The official title of the bishop became "archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and ecumenical patriarch" in the 6th century, but scholars often use the terms "archbishop" and "patriarch" for earlier bishops. The
First Council of Constantinople (381) concluded that "the bishop of Constantinople, however, shall have the prerogative of honor after the bishop of Rome", while the
Council of Chalcedon (451) concluded that "the bishop of New Rome shall enjoy the same privileges as the bishop of Old Rome". Modern scholars use the term "
patriarch" after either 381 or 451. The chronology mostly follows Demetrius Kiminas (2009), See also the lists in the
Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (1991) and the
Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empire (2015).
330–450 450–800 During the 16th session of the
Council of Chalcedon (October–November 451), also known as the Fourth
Ecumenical Council, a resolution was passed elevating the See of Constantinople to a status equal to Rome in ecclesiastical matters, granting it second place after Rome. The resolution was formally rejected by the
Pope Leo I and the Western church; however, it was largely accepted in the East, becoming known as Canon 28. This canon would later become the foundation of the
Pentarchy of patriarchates.
800–1060 In 1054, the
Eastern Orthodox Church cut ties to the
Roman Catholic Church as a result of the Great
East–West Schism.
Chludov Psalter illustrates the line "They gave me
gall to eat, and when I was thirsty they gave me
vinegar to drink" with a picture of a soldier offering Christ vinegar on a sponge attached to a pole. Patriarch
John VII of Constantinople is depicted rubbing out a painting of Christ with a similar sponge attached to a pole. John VII is caricatured, here as on other pages, with untidy straight hair sticking out in all directions, which was considered ridiculous by the Byzantines.
1060–1204 1208–1261 (in Nicaea) On 12 April 1204, the
Fourth Crusade sacked and conquered Constantinople. The Crusaders established their
own line of Catholic patriarchs in the city, while the former Orthodox patriarch John X fled in exile to
Thrace. John X died in Thrace in the spring of 1206. After 1204, various Byzantine warlords struggled to establish their legitimacy and sought to reconquer Constantinople. One of the major contenders,
Theodore I Laskaris of
Nicaea, sought legitimacy through religion. He invited John X to Nicaea, though the deposed patriarch refused the invitation up until his death. In 1208, Laskaris nevertheless appointed his own new patriarch,
Michael IV of Constantinople, who in turn formally crowned Laskaris as emperor. The status of the "Patriarchs of Constantinople" based in Nicaea remained disputed outside of the Empire of Nicaea until the reconquest of Constantinople in 1261. Constantinople was
captured by the Empire of Nicaea on 25 July 1261. The Emperor and his court arrived to Constantinople the next month. The
Latin (Catholic) Patriarchate of Constantinople continued in exile until 1964.
1261–1453 On 29 May 1453
Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks, thus marking the
end of the Byzantine Empire. The
Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople became subject to the
Ottoman Empire.
1453–1466 There are different suggestions by scholars for the succession of the Patriarchs from 1462 to 1466, all of whom resigned. The main positions are the following: According to Kiminas (2009): • 161.
Joasaph I, April 1462 – April 1463 •
Gennadius II, April 1463 – May 1463 • 162.
Sophronius I, May 1463 – July 1464 •
Gennadius II, August 1464 – autumn 1465 • 163.
Symeon I, autumn 1465 • 164.
Mark II, early 1466 – autumn 1466 According to Gemanos of Sardeis (1933–1938): •
Gennadius II, summer 1462 – summer 1463 • 161.
Sophronius I, August 1463 – August 1464 •
Gennadius II, August 1464 – autumn 1464 • 162.
Joasaph I, early 1465 – early 1466 • 163.
Mark II, early 1466 – mid-1466 • 164.
Symeon I, mid-1466 – late 1466
1466–1822 The chronology up to the year 1595 is somewhat disputed by authors.
1822–1923 Greece, which was
recognized as an independent country in 1830,
adopted the modern Gregorian calendar in 1923, followed by Turkey in 1926. The difference between the
Gregorian and
Julian calendars is of 12 days, meaning that some sources may give a different date depending on the calendar used (see also
Old Style and New Style dates). The list follows the Julian dates used at the time in Greece and the Ottoman Empire. On 23 July 1833, the
Church of Greece declared itself
autocephalous. It was followed by the
Romanian Orthodox Church in 1864, the
Bulgarian Exarchate in 1872, and the
Serbian Orthodox Church in 1879, thus reducing the territorial extent of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate's jurisdiction. On 24 July 1923, the
Ottoman Empire was dissolved and replaced by the
Republic of Turkey.
1923–present == Lengths of tenure ==