Patriarch, << PAY tree ahrk, >> was the father or ruler of a family or tribe in ancient times. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were the patriarchs of the nation of Israel. Later, the president of the Sanhedrin, the highest governing council of the Jews, held the title of patriarch.
The early Christians used the title to honor the bishops of the largest and most important churches. The bishops of Rome, Alexandria, and Antioch were recognized as patriarchs in the early 300’s. By the early 500’s, the bishops of Jerusalem and Constantinople had come to be called patriarchs. In the Roman Catholic Church, the pope has the title patriarch of the West. Roman Catholic archbishops in some cities still hold the honorary title of patriarch. For example, cardinals hold the title in Alexandria and Antioch. The heads of some Eastern Orthodox Churches are called patriarchs. All Eastern Orthodox Churches regard the patriarch of Constantinople, called the Ecumenical Patriarch, as their spiritual leader.
