarchate in 1850. In 1865, the Romanian Orthodox Church, against the protests of Constantinople, declared its independence, which was acknowledged in 1885. A year before Greece's autocephaly was self-proclaimed, the
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
was named autocephalous by the local secular government but Constantinople refused recognition until 1879. In 1860 the
Bulgarians Bulgarians (, ) are a nation and South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to Bulgaria and its neighbouring region, who share a common Bulgarian ancestry, culture, history and language. They form the majority of the population in Bulgaria, ...
seceded from the Ecumenical Patriarchate; in 1870 the Bulgarian church was politically recognized as autonomous under the name Bulgarian Exarchate by the Sultan's firman, but it was not until 1945 that it was recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. In 1922, the Albanian Orthodox Church declared its autocephaly, being granted recognition of it in 1937. In addition to these churches, whose territory had been agreed upon by all as within Constantinople's jurisdiction, several other disputed areas' Eastern Orthodox churches have had recognition by the Ecumenical Patriarchate as either autocephalous or autonomous, including the Finnish Orthodox Church and Estonian Orthodox Church in 1923, the Polish Orthodox Church in 1924, and the Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church in 1998. The majority of these disputes are a result of the expansion of the
Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...
, which often included a subjugation of the Orthodox churches in conquered lands to the Moscow Patriarchate. Due to this, the Moscow Patriarchate often disputes the Ecumenical Patriarch's role as prime representative and spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, citing that it represents the numerically largest Orthodox community.


Ecclesiastical buildings in Ottoman cities

As a ruling institution, the Ottoman Empire brought regulations on how the cities would be built (quality reassurances) and how the architecture (structural integrity, social needs, etc.) should be shaped. Special restrictions were imposed concerning the construction, renovation, size and usage of bells in churches. For example, in a town a church should not be larger in size than the largest mosque. Many churches were converted into mosques (among them the
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
and Chora Church 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 ...
, and the Rotunda and Hagios Demetrios in
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
) or served for other uses (e.g. Hagia Irene in Constantinople, which became an armory for the Janissaries, and the Gül Mosque agia Theodosia or Christ Euergetes also in Constantinople, which after the Conquest served for a while as a naval dockyard). Such rules, however, although very strict in the beginning, with time and the increasing importance in the Ottoman Empire of the Rum millet were increasingly disregarded, so that in the 19th century in Istanbul there was a veritable building boom of Orthodox churches, many among them having high bell towers and brick domes, both of which had previously been strictly prohibited.


Patriarchate under the secular Republic of Turkey

Since 1586 the Ecumenical Patriarchate has had its headquarters in the Church of St George in the Fener (Phanar) district of Istanbul. The current territory of the Patriarchate is significantly reduced from what it was at its height. Its canonical territory currently includes most of modern
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, northern Greece and Mount Athos, the Dodecanese and
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
. By its interpretation of Canon 28 of Chalcedon, Constantinople also claims jurisdiction over all areas outside the canonically defined territories of other Orthodox churches, which includes the entire Western hemisphere,
Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...
, the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
, Northeast Asia,
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
. This claim is disputed by other autocephalous churches with dioceses in those areas, as well as the Turkish government. The Orthodox presence in Turkey itself is small; however the majority of Orthodox in
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
(about two-thirds) are under the Ecumenical Patriarchate, primarily in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. The Patriarchate also enjoys an even greater majority in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
. Furthermore, the Albanian, Rusyn and Ukrainian jurisdictions in America are also part of the Patriarchate. Most of the Patriarchate's funding does not come directly from its member churches but rather from the government of Greece, due to an arrangement whereby the Patriarchate had transferred property it had owned to Greece. In exchange, the employees, including the clergy, of the Patriarchate are remunerated by the Greek government. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America provides substantial support through an annual contribution, known as the ''logia'', and its institutions, including the American-based Greek Orthodox Ladies Philoptochos Society and the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, usually important laymen who make large donations for the upkeep of the Patriarchate. In turn, they are granted honorary titles which once belonged to members of the Patriarchal staff in centuries past. The Patriarchate acts in the capacity of being an intermediary and facilitator between the Orthodox churches and also in relations with other Christians and religions. This role sometimes brings the Patriarchate into conflict with other Orthodox churches, as its role in the church is debated. The question centers around whether the Ecumenical Patriarchate is simply the most honored among the Orthodox churches or whether it has any real authority or prerogatives () that differ from the other autocephalous churches. This dispute is often between Constantinople and Moscow, the largest Orthodox church in terms of population, especially as expressed in the Third Rome theory which places Moscow in the place of Constantinople as the center of world Orthodoxy. Such disputes sometimes result in temporary breaks in full communion, though usually not for very long. The relationship between Constantinople and the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
was frequently bitter, due in no small part to the privilege given to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
. requires by law that the Patriarch be a Turkish citizen by birth, which all Patriarchs have been since 1923all ethnic Greeks from the decreasing Greek minority of Turkey, which is causing a shortage of priests and consequently potential candidates for the post of Ecumenical Patriarch. The closing of the Orthodox Theological School of Halki is also a difficulty faced by the Patriarchate. In 2024, after the protests from Turkey, the signature of the Ecumenical Patriarchate has been removed from the statement of the June 2024 Ukraine peace summit.


Administration and structure


Holy Synod

The affairs of the patriarchate are conducted by the Holy Synod, presided over by the Ecumenical Patriarch. The synod has existed since some time prior to the fourth century and assists the patriarch in determining the affairs of the possessions under his jurisdiction. The synod first developed from what was referred to as the ''resident synod'', composed of the patriarch, local bishops, and any Orthodox bishops who were visiting in the imperial capital of Constantinople. After the
fall of Constantinople The Fall of Constantinople, also known as the Conquest of Constantinople, was the capture of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottoman Empire. The city was captured on 29 May 1453 as part of the culmination of a 55-da ...
, the synod's membership became limited to bishops of the patriarchate. The Holy and Sacred Synod, presided over by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, is composed of twelve hierarchs, each serving a year-long term, with half of the synod's members changing every six months in March and September. The current members of the Holy and Sacred Synod serving since March 5, 2025, are as follows: * Makarios of Gortyna and Arcadia * Andreas of Arkalohori, Kastelli, and Viannos * Athenagoras of Belgium * Paisios of Leros, Kalymnos, and Astypalaia * Damaskinos of Kydonia and Apokoronas * Sebastianos of Atlanta * Athenagoras of Kydonies * Maximos of Selymbria * Makarios of Australia * Maximos of Switzerland * Iakovos of Ireland * Iakovos of Mexico Notable hierarchs of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are the popular writer Kallistos (Timothy) Ware, an assistant-bishop in the Archdiocese of Thyateira and author of ''The Orthodox Church'', the best-known introduction to the Orthodox Church in English, and John Zizioulas, Metropolitan of Pergamon, a well-known professor of systematic theology. The right of non-Turkish members of the synod (from Northern Greece, the Dodecanese, America and Western Europe) to convene appears to be threatened by a recent declaration from the Istanbul Governor reported in the Freiburg archdiocesan magazine.


Structure

Head of the Patriarchate 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 ...
and of the Holy Synod is the Archbishop 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 ...
, New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch and who since 1991 has been Bartholomew I (). The local churches of the Ecumenical Patriarchate consist of six archdioceses, 66
metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...
es, 2
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
s and one exarchate, each of which reports directly to the Patriarch of Constantinople with no intervening authority.


Archdioceses and archbishops

* Archdiocese 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 ...
and New Rome (Patriarchal archdiocese): ** Metropolis of Chalcedon: Emmanuel Adamakis (2021–) ** Metropolis of Derkoi: Apostolos Daniilidis (2011–) **Metropolis of Imbros and Tenedos: Cyril Sykis (2020–) **Metropolis of the Princes' Islands: Dimitrios Kommatas (2018–) **Metropolis of Pisidia: Job Getcha (2022–) **Metropolis of Prusa: Ioakeim Billis (2021–) ** Metropolis of Smyrna: Bartholomew Samaras (2016–) **Metropolis of Adrianopolis: Amfilochios of Adrianoupolis **
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...
of Karpathos and Kasos: Ambrosios Panagiotidis (1983–) **Metropolis of Kos and Nisyros: Nathaniel II (Philippos) Diakopanagiotis (2009–) **Metropolis of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalaia and Exarchate of the Southern Sporades: Païsios (Panagiotis) Aravantinos (2005–) ** Metropolis of Rhodes: Cyril II (Konstantinos) Kogerakis (2004–) **Metropolis of Syme: Chrysostomos Pitsis (2018–) ** Exarchate of Patmos: Archimandrite Cyril Pentes **Exarchate of
Malta Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
: Metropolitan Kyrillos Katerelos (2021–) Spiritually assigned to the Ecumenical Patriarchate by the Patriarchal and Synodic Act of 4 September 1928: **
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...
of Alexandroupolis: Anthimos Koukouridis (2004–) **Metropolis of Chios, Psara and Inousses: Markos Basilakis (2011–) **Metropolis of Didymoteichon and Orestias: Damaskinos (Minas) Karpathakis (2009–) **Metropolis of
Drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
: Dorotheos Paparis (2022–) **Metropolis of Dryinoupolis, Pogoniani and Konitsa: Andreas Trempelas (1995–) **Metropolis of Edessa,
Pella Pella () is an ancient city located in Central Macedonia, Greece. It served as the capital of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. Currently, it is located 1 km outside the modern town of Pella ...
and Almopia: Joel (Panagiotis) Phrankakos (2002–) **Metropolis of Elassona: Hariton Toumbas (2014–) **Metropolis of Eleftheroupolis: Chrysostomos Abagianos (2004–) **Metropolis of Florina, Prespes and Eordaia: Eirinaios Laftsis (2023–) **Metropolis of Goumenissa, Axioupoli and Polykastro: Dimitrios Bekiaris (1989–) **Metropolis of Grevena: David Tzioumakas (2014–) **Metropolis of Ierissos, Mount Athos and Ardameri: Theoklitos Athanasopoulos (2012–) **Metropolis of Ioannina: Maximos Papagiannis (2014–) **Metropolis of Kassandria: Nikodemos (Konstantinos) Korakis (2001–) **Metropolis of Kastoria: Kallinikos Georgatos (2021–) **Metropolis of Kitros, Katerini and Platamonas: Georgios Chrysostomou (2014–) **Metropolis of Langadas, Liti and Rentina: Platon Crikris (2021–) **Metropolis of Lemnos and Agios Efstratios: Hierotheos Calogeropoulos (2019–) **Metropolis of Maronia and Komotini: Panteleimon Moutafis (2013–) **Metropolis of Mithymna: Chrysostomos Kalamatianos (1984–) **Metropolis of Mytilini, Eresos and Plomari: Iakovos Frantzes (1988–) **Metropolis of Neapolis and Stavroupolis: Barnabas Tyris (2004–) **Metropolis of Nea Krini and Kalamaria: Ioustinos Bardakas (2015–) **Metropolis of Nea Zichni and Nevrokopion: Hierotheos (Dimitrios) Tsoliakos (2003–) **Metropolis of Nicopolis and
Preveza Preveza (, ) is a city in the region of Epirus (region), Epirus, northwestern Greece, located on the northern peninsula of the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the Preveza (regional unit), regional unit of Preveza, which is the s ...
: Meletios Kalamaras (1980–2012), Chrysostom Tsirigas (2012–) **Metropolis of Paramythia, Filiates, Giromeri and Parga: Serapion Michalakis (2023–) **Metropolis of Philippi, Neapolis and Thasos: Stefanos Tolios (2017–) **Metropolis of Polyani and Kilkis: Vartholomeos Antoniou-Triantafyllides (2021–) **Metropolis of Samos and Ikaria: Eusebios (Evangelos) Pistolis (1995–) **Metropolis of Serres and Nigrita: Theologos (Ioannis) Apostolidis (2001–) **Metropolis of Servia and Kozani: Paulos Papalexiou (2004–) **Metropolis of Siderokastron: Makarios (Sotirios) Philotheou (2001–) **Metropolis of Sisanion and Siatista: Athanasios Giannousas (2019–) **Metropolis of
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
: Filotheos Theocharis (2023–) **Metropolis of Veria and Naousa: Panteleimon (Ioannis) Kalpakidis (1994–) **Metropolis of Xanthi and Peritheorion: Panteleimon (Mikhael) Kalaphatis (1995–) * Archdiocese of
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
( Heraklion): Evgenios Antonopoulos (2022–) **Metropolis of Gortyna and Arkadia and Exarchate of Middle
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
: Makarios Douloufakis (2005–) **Metropolis of Rethymnon and Avlopotamos and Exarchate of Upper
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
: Prodromos Xenakes (2022–); **Metropolis of Kydonia and Apokoronos: Damaskinos Papagiannakis (2006–) **Metropolis of Lampi, Syvritos, and Sfakia: Eirinaios (Nikolaos) Mesarchakis (1990–) **Metropolis of Ierapytna and Siteia and Exarchate of Eastern
Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...
: Cyrillos Diamantakes (2016–) **Metropolis of Petra and Cherronisos: Nektarios Papadakis (1990–2015), Gerasimos Marmatakes(2015–) **Metropolis of Kissamos and Selino: Amphilochios Andronikakis (2005–) **Metropolis of Arkalochorion, Kastelion and Viannos: Andreas Nanakis (2001–) * Archdiocese of Canada and Exarchate of the Arctic (
Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
): Sotirios Athanasoulas (1979–) * Archdiocese of Italy and Exarchate of Southern Europe (
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
): Polycarpos Stavropoulos (2021–) * Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain (
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, includes the UK and the
Crown dependencies The Crown Dependencies are three dependent territory, offshore island territories in the British Islands that are self-governing possessions of the The Crown, British Crown: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Jersey, Bailiwick of Jersey, both lo ...
): Nikitas Loulias (2019�

* Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, Archdiocese of Australia and Exarchate of
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea, officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is an island country in Oceania that comprises the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and offshore islands in Melanesia, a region of the southwestern Pacific Ocean n ...
: Makarios Griniezakis (2019–) ** Diocese of
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
: Silouan Fotineas (2024–) ** Diocese of
Brisbane Brisbane ( ; ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and largest city of the States and territories of Australia, state of Queensland and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia, with a ...
: Bartholomew Anastasiadis (2024–) ** Diocese of
Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
&
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
: Vacant ** Diocese of
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
: Kyriakos Michael (2024–) ** Diocese of Chora: Evmenios Vasilopoulos (2024–) ** Diocese of
Perth Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The ...
: Elpidios Karalis (2024–) * Archdiocese of America and Exarchate of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans (headquartered in
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
): Elpidoforos Lampriniadis (2019–) ** Metropolis of Chicago: Nathanael Symeonides (2018–) **Metropolis of
New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
: Apostolos Koufallakis (2023–) **Metropolis of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
: Alexios Panagiotopoulos (1999–) **Metropolis of
Denver Denver ( ) is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Consolidated city and county, consolidated city and county, the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Colorado, most populous city of the U.S. state of ...
: Vacant **Metropolis of
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
: Savas Zembillas (2012–) ** Metropolis of Boston: Methodios (Georgios) Tournas (1984–) **Metropolis of
Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...
: Nicholas Pissaris (1999–) ** Metropolis of San Francisco: Gerasimos Michaleas (2005–) ** Vicariate for Palestinian–Jordanian Communities in the USA: Protopresbyter George Jweinat (Archiepiscopal Vicar, 2019–) **Vicariate for the Communities of Slavic Tradition in the USA: Alexander Belya (2020–)


Metropolises and metropolitans

* Metropolis of Austria and Exarchate of Hungary and Middle Europe (
Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...
): Arsenios Kardamakis (2011–) * Metropolis of Belgium and Exarchate of the Netherlands and Luxembourg (
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
): Athenagoras (Yves) Peckstadt (2013–) * Metropolis of France (
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
): Dimitrios Ploumes (2021–) * Metropolis of Germany ( Bonn): Augustinos Labardakis (1980–) *Metropolis of
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
and all
Scandinavia Scandinavia is a subregion#Europe, subregion of northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It can sometimes also ...
and Exarchate of the Northern Countries (
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
): Cleopas Strongylis (2014–) *Metropolis of
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
and
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
and Exarchate of the Mediterranean Sea (
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
): Visarion Comzias (2021-) *Metropolis of
Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...
( Chambésy,
Geneva Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
): Maximos Pothos (2018–) *Metropolis of
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
and Exarchate of All South America: Joseph Bosch (2019–) * Metropolis of Mexico and Exarchate of All Central America and the
Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...
: Iakovos Andriopoulos (2024–) * Metropolis of Hong Kong and Southeast Asia and Exarchate of the Philippines: Nektarios (Tsilis) (2008–) * Metropolis of Korea and Exarchate of All the Upper East (
Seoul Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
): Ambrosios (Aristotelis) Zografos (2008–) *Metropolis of
New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
and Exarchate of All
Oceania Oceania ( , ) is a region, geographical region including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Outside of the English-speaking world, Oceania is generally considered a continent, while Mainland Australia is regarded as its co ...
(
Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...
): Myron Ktistakis (2018–) * Metropolis of Singapore and South Asia: Konstantinos Tsilis (2011–) * Metropolis of Winnipeg and Central Canada ( Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada): vacant (acting: Bishop Ilarion of Edmonton) ** Diocese of Toronto and Eastern Canada: Andrew (Peshko) of Toronto) (2021–) ** Diocese of Edmonton and Western Canada: Hilarion (Rudnyk) (2008–) *Metropolis of
Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
(Ukrainian Orthodox Church): John Derevianka (1991–) *Metropolis of Eastern Eparchy ( Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA): Anthony Scharba (1995–) **Diocese of Western Eparchy (
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
): Pamphylos Daniel Zelinsky (2009–)


Dioceses and bishops

* Diocese of America (Albanian Orthodox church): Philomelion Theophan Koja (2023–) * Diocese of North America (American Carpatho-Russian Orthodox church): Nyssa Gregory (Tatsis) (2012–)


Titular archdioceses

* Archdiocese of Komana and All Cappadocia: Michael Anisenko (2020–) *Archdiocese of Hierapolis: Anthony Scharba (1995–present) *Archdiocese of Thyatira: Nikitas Loulias (2019–present)


Titular metropolises

*
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...
of Caesarea: Vacant * Metropolis of Ephesus: Vacant *Metropolis of Heraclea and Exarchate of
Thrace Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...
: Vacant *Metropolis of Cyzicus: Vacant * Metropolis of Nicomedia: Vacant * Metropolis of Nicaea and Exarchate of Bithynia: Vacant *Metropolis of Aenos: Vacant *Metropolis of Amasya and Exarchate of All Euxinous Pontus: Vacant *Metropolis of Hadrianopolis: Amphilochios Stergiou (2014–) *Metropolis of Anea: Makarios Pavlidis (2018–) *Metropolis of Ankyra and Exarchate of All Galatia: Ieremias Kalligiorgis (2018–) *Metropolis of Augustopolis: Vacant *Metropolis of Chaldia, Cheriana and Kerasous and Exarchate of Helenopontus: Vacant *Metropolis of Crine and Exarchate of Ionia: Kyrillos Katerelos(2021–) *Metropolis of Cydonies: Athenagoras Hrysanes(2012–) *Metropolis of the Dardanelles and Exarchate of All Hellespontus:Vacant *Metropolis of Eucarpia: Bishop Ierotheos Zaharis (2017–) *Metropolis of Euchaita: Vacant *Metropolis of Eudoxias: Bishop Amvrosios Horozides (2019–) *Metropolis of Ganos and Chora and All the Thracian Coast: Vacant *Metropolis of Helioupolis and Theira and Exarchate of All
Caria Caria (; from Greek language, Greek: Καρία, ''Karia''; ) was a region of western Anatolia extending along the coast from mid-Ionia (Mycale) south to Lycia and east to Phrygia. The Carians were described by Herodotus as being Anatolian main ...
: Vacant *Metropolis of Helenopolis: Vacant *Metropolis of Kolonia: Athanasios Theoharous (2021–) * Metropolis of Iconium and Exarchate of Lycaonia: Theoliptos (Jacob) Fenerlis (2000–) *Metropolis of Kallipolis and Madytos: Stephanos Ntinides (2011–) *Metropolis of Laodicea and Exarchate of Phrygia: Theodoritos Polyzoyopoulos(2018–) *Metropolis of Lititsa: Vacant *Metropolis of Lystra: Isaiah Chronopoulos (2024–) *Metropolis of Metres and Athyra: Vacant *Metropolis of Melitene: Bishop Maximos Pafilis (2018–) *Metropolis of
Miletus Miletus (Ancient Greek: Μίλητος, Mílētos) was an influential ancient Greek city on the western coast of Anatolia, near the mouth of the Maeander River in present day Turkey. Renowned in antiquity for its wealth, maritime power, and ex ...
: Apostolos Voulgaris (1990–) *Metropolis of Moschonisia and Exarchate of Aeolis: Cyril Dragounis (2020–) *Metropolis of Myra: Chrysostomos Kalaitzis (1995–) *Metropolis of Myriophyton and Peristasis: Irinaios Ioannidis (2000–) *Metropolis of Neocaesaria and Exarchate of Pontus Polemoniacus: Vacant * Metropolis of Pergamon and Adramyttion: Vacant *Metropolis of Perge and Exarchate of Pamphylia: Vacant * Metropolis of Philadelphia and Exarchate of Lydia: Meliton (Dimitrios) Karras (1990–) *Metropolis of Pisidia and Exarchate of Side, Myra and Attalia:Job Getcha(2022–); *Metropolis of Prokonnesos and Exarchate of All Propontis: Joseph (Emmanuel) Charkiolakis (2008–) *Metropolis of Prousa:Ioakeim Billis (2021–) *Metropolis of Rhodopolis: Tarasios Antonopoulos (2019–) *Metropolis of Saranta Ecclesies: Andreas Sofianopoulos(2021–) *Metropolis of Sardis: Evangelos Courounis (2021–) *Metropolis of Sasima and Cappadocia Secunda: Bishop Constantine Moralis(2022–) *Metropolis of Sebasteia and Exarchate of All
Paphlagonia Paphlagonia (; , modern translit. ''Paflagonía''; ) was an ancient region on the Black Sea coast of north-central Anatolia, situated between Bithynia to the west and Pontus (region), Pontus to the east, and separated from Phrygia (later, Galatia ...
: Seraphim Ginis (2019–) *Metropolis of Seleucia and Pamphylia: Theodoros Meimares (2023–) *Metropolis of Silyvria: Maximos Vgenopoulos (2014–) * Metropolis of Smyrna and Exarchate of All Asia Minor: Bartholomeos Samaras (2016–) *Metropolis of Traianopolis: Vacant *Metropolis of Trapezous and Exarchate of Lazica: Vacant *Metropolis of Troas: Petros Bozinis (2015–) *Metropolis of Tyana: Vacant *Metropolis of Tyroloi and Serention: Vacant *Metropolis of Bizye and Medea: Athenagoras Anastasiadis (2024–) *Metropolis of Vryoula and Erythrae: Panteleimon Sklavos (2018–)


Titular dioceses

*
Diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
of Abydos: Gregorios Tsoutsoules (2022–) *Diocese of Amorion: Nikiforos Psihloudes (2014–) *Diocese of Andidon:Vacant *Diocese of Apamea: Païsios Larentzakis (2018–) *Diocese of Arianzos: Vartholomeos (Ioannis) Kessidis (2004–) *Diocese of Ariste: Vacant *Diocese of Aspendos: Jeremy Ferens (1995–) *Diocese of Claudiopolis: Iakovos Savva (2021–) *Diocese of Cotyaeum: Dionysios Papavasileiou (2022–) *Diocese of Christoupolis: Emmanuel Sfiatkos (2020–) *Diocese of Cyneae: Vacant *Diocese of Dervis: Ezekiel Kefalas (1977–) *Diocese of Dioclea: Kallistos Ware (1982–2022) *Diocese of Dorylaeum: Damaskenos Lionakis (2019–) *Diocese of Eumeneia: Irinaeos Verykakis (2019–) *Diocese of Halicarnassus: Adrianos Sergakis (2015–) *Diocese of Irenopolis: Nikandros Palyvos (2019–) *Diocese of Kratea: Georgios Antonopoulos(2022–) *Diocese of Lampsacus: Vacant *Diocese of Lefki: Eumenios Tamiolakis (1994–) *Diocese of Meloa: Aimilianos Coutouzes (2019–) *Diocese of Mokissos: Demetrios Kantzavelos (2006–) *Diocese of Olympos:Kyrillos Papanthimou(2017–) *Diocese of Pamphylos: Daniel Zelinsky (2008–) *Diocese of Parnassus: John Derevianka (1995–) *Diocese of Phasiane: Antonios Paropoulos (2002–) *Diocese of Philomelion: Theophan Koja (2023–) *Diocese of Sinope: Vacant *Diocese of Synnada: Vacant *Diocese of Telmessos: Vacant *Diocese of Theoupolis: Vacant *Diocese of Thermon: Athenagoras Fasiolo (2022–) *Diocese of Troas: Petros Bozines (2015–) *Diocese of Tropaeon: Vacant *Diocese of Zela: Sevastianos Skordallos (2012–)


Historical archdioceses

* Archdiocese of Syracuse * Archdiocese of Russian Orthodox churches in Western Europe—Exarchate for Orthodox Parishes of Russian Tradition in Western Europe (
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
) (disestablished 2018)


Historical metropolises

*Metropolis of Anchialos *Metropolis of Balgrad, one of founding archdioceses of Romanian Orthodox Church *
Metropolis A metropolis () is a large city or conurbation which is a significant economic, political, and cultural area for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications. A big city b ...
of
Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...
* Metropolis of Devròn and Velissus, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1767 to 1920 * Metropolis of Gothia and Caffa (liquidated by the Russian Orthodox Church in 1779, see Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Empire) *Metropolis of Kamianets ( Podolia Eyalet) *Metropolis of Kolonia * Metropolis of Kiev and all Rus' (988–1448), some territories of Upper Volga and Oka assumed a schism; Metropolis reorganized as Metropolis of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus' ** Metropolis of Halych (1303–1347), succeeded and reintegrated back into Metropolis of Kiev ** Metropolis of Lithuania (1317–1435), succeeded and reintegrated back into Metropolis of Kiev * Metropolis of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus' (1448–1596) accepted a union with Rome, see Ruthenian Uniate Church * Metropolis of Kiev, Galicia and all Rus' (1620–1696) annexed by Russian Orthodox Church *Metropolis of Miletopolis: Iakovos Tsigounis (2011–) *Metropolis of Melenikon *Metropolis of Moldo-Wallachia ( Metropolis of Moldavia and Bukovina), one of founding archdioceses of Romanian Orthodox Church *Metropolis of Monastirion and Pelagonia, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1767 to 1920 *Metropolis of Nevrokopion *Metropolis of Philippopolis *Metropolis of Prèspes and Achrida, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1767 to 1920 * ( Ottoman Ukraine) * Metropolis of Raskopresrèna, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1766 to 1920 *Metropolis of
Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
and All
Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
* Metropolis of Skopia, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1766 to 1920 *Metropolis of Sozopolis (and later Sozoagathopolis): *Metropolis of Stromnitsa, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1767 to 1920 *Metropolis of Ugro-Wallachia ( Metropolis of Muntenia and Dobrudja), one of founding archdioceses of Romanian Orthodox Church * Metropolis of Vanialuka, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1900 to 1920 *Metropolis of Varna * Metropolis of Vellègradon, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1766 to 1879 * Metropolis of Nissa, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1766 to 1879 * Metropolis of Vosna, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1766 to 1920 * Metropolis of Svornikion, under jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate from 1766 to 1920


Historical dioceses

*Diocese of Agia and Sykourion *Diocese of Agrafa and Litza *Diocese of Amphipolis *Diocese of Amylcae *Diocese of Christianoupolis *Diocese of Angon *Diocese of Argyropolis *Diocese of Agathopolis *Diocese of Agathonicea *Diocese of Katania *Diocese of Konstantia *Diocese of Daphnusia *Diocese of Dodona *Diocese of Elaea *Diocese of Kampania *Diocese of Meloe *Diocese of Messene *Diocese of Myrina *Diocese of Nyssa *Diocese of Petra *Diocese of Platamon and Lykostomion *Diocese of Ravenna *Diocese of Skopelos *Diocese of Talantion *Diocese of Thermia and
Kea The kea ( ; ; ''Nestor notabilis'') is a species of large parrot in the Family (biology), family Strigopidae that is endemic to the forested and alpine regions of the South Island of New Zealand. About long, it is mostly olive-green, with br ...
*Diocese of Trachaea *Diocese of Vilna


Stauropegions

* Stauropegion of St. Andrew's Church in Kyiv: Bishop Michael (Anischenko) (2019–) * Kyiv Pechersk Lavra (1589–1686) * Lviv Dormition Brotherhood (1589–1709) *Kyiv Epiphany Brotherhood (1620–1686) * Manyava Skete (1620–1785) *Exaltation of the Cross Lutsk Brotherhood (1623–????) * Mezhyhirya Monastery (1609–1703)


Present-day autocephalous churches previously under the Ecumenical Patriarchate

*
Armenian Apostolic Church The Armenian Apostolic Church () is the Autocephaly, autocephalous national church of Armenia. Part of Oriental Orthodoxy, it is one of the most ancient Christianity, Christian churches. The Armenian Apostolic Church, like the Armenian Catholic ...
; autocephaly granted in 554. (Not part of the
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 ...
, but of the Oriental Orthodox Church) * Bulgarian Orthodox Church; autocephaly granted in 870; autocephaly re-recognised in 1235 and 1945. * Russian Orthodox Church; autocephaly recognized in 1589. * Church of Greece (Archdiocese of
Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
and All
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
); autocephaly recognised in 1850. *
Serbian Orthodox Church The Serbian Orthodox Church ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Српска православна црква, Srpska pravoslavna crkva) is one of the autocephalous (ecclesiastically independent) Eastern Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodox Eastern Orthodox Church#Constit ...
; autocephaly granted in 1219; abolished in 1463 and 1766, re-recognized in 1557 and 1879. * Romanian Orthodox Church; autocephaly recognized in 1885. * Polish Autocephalous Orthodox Church; autocephaly recognised in 1924 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and in 1948 by the Russian Orthodox Church. * Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania (Archdiocese of Tirana, Durrës and All
Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...
); autocephaly recognised in 1937. * Orthodox Church of the Czech Lands and Slovakia (Metropolis of
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, Czech Lands and Slovakia); autocephaly recognised in 1951 by the Russian Orthodox Church and in 1998 by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. * Orthodox Church of Ukraine; intention to grant autocephaly announced in 2018."Ukraine hails Church independence move as ‘blow’ to Moscow", ''The Guardian'', 12 October 2018
(Retrieved 13 October 2018)
Rejected by the Russian Orthodox Church, the Polish Orthodox Church, and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The Ecumenical Patriarchate granted autocephaly to the Orthodox Church of Ukraine on 5 January 2019.


References


Citations


Sources

This article incorporates text from several articles on OrthodoxWiki: * OrthodoxWiki:Byzantine response to OCA autocephaly * OrthodoxWiki:Church of Constantinople * OrthodoxWiki:Mount Athos * OrthodoxWiki:Prerogatives of the Ecumenical Patriarchate


Literature

* * * * * * * * * * *


External links


Official website

Patriarchs of Constantinople

Article on the Ecumenical Patriarchate by Ronald Roberson on the website of CNEWA, a papal agency for humanitarian and pastoral support
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ecumenical Patriarchate Of Constantinople Dioceses established in the 1st century