List of Patriarchs of Alexandria
Encyclopedia
The bishop or Patriarch of Alexandria (Egypt
) is the highest-ranking bishop of Egypt and exists separately in both the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Orthodox Church
. The Patriarchs trace back their lineage to Mark the Evangelist
.
This list contains those Patriarchs who served before 536, when the Coptic Orthodox and the Greek (Melchite)
lineages permanently parted ways. This schism
first began in 451, after the Council of Chalcedon
, but for the next decades both parties still competed on the See of Alexandria and frequently still recognized the same Patriarch. For later Popes and Patriarchs, follow the links at the bottom of this page.
In 536 the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
withdrew their recognition of Theodosius I and elected Paul
as Patriarch, while the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria continued to regonize Theodosius. For later succession of (Coptic) Popes and (Greek) Patriarchs, see:
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
) is the highest-ranking bishop of Egypt and exists separately in both the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. The Patriarchs trace back their lineage to Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist
Mark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
.
This list contains those Patriarchs who served before 536, when the Coptic Orthodox and the Greek (Melchite)
Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity.Officially, it is called the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria to distinguish it from the...
lineages permanently parted ways. This schism
Schism (religion)
A schism , from Greek σχίσμα, skhísma , is a division between people, usually belonging to an organization or movement religious denomination. The word is most frequently applied to a break of communion between two sections of Christianity that were previously a single body, or to a division within...
first began in 451, after the Council of Chalcedon
Council of Chalcedon
The Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
, but for the next decades both parties still competed on the See of Alexandria and frequently still recognized the same Patriarch. For later Popes and Patriarchs, follow the links at the bottom of this page.
List of Patriarchs (prior to 536)
- Mark the EvangelistMark the EvangelistMark the Evangelist is the traditional author of the Gospel of Mark. He is one of the Seventy Disciples of Christ, and the founder of the Church of Alexandria, one of the original four main sees of Christianity....
(43-68) - Anianus (68-85)
- Avilius (85-98)
- Kedron (98-109)
- Primus (109-121)
- Justus (121-131)
- Eumenes (131-141)
- Markianos (142-152)
- Celadion (152-166)
- Agrippinus (167-178)
- Julian (178-189)
- Demetrius I (189-232)
- Heraclas (232-248)
- Dionysius (248-264)
- Maximus (265-282)
- Theonas (282-300)
- Peter IPope Peter of AlexandriaPope Peter of Alexandria was Pope of Alexandria . He is revered as a saint by the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.-Life:...
(300-311) - Achillas (312-313)
- Alexander I (313-326) First ecumenical CouncilFirst Council of NicaeaThe First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325...
occurred - Athanasius I (328-339) Served as a Deacon for the First CouncilFirst Council of NicaeaThe First Council of Nicaea was a council of Christian bishops convened in Nicaea in Bithynia by the Roman Emperor Constantine I in AD 325...
; became Pope of Alexandria- Gregory of CappadociaGregory of CappadociaGregory of Cappadocia served as Patriarch of Alexandria appointed between 339 and 346. This appointment is not accepted by the church of Alexandria as it was not according to church laws...
(339-346), an Arian installed by the Emperor and not recognized by the adherents of the Nicene creed (and thus not counted by Coptic Orthodox, Byzantine OrthodoxGreek Orthodox Church of AlexandriaThe Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity.Officially, it is called the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria to distinguish it from the...
and CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
lineages).
- Gregory of Cappadocia
- Athanasius I (restored) (346-373)
- Peter II (373-380)
- Timothy I (380-385) Second Ecumenical CouncilFirst Council of ConstantinopleThe First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was the first Ecumenical Council held in...
occurred - Theophilus I (385-412)
- Cyril ICyril of AlexandriaCyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He came to power when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th and 5th centuries...
(412-444) Third Ecumenical Council occurred - Dioscorus I (444-451), Fourth Ecumenical CouncilSecond Council of EphesusThe Second Council of Ephesus was a church synod in 449 AD. It was convoked by Emperor Theodosius II as an ecumenical council but because of the controversial proceedings it was not accepted as ecumenical, labelled a Robber Synod and later repudiated at the Council of Chalcedon.-The first...
occurred. Pope Dioscorus was later deposed by the Council of ChalcedonCouncil of ChalcedonThe Council of Chalcedon was a church council held from 8 October to 1 November, 451 AD, at Chalcedon , on the Asian side of the Bosporus. The council marked a significant turning point in the Christological debates that led to the separation of the church of the Eastern Roman Empire in the 5th...
but still recognized by MiaphysitesMiaphysitismMiaphysitism is a Christological formula of the Oriental Orthodox Churches and of the various churches adhering to the first three Ecumenical Councils...
until his death in 454. - ProteriusProterius of AlexandriaHieromartyr Proterius of Alexandria , Patriarch of Alexandria , was elected by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 to replace Dioscorus of Alexandria, who had been deposed by the same council...
(451-457) Deposed by CoptCoptThe Copts are the native Egyptian Christians , a major ethnoreligious group in Egypt....
ic (Alexandrian) Synod under Timothy II AelurusPope Timothy II of AlexandriaPope Timothy II of Alexandria , also known as Αἴλουρος/Aelurus , succeeded twice in supplanting the Chalcedonian Patriarch of Alexandria....
, Chalcedonian - Timothy II AelurusPope Timothy II of AlexandriaPope Timothy II of Alexandria , also known as Αἴλουρος/Aelurus , succeeded twice in supplanting the Chalcedonian Patriarch of Alexandria....
(457-460]), Miaphysite - Timothy III SalophakiolosPatriarch Timothy III of AlexandriaPatriarch Timothy III of Alexandria , also known as Salophakiolos , was Patriarch of Alexandria from 460 until his death...
(460-475), Chalcedonian- Timothy II Aelurus (restored)Pope Timothy II of AlexandriaPope Timothy II of Alexandria , also known as Αἴλουρος/Aelurus , succeeded twice in supplanting the Chalcedonian Patriarch of Alexandria....
(475-477), Miaphysite
- Timothy II Aelurus (restored)
- Peter III MongusPope Peter III of AlexandriaPope Peter III of Alexandria , also known as Mongus , was Coptic Pope from 477 until his death and after 482 also recognized as Patriarch of Alexandria by the Eastern Orthodox Church.-Biography:...
(477), Miaphysite- Timothy III Salophakiolos (restored)Patriarch Timothy III of AlexandriaPatriarch Timothy III of Alexandria , also known as Salophakiolos , was Patriarch of Alexandria from 460 until his death...
(477-481), Chalcedonian
- Timothy III Salophakiolos (restored)
- John I Talaia, (481-482), Chalcedonian
- Peter III Mongus (restored)Pope Peter III of AlexandriaPope Peter III of Alexandria , also known as Mongus , was Coptic Pope from 477 until his death and after 482 also recognized as Patriarch of Alexandria by the Eastern Orthodox Church.-Biography:...
(482-490), Miaphysite
- Peter III Mongus (restored)
- Athanasius IIPope Athanasius II of AlexandriaAthanasius II of Alexandria was the Coptic Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria from 490 until his death. He was a Miaphysite.He succeeded Peter III Mongus as Pope of Alexandria and reigned for seven years...
(490-496), Miaphysite - John I (496-505), Miaphysite
- John II (505-516), Miaphysite
- Dioscorus II (516-517), Miaphysite
- Timothy III (517-535), Miaphysite
- Theodosius I (535-536), Miaphysite
- Gainas (535), in opposition to Theodosius
In 536 the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria
The Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria, also known as the Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox Church within the wider communion of Orthodox Christianity.Officially, it is called the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria to distinguish it from the...
withdrew their recognition of Theodosius I and elected Paul
Patriarch Paul of Alexandria
Patriarch Paul of Alexandria was Greek Patriarch of Alexandria between 536 and 540.He was elected Patriarch in 536 when the Greek Church of Alexandria, which had previously recognized the Miaphysite Theodosius I, disbanded with this recognition and elected Paul in his place...
as Patriarch, while the Coptic Orthodox Church of Alexandria continued to regonize Theodosius. For later succession of (Coptic) Popes and (Greek) Patriarchs, see:
- List of Coptic Orthodox Popes of Alexandria.
- List of Greek Orthodox Patriarchs of Alexandria.
See also
- Patriarch of AlexandriaPatriarch of AlexandriaThe Patriarch of Alexandria is the Archbishop of Alexandria and Cairo, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation of Pope , and did so earlier than that of the Bishop of Rome...
- Coptic Orthodox Pope of Alexandria
- Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Alexandria