The Antiochian Orthodox Patriarch

[M.SIGGA]

One of my best pals who is E. Orthodox sent me this webpage to see what the R. Catholic Church teaches about the Antiochian Orthodox Church, which also owes its apostolic succesion directly to St. Peter. His question really confused me because I always thought St. Peter only gave direct apostolic sucession to the Pope in Rome. If this is correct, he must have also been a bishop b4 getting to Rome. I know the Orthodox branches are all founded by other apostles, but I always thought St. Peter was only for the Catholic Church. How can I answer him? Thanks.

from http://www.antiochian.org/

THE CITY OF ANTIOCH on-the-Orontes was the most important city of the Roman Province of Syria, and, as such, served as the capital city of the Empire's civil "Diocese of the East." The Church in Antioch dates back to the days of the foremost apostles, SS. Peter and Paul, as is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. Scripture refers to Antioch as the place where the followers of Jesus Christ were first called "Christians" (Acts 11.26), and records that Nicholas, one of the original seven deacons, was from that city -- and may have been its first convert (Acts 6.5). During the persecution of the Church which followed the death of St. Stephen the Proto-Martyr, members of the infant community in Jerusalem sought refuge in Antioch (Acts 11.19), and while St. Peter served as the first bishop of the city, SS. Paul and Barnabas set out on their great missionary journeys to Gentile lands (Acts 13.1) -- establishing a tradition which would last for centuries, as from Antioch missionaries planted churches throughout greater Syria, Asia Minor, the Caucasus Mountains, and Mesopotamia.

At the first Ecumenical Council, convened in the year 325 by Emperor Constantine the Great, the primacy of the bishop (patriarch) of Antioch over all bishops of the civil Diocese of the East was formally sanctioned. The Great Schism of 1054 resulted in the separation of Rome, seat of the Patriarchate of the West, from the four Eastern Patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. During the reign of the Egyptian Mamelukes, conquerors of Syria in the 13th century, the Patriarchal residence was transferred to the ancient city of Damascus, where a Christian community had flourished since apostolic times (Acts 9), and which had succeeded earthquake-prone Antioch as the civil capital of Syria. The headquarters of the Patriarchate, which has jurisdiction over all dioceses within its ancient geographic boundaries (Syria and Lebanon) as well as others in the Americas, Australia, and Western Europe, are located in Damascus on "the street called Straight" (Acts 9.11).

[phatcatholic]

m.sigga,

i went to newadvent.org, the catholic online encyclopedia, where there's an entry called "the church of antioch." it was quite lengthy, so instead of reading it all, i did a search for the word "Peter" w/in the entry. i found him mentioned in the following two paragraphs:

Since the city of Antioch was a great centre of government and civilization, the Christian religion spread thither almost from the beginning. Nicolas, one of the seven deacons in Jerusalem, was from Antioch (Acts, vi, 5). The seed of Christ's teaching was carried to Antioch by some disciples from Cyprus and Cyrene, who fled from Jerusalem during the persecution that followed upon the martyrdom of St. Stephen (Acts, xi, 19, 20). They preached the teachings of Jesus, not only to the Jewish colony but also to the Greeks or Gentiles, and soon large numbers were converted. The mother-church of Jerusalem having heard of the occurrence sent Barnabas thither, who called Saul from Tarsus to Antioch (ib., 22, 25). There they laboured for a whole year with such success that the followers of Christ were acknowledged as forming a distinct community, "so that at Antioch the disciples were first named Christians" (ib., 26). Their charity was exhibited by the offerings sent to the famine-stricken brethren in Judea. St. Peter himself came to Antioch (Gal., ii, 11), probably about the year 44, and according to all appearances lived there for some time. The community of Antioch, being composed in part of Greeks or Gentiles, had views of its own on the character and conditions of the new religion. There was a faction among the disciples in Jerusalem which maintained that the Gentile converts to Christianity should pass first through Judaism by submitting to the observances of the Mosaic law, such as circumcision and the like. This attitude seemed to close the gates to the Gentiles, and was strongly contested by the Christians of Antioch. Their plea for Christian liberty was defended by their leaders, Paul and Barnabas, and received full recognition in the Apostolic Council of Jerusalem (Acts, xv, 22- 32). Later on St. Paul defends this principle at Antioch even in the face of Peter (Gal., ii, 11). Antioch became soon a centre of missionary propaganda. It was thence that St. Paul and his companions started on their journey for the conversion of the nations. The Church of Antioch was also fully organized almost from the beginning. It was one of the few original churches which preserved complete the catalogue of its bishops. The first of these bishops, Evodius, reaches back to the Apostolic age. At a very early date the Christian community of Antioch became the central point of all the Christian interests in the East. After the fall of Jerusalem (A. D. 70) it was the real metropolis of Christianity in those countries.

In the meantime the number of Christians grew to such an extent, that in the first part of the fourth century Antioch was looked upon as practically a Christian city. Many churches were erected there for the accommodation of the worshippers of Christ. In the fourth century there was still a basilica called "the ancient" and "apostolic". It was probably one of the oldest architectural monuments of Christianity; an ancient tradition maintained that it was originally the house of Theophilus, the friend of St. Luke (Acts, i, 1). There were also sanctuaries dedicated to the memory of the great Apostles, Peter, Paul, and John. Saint Augustine speaks (Sermo, ccc., n. 5) of a "basilica of the holy Machabees" at Antioch, a famous shrine from the fourth to the sixth century (Card. Rampolla, in "Bessarione", Rome, 1897-98, I-II). ....

essentially, this source and the one ur friend cited are in agreement that Peter lived in Antioch, but NOT that he was the first bishop there. if you would like to read the entire entry, go here

pax christi,

phatcatholic

[M.SIGGA]

Thanks a million for the reply. I guess I can tell him that (St?)Evodius was the first recorded Antiochian bishop, but wouldn't he have been appointed by St. Peter since Peter was the Apostle who lived there, or could have Sts. Paul and Barnabas also have appointed Evodius? From what I understand, their See still claims to be from St. Peter, so how can I explain this to him? I know that I can argue that St. Ignatius Martyr was from Antioch and he submits to the Roman Patriarch, but can tell him the See of Antioch is not really from St. Peter? Thanks again.

[God Conquers]

I don't think it's such a big deal if Peter appointed a Bishop in Antioch, because it would be like the Pope (which he was) appointing a bishop or recognizing a Patriarch (which he does now). Peter didn't die in Antioch, and its not where he set up his greatest bishopric. Rome was the most important city period of the day, and so, although Antioch may have been cheif over the east, Rome was certainly cheif over ALL.

[M.SIGGA]

I don't think it's such a big deal if Peter appointed a Bishop in Antioch, because it would be like the Pope (which he was) appointing a bishop or recognizing a Patriarch (which he does now). Peter didn't die in Antioch, and its not where he set up his greatest bishopric. Rome was the most important city period of the day, and so, although Antioch may have been cheif over the east, Rome was certainly cheif over ALL.

Thanks both of you, I said what you said. My friend said that this is greater evidence for him that the Pope is an equal bishop with all the others and that was actually the end of the conversation. I have a feeling his mind was already made up before he asked me. Thanks again.