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Patriarch

See Patriarchs (Bible) for details about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob of the Book of Genesis in the Hebrew Bible.

Originally a patriarch is a man who exercises autocratic authority over an extended family. See patriarchy.

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are referred to as the three patriarchs of Judaism, and the period in which they lived is called the patriarchal period.

The word has also taken on other meanings. In particular, the highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Catholic Communion, and the Assyrian Church of the East are called patriarchs.

In Mormonism, a patriarch is an office in the priesthood and is considered a prophet (but not necessarily a general authority). The term is considered synonymous with the term evangelist. One of the patriarch's primary responsibilities is to give Patriarchal blessings. In the main branch of Mormonism, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Patriarchs are typically assigned in each stake.

Current Patriarchs in the Catholic Communion:

• Latin Rite:
  • The Patriarch of Rome (the Roman Pope)
  • The Patriarch of Venice
  • The Patriarch of the West Indies (vacant since 1963, but not abolished)
  • The Patriarch of Lisbon
  • The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
  • The Coptic Patriarch of Alexandria
  • The Greek Patriarch of Antioch
  • The Syrian Patriarch of Antioch
  • The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch
  • The Patriarch of Babylon
  • The Patriarch of Cilicia

Historical Patriarchs in the Roman Catholic Church, suppressed in 1964:

• The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople
• The Latin Patriarch of Alexandria
• The Latin Patriarch of Antioch

Current Patriarchs in the Eastern Orthodox Communion in order of precedence:

• The Patriarch of Constantinople, the Ecumenical Patriarch
• The Patriarch of Alexandria
• The Patriarch of Antioch
• The Patriarch of Jerusalem
• The Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia
• The Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia
• The Patriarch Serbian
• The Patriarch of All Romania
• The Patriarch of All Bulgaria

Current Patriarchs in Oriental Orthodox Churches:

• Coptic Orthodox Church: The Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria
• Syrian Orthodox Church: The Patriarch of Antioch
• Armenian Orthodox Church:
  • The Catholicos Patriarch of Etchmiadzin and Armenia
  • The Patriarch of Cilicia and the Middle East
• Tewahedo Church: The Patriarch of All Ethiopia
• Eritrean Orthodox Church: The Patriarch of All Eritrea

Patriarchs in Nestorian Churches:

• Assyrian Church of the East: The Catholicos Patriarch of Babylon
• Church of the East & Abroad: The Catholicos Patriarch of Jerusalem

See also

• List of current patriarchs
• Patriarchy
• Matriarchy