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independence=Traditional|
recognition= Traditional |
primate=''See vacant''[[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|John X (Yazigi)]]|
hq=Damascus, Syria|
territory=Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, parts of Turkey|
}}
The '''Church of Antioch''' is one of the five [[patriarchate]]s (i.e., the [[Pentarchy]]) that constituted the [[One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church|one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church]] before the [[Great Schism|schism]] between Rome and Antioch in 1098 and between Rome and the other patriarchates at around the same general period. Today it is one of the [[autocephaly|autocephalous]] Orthodox churches. In English translations of official documents, the Church of Antioch refers to itself as the '''Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East'''. The literal translation into English of the Arabic name is "Roman" (in Arabic, ''[[Rüm]]'') Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East." However, the literal name "Rüm" does not actually mean Roman but Greek. The Arabs and the Turks refer to the Christians who belong to the Greek Orthodox Church (both Arabs and Greeks) as Rüm because the Byzantine Greek-speaking Orthodox have historically referred to themselves as Romioi.The Arabic word "Rum" derives from the Greek word "Romioi". This is one of the reasons why the Church of Antioch refers to itself as '''Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East'''. The other reason is because it belongs to the family of the Greek Orthodox Churches which are: the [[Church of Constantinople]] (patriarchate), the '''Church of Antioch''' (patriarchate), the [[Church of Jerusalem]] (patriarchate), the [[Church of Alexandria]] (patriarchate), the [[Church of Cyprus]], the [[Church of Sinai]], the [[Church of Greece]], and the [[Church of Albania]].
[[Image:Balamand.jpg|left|thumb|250px|[[Our Lady of Balamand Monastery (Tripoli, Lebanon)|Our Lady of Balamand Monastery]]]]
The Church of Antioch is the continuation of the Christian community founded in Antioch by the [[Apostles]] [[Apostle Peter|Peter]] (who served as its first bishop) and [[Apostle Paul|Paul]], who are its [[patron saint]]s. In terms of hierarchical order of precedence, it currently ranks third among the world's Orthodox churches, behind [[Church of Constantinople|Constantinople]] and [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]].
The seat of the patriarchate was formerly Antioch (Antakya), in what is now Turkey. Now it is in Damascus, Syria, located on the "street called Straight." The most recent patriarch was current Patriarch of Antioch is His Beatitude Patriarch , [[Ignatius IV John X (HazimYazigi) of Antioch|[John X (Yazigi)]] and all the East until his repose , who was elected on [[December 5]]17, 2012.
<!-- [[Image:St George Beirut.jpg|right|thumb|450px|The Church of St. George in Beirut]] -->
===The Antiochian school===
During the pre-Nicene period and that of the [[Ecumenical Councils]], Christian theology centered in Antioch tended to emphasize the literal, historical facts of the life of [[Jesus Christ]] over philosophical or allegorical [[hermeneutics|interpretations]] of [[Holy Scripture]], contrasted with the more mystical and figurative theology coming from [[Church of Alexandria|Alexandria]]. Antiochian theology, though stressing the "earthier" side of interpretation, nevertheless did not neglect the importance of insight into the deeper, spiritual meaning of the Scriptures. These two viewpoints came to be known respectively as the [[Antiochian school]] and the [[Catechetical School of Alexandria|Alexandrian school]], represented by major catechetical institutions at both places.
Major figures associated with the origin of the Antiochian school include [[Lucian of Antioch]] and [[Paul of Samosata]], but its real formation was found with writers such as [[Diodore of Tarsus]], [[John Chrysostom]], [[Theodore of Mopsuestia]], [[Nestorius]], and [[Theodoret of Cyrrhus]]. At times, this difference in emphasis caused conflicts within the Church as the tension between the two approaches came to a head, especially regarding the doctrinal disputes over [[Arianism]] and [[Nestorianism]]. Saints such as [[John Chrysostom]] are somewhat regarded as synthesizers of the Antiochian and Alexandrian approaches to theology, and the Antiochian school of theology, whose more deviant proponents produced [[Arianism]] and [[Nestorianism]], also enabled the Orthodox fight against the Alexandrian school's deviances, namely [[Apollinarianism]] and [[Eutychianism]].
===The Antiochian church today===
[[Image:Ignatius HazimJohn Yazigi.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Ignatius IV John X (HazimYazigi) of Antioch|Patriarch Ignatius IV John X (Yazigi) of Antioch]]]]
The [[St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)|St. John of Damascus Patriarchal Institute of Theology (Tripoli, Lebanon)]] was established by the patriarchate in 1970, and in 1988 it was fully incorporated into the University of Balamand. The Institute functions as the primary [[seminary]] for theological schooling for the patriarchate's [[clergy]] and [[laity|lay]] leaders.
The members of the holy synod of Antioch continue to explore greater communication and more friendly meetings with their Syriac, Melkite, and Maronite brothers and sisters, who all share a common heritage.
===Expansion abroad===
Extensive 20th and 21st century Arab immigration to the New World has further increased the size, vigor and influence of the Church of Antioch, and the majority of Antiochian faithful now reside outside the Middle East and include numerous non-Arabic converts to the Orthodox Christian faith. As a result, besides its Middle Eastern territories in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Kuwait, Iran, the Arabian Peninsular, and parts of Turkey, the Church of Antioch also includes missionary dioceses in Central, North, and South America, in Europe, and in Australia and the Pacific. The archdiocese with the largest population is [[Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America|North America]]. It is also the only one with internal [[diocese]]s. The archdiocese with the largest area is [[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and New Zealand|Australia and New Zealand]]. Estimates of the membership of the patriarchate range from 750,000 to over 1,000,000 in Syria alone.
==Notable Antiochian saints==
Over the centuries, the Church of Antioch has been associated with many [[saint]]s on the Church's calendar. These include the following:
[[Image:Antiochian saints.jpg|right|thumb|200px|[[Synaxis]] of the Great [[Saint]]s of the Holy Church of Antioch]]
*[[Symeon the Stylite]]
*[[Thekla the Protomartyr]]
== The Episcopacy ==
=== The Holy Synod ===
* His Beatitude [[John X (Yazigi) of Antioch|John X]], Patriarch of the Great City of God of Antioch, Syria, Arabia, Cilicia, Iberia, Mesopotamia and All the East
* His Eminence [[Elias (Audi) of Beirut|Elias]], Metropolitan of Beirut and Coastal Phoenicia
* His Eminence Elias, Metropolitan of Tyre-Sydon and Coastal Phoenicia
* His Eminence George, Metropolitan of Emesa and Lebanese Phoenicia
* His Eminence [[Sergios (Abad) of Santiago|Sergios]], Metropolitan of Santiago and Chile
* His Eminence Damaskinos, Metropolitan of São Paulo and All Brazil
* His Eminence Basilios, Metropolitan of Arcadia and Mount Lebanon
* His Eminence Savvas, Metropolitan of Bostra and All Arabia Petrea
* His Eminence Ghattas, Metropolitan of Baghdad-Kuwait and All Mesopotamia
* His Eminence Paul, Metropolitan of Amida and All Mesopotamia and Armenia Quarta
* His Eminence Silouan, Metropolitan of Byblos-Botrys and Mount Lebanon
* His Eminence [[Ephraim (Kyriakos) of Tripoli|Ephraim]], Metropolitan of Tripolis-Koura and Coastal Phoenicia
* His Eminence Isaac, Metropolitan of Germany and Central Europe
* His Eminence Nicholas, Metropolitan of Epiphania and Syria Secunda
* His Eminence Ignatios, Metropolitan of Mexico and All Central America
* His Eminence Athanasios, Metropolitan of Laodicea and All Theodorias
* His Eminence Ignatios, Metropolitan of France and Western and Southern Europe
* His Eminence Ephraim, Metropolitan of Beroea-Alexandretta and Syria Prima
* His Eminence Silouan, Metropolitan of Britain-Ireland
* His Eminence Anthony, Metropolitan of Heliopolis-Seleucia and Syria Secunda
* His Eminence [[Basilios (Kodseie) of Australia|Basilios]], Metropolitan of Australia-New Zealand and All Oceania
* His Eminence James, Metropolitan of Buenos Aires and All Argentina
=== Auxiliary Metropolitans ===
* His Eminence Niphon, Metropolitan of Philippopolis
=== Titular Bishops ===
* His Grace Moses, Bishop of Darayya
* His Grace Dimitrios, Bishop of Paneas
* His Grace Elias, Bishop of Arethusa
* His Grace Constantine, Bishop of Chrysopolis
* His Grace John, Bishop of Palmyra
* His Grace Gregory, Bishop of the Emirates
* His Grace Qais, Bishop of Theodosiopolis
* His Grace John, Bishop of Sergiopolis
* His Grace Theodore, Bishop of Apamea
* His Grace Arsenios, Bishop of Hierapolis
* His Grace Moses, Bishop of Larissa
=== Autonomous Archdiocese of North America ===
* His Eminence [[Joseph (Al-Zehlaoui) of New York|Joseph]], Archbishop of New York and Metropolitan of North America
* His Grace [[Basil (Essey) of Wichita|Basil]], Bishop of Wichita and Middle America
* His Grace [[Thomas (Joseph) of Charleston and Oakland|Thomas]], Bishop of Charleston-Oakland and Middle Atlantic
* His Grace [[Alexander (Mufarrij) of Ottawa|Alexander]], Bishop of Ottawa and Eastern Canada and Upstate New York
* His Grace [[John (Abdalah) of Worcester|John]], Bishop of Worcester and New England
* His Grace [[Anthony (Michaels) of Toledo|Anthony]], Bishop of Toledo and Midwestern America
* His Grace [[Nicholas (Ozone) of Brooklyn|Nicholas]], Bishop of Miami and Southeast America
=== Retired Bishops ===
* His Eminence [[George (Khodr) of Mount Lebanon|George]], Metropolitan of Byblos-Botrys and Mount Lebanon
* His Grace Dimitrios, Bishop of Gabala
==Structure==
:*[[Diocese of Worcester and New England (Antiochian)]]
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Santiago and All Chile|Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Santiago and All Chile]]
*[[Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe|Archdiocese of Western and Central Europe]]
*[[Metropolis of Damascus]]: Patriarchal diocese
*[[Archdiocese of Aleppo|Metropolis of Beroea (Aleppo) and Alexandretta]]: Paul Yazigi (2000–present)
*[[Metropolis of Akkar]]: Basilios Nassur (2008–present)
*[[Archdiocese of Byblos and Botris (Mount Lebanon)|Metropolis of Mount Lebanon, Byblos and Botrys]]: George Khodr (1970–present)
*[[Metropolis of Seleucia (Zahle) and Heliopolis (Baalbek)]]: Spyridon Khoury (1966–present1966–2019)
*[[Archdiocese of Tripoli and Al-koura|Metropolis of Tripoli and Al-Koura]]: [[Ephraim Kyriakos]] (2009–present)
*[[Metropolis of Tyre and Sidon]]: Elias Kfoury (1995–present)
*[[Metropolis of Tarsos and Adana]]: vacanctvacant
*[[Metropolis of Amida]]:(Diyarbakır) vacant
*[[Metropolis of Theodosioupolis]](Erzurum): vacant
{{churches}}
==See Also==
[[List of Patriarchs of Antioch]]
==External links==
* [http://www.antiochpat.org/ Patriarchate of Antioch] (Official Website)(Arabic and English)
* [http://www.cnewa.org/ecc-bodypg-usdefault.aspx?eccpageIDID=15&IndexViewpagetypeID=toc 9&sitecode=HQ&pageno=1 Eastern Christian Churches: The Patriarchate of Antioch], a scholarly text by Ronald Roberson, CSP, a Roman Catholic priest and Eastern Christianity scholar
*[http://www.cc.uoa.gr/theology/html/english/pubs/doctrsec/scouteris/27/27.pdf The Spiritual Tradition of the Antioch Patriarchate], by Prof. [[Constantine Scouteris]]
*[http://www.antiochcentre.net/ 'Antioch']: A Centre for Antiochian Orthodox Christian Studies and Research (Oxford, UK)
*[http://www.balamandmonastery.org.lb/MonastSaydnaya.htm Holy Patriarchal Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya (Syria)]
===Hymn Book===
The [http://syriacmusicinstitute.com/projects/hymnal/ Syriac Hymnal], Syriac Music Institute, 2019. The “first official and complete hymnal” according to the rite of the [[Church of Antioch (Syriac)|Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch]]. An [http://syriacmusicinstitute.com/projects/syriac-hymnal-audio-cd-2/ Audio CD] of 384 hymns from the book is also available.
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