What is an orthodox church patriarch? What are their responsibilities? How do you choose one? Here are some examples:
Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus
Vladimir V. Gundyaev was elected Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia on January 27, 2009. He was first elected head of the Russian Orthodox Church after the collapse of the Soviet Union and inherited the church from Aleksey II. Before his election, he hosted a religious television show. He proclaimed himself a modernizer and expressed his desire to increase dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church.
The Russian Patriarch Kirill was born in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, in 1946. He took monastic vows in 1969 and later was given the secular name Kirill. The Russian Orthodox Church has flourished under his leadership, although many argue that this is the result of corruption. Kirill was born in Leningrad in 1946, making him the first Russian Patriarch to be born in the atheist Soviet Union. He was also prevented from becoming a Pioneer and Komsomol member, and had many conflicts with school administrations.
Patriarch of Alexandria
In a time when the Western Christian world was at war, the Patriarch of Alexandria, the patriarch of the orthodox church, was the leader of the Eastern Catholic Church. In fact, he was the only Orthodox Church patriarch to hold the title for more than a thousand years. During his lifetime, he had been a priest in Alexandria. His orthodox faith and love of God were so intense that he was known as the “Lord of the Church.
The Patriarchate of Alexandria was founded in the year 42 by Mark the Evangelist and was the centre from which Christianity spread throughout Egypt. During its nearly flourishing period, the Patriarchate had 108 bishops and a territory spanning six provinces. During this period, the successor of St. brand was the sole metropolitan bishop who ruled the whole territory and was referred to as arch-metropolitan. By the fifth century, the title of patriarch was conferred upon him.
Patriarch of Antioch
The Patriarch of Antioch is a member of the Greek Orthodox Church. He has been primate since 1979. He died on December 5 in a hospital in Beirut. On December 17, the Holy Synod of the Holy See of Antioch held an extraordinary session. He was succeeded by Metropolitan John (Yazigi), based in Paris. Metropolitan John was born in Syria and pledged to work for harmony in Syria. He served as Orthodox co-chair of the Saint Irenaeus Joint Orthodox-Catholic Working Group, sponsored by the Johann-Adam-Moller Ecumenetic Institute in Paderborn.
The Patriarch of Antioch is elected by the Holy Synod of the orthodox church. He is responsible for overseeing the archdiocese of Antioch and Damascus. He presides over the Synod and acts as metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Antioch and Damascus. In addition, he is head of the Orthodox Church in Syria.
