The Patriarch of Constantinople is the Ecumenical Patriarch, ranking as the "first among equals" in the Eastern Orthodox communion. In this capacity he is first in honor among all the Orthodox bishops, presides over any council of bishops in which he takes part and serves as primary spokesman for the communion, but has no jurisdiction over the other patriarchs or the other autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches.

In addition to being spiritual leader of 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide, he is the direct administrative head of some four million Ukrainian, Greek, Carpatho-Russian and Albanian Orthodox in the U.S., Canada, Central and South America, and Western Europe (where his flock consists mainly of the Greek diaspora).

His titular position is Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople, one of the sixteen autocephalous churches and one of the five Christian centers comprising the ancient Pentarchy. In his role as head of

Early history

As Constantine the Great had made Byzantium "New Rome" in 330, it was thought appropriate that its bishop, once a suffragan of Heraclea, should become second only to the Bishop of Old Rome. Soon after the transfer of the Roman capital, the bishopric was elevated to an archbishopric. For many decades Roman popes opposed this ambition, not because anyone thought of disputing their first place, but because they were unwilling to change the old order of the hierarchy. In 381, however, the First Council of Constantinople declared that: "The Bishop of Constantinople shall have the primacy of honour after the Bishop of Rome, because it is New Rome" (can. iii).

Popes Damasus and Gregory the Great refused to confirm this canon, a

The Council of Chalcedon in 451 established Constantinople as a patriarchate with jurisdiction over Asia Minor, and Thrace, appellate jurisdiction over canon law decisions by the other patriarchs; and the second place in primacy after Rome (can. xxviii). Pope Leo I refused to admit this canon, claiming it was invalid since it was made in the absence of his legates, again a controversial position. In the 6th century, the official title of the bishop became "Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch".

The current Patriarch is Bartholomew I.

Issues of Religious Freedom

When the Ottomans conquered Constantinople in 1453, the Patriarch at the time, Athanasius II, was killed along with the Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI. The office of the Patriarch was handed to Gennadius II Scholarius in 1454 by the conquering Islamic Ottoman ruler, Sultan Mehmed II. The modern Turkish state requires the Patriarch to be a Turkish citizen but allows the Synod of Constantinople to elect him. However when Sultan Mehmet II adopted a policy of formal dialogue with the "national" (largely defined by religion) communities, the major ethnarch recognised as official interlocutor was precisely the Ecumenical Patriarch.

Human rights groups, EU governements, and the U.S. government, have long protested conditions placed by the government of Turkey on the Ecumenical Patriarch. For example, the Ecumenical status accorded him within Eastern Orthodoxy, and recognized by Ottoman governments, has on occasion been a source of controversy within the Republic of Turkey, which under its laws regarding religious minorities officially recognizes him as only the "Patriarch of Fener." (Fener is the district in Istanbul where his headquarters are located.) Expropriation of Church property and the closing of the Orthodox Theological School are also cited by human rights groups.

Notes and References

1.  "Ecumencial Patriarchate of Constantinople", Encyclopædia Britannica 2005 Deluxe Edition CD-ROM.

See also

• List of Patriarchs of Constantinople
• Patriarch

Ökumenisches Patriarchat von Konstantinopel Patriarko de Konstantinopolo פטריארך_קונסטנטינופול Patriarca di Costantinopoli 콘스탄티노플 총대주교 Patriarcha Konstantynopola Patriarca Ecumênico de Constantinopla Васељенска Патријаршија 君士坦丁堡牧首