Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch (Greek: Ελληνορθόδοξο Πατριαρχείο Αντιοχείας), also known as the Antiochian Orthodox Church and legally as the Rūm Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East (Arabic: بطريركيّة أنطاكية وسائر المشرق للروم الأرثوذكس, romanized: Baṭriyarkiyyat ʾAnṭākiya wa-Sāʾir al-Mašriq li-r-Rūm al-ʾUrṯūḏuks, lit. 'Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East for the Orthodox Rum'), is an autocephalous Greek Orthodox church within the wider communion of Eastern Orthodox Christianity that originates from the historical Church of Antioch. Headed by the Greek Orthodox patriarch of Antioch, it considers itself the successor to the Christian community founded in Antioch by the Apostles Peter and Paul. It is one of the largest Christian denominations of the Middle East, alongside the Copts of Egypt and the Maronites of Lebanon.
Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East بطريركيّة أنطاكية وسائر المشرق للروم الأرثوذكس | |
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Mariamite Cathedral, Damascus, Syria, headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch since 1342 AD, with the 'Umariyya Minaret at the front, to the right | |
| Type | Antiochian |
| Classification | Eastern Orthodox |
| Orientation | Greek Orthodox |
| Scripture | Septuagint, New Testament |
| Theology | Eastern Orthodox theology |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Primate | John X (Yazigi), Patriarch of Antioch and All the East (since December 17, 2012) |
| Language | Koine Greek, Aramaic (Classical Syriac & Syro-Palestinian) (historical), Arabic (official), Turkish (in Turkey), English, French, Portuguese, Spanish and other languages (extended) |
| Headquarters | Mariamite Cathedral, Damascus, Syria Traditionally: Church of Cassian, Antioch, Byzantine Empire Monastic residence: Balamand Monastery, Koura, Lebanon |
| Territory | Primary: Syria, Lebanon, part of Turkey, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia (formerly also Cyprus, Georgia and parts of the Central Caucasus area) Extended: North America, Central America, South America, Western, Southern and Central Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines |
| Founder | Apostles Peter and Paul |
| Independence | A.D. 519 |
| Recognition | Orthodox |
| Branched from | Church of Antioch |
| Separations | Maronite Church - 685 Georgian Orthodox Church - 1010 Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch - 1724 |
| Members | Approx. 4.3 million (2012) |
| Official website | www.antiochpatriarchate.org |
| Part of a series on the |
| Eastern Orthodox Church |
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Its adherents, known as Antiochian Christians, are a Middle-Eastern semi-ethnoreligious Eastern Christian group residing in the Levant region including the Hatay Province of Turkey. Many of their descendants now live in the global Eastern Christian diaspora. The number of Antiochian Greek Christians is estimated to be approximately 4.3 million.