‘Patriarch’ as a Title:

The word “patriarch” derives from “Παπας” “pater” (father) and “archon” (leader). The origin of the word being Greek, it means “leader-father”. The first instance in which the word came into utility was in 200 B.C. when Alexander the Great facilitated the gathering of the 70 to translate the Bible from Hebrew to Greek. This was one of the most epochal moments in history when the Bible, known us the Septuagent, came into existence. It was the translators of the Septuagent who, for the first time, substituted the phrase “Father of all” in the Bible into “Patriarch”. The coming of the title into usage strictly referring to the authority of the leaders of the churches, however, can be traced to 42 A.D. in Alexandria, Egypt. Although, from this point on, the See of St. Mark continued to confer the title of “patriarch” to the office of the “first-father”, the first official recognition of the title began to gain currency following the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. The general usage of the title, however, became apparent after the Third Council of the Church in 381 A.D. When the office and the title of a “patriarch” became fixed posts for the highest positions within the early church - particularly after the 6th century – the churches of Rome, Antioch, Constantine and Alexandria as well as of Jerusalem officially adopted the term. Successions of leaders of churches chosen to these positions have since been called patriarchs.

A Patriarch’s Term of Office:

According to Article 4 of fitHi menfesawi, one of the legal foundations of our church, “a patriarch is the spiritual representative (Kholaphaa) of Christ temporally. The scriptural basis for this is what our Lord told the Apostles – “He who receives you receives me.” The office of the patriarch, by virtue of the fact that it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, therefore, cannot be simply annulled by mere vicissitudes of circumstances and the whims of human beings. It is for this reason that Article 4:54 of the fitHa negest states that “Just as fathers have full authority over their children, so do Arch-bishops (patriarchs) over their flocks, …for they are the representative of Christ on earth.”

When the Authority of the Patriarch is challenged:

Canon 50 of Nicaea states: “If charges are brought against an arch-bishop (patriarch), bishops who are under his charge do not have the authority to adjudicate on his case.  In order for the charges brought against him and the proceeding to have legal basis, another patriarch has to be present at the deliberation. Moreover, a patriarch is, first and foremost, a priest.  Since the office of priesthood has no terms, so is the office of a patriarch.