The following is a chronological list of bishops and ecumenical patriarchs of Constantinople. The historical data on the first 25 bishops is limited with modern scholars debating their authenticity. The Foundation of the See by Andrew the Apostle is met with similar amounts of skepticism with scholars believing it to be a later tradition. The list is mostly based on the compilation made by Demetrius Kiminas, but there is no single "official" numbering of bishops. The official website of the patriarchate has a list of holders but gives them no numeral.
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), who mostly uses the dates established by Venance Grumel (1958). See also the lists in the Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (1991) and the Encyclopedia of the Byzantine Empire (2015).
During the 16th session of the Council of Chalcedon (OctoberâÂÂNovember 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.
In 1054, the Eastern Orthodox Church cut ties to the Roman Catholic Church as a result of the Great EastâÂÂWest Schism.
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. After John's death, Laskaris sent letters to Pope Innocent III in hopes of authorizing Orthodox clerics to elect a new Orthodox patriarch and seeking recognition of himself as the supreme head of the Orthodox community, though both requests were ignored by the pope. 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.
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.
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):
According to Laurent (1968):
According to Gemanos of Sardeis (1933âÂÂ1938):
The chronology up to the year 1595 is somewhat disputed by authors.
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.
Longest-reigning patriarchs
Shortest-reigning patriarchs
The most frequently used patriarchal name is John, with 14 ecumenical patriarchs taking this name. There have also been 74 patriarchal names that have only been used once. The number of all patriarchs to the present is 269.