PATRIARCHAL CENTRES

PATRIARCHAL CENTRES OF THE SYRIAC ORTHODOX CHURCH OF ANTIOCH

1. The first Centre of the Syriac Patriarchate was Antioch. It was established by Mor¹ Peter (Şem’un) in AD 37. (¹In Syriac, My Lord, which corresponds to the English title St.)
2. The Patriarchal Centre remained in Antioch until the year 518, and was then temporarily moved to several monasteries.
3. It was temporarily settled in Malatya in 969 by Patriarch John VII.
4. In 1058 due to the Rum Orthodox (in Syriac, Melkites, i.e. the supporters of the Emperor), the Centre was moved to Diyarbakir. The Church of the Virgin Mary in Diyarbakır and the Deyrulzafaran Monastery hosted the Patriarchal Centre until the year 1293.
5. In 1293 during the patriarchal office of Ignatius Bin Vahip, the Patriarchal Centre continuously and officially remained in Deyrulzafaran Monastery.
6. In 1932, when the Metropolitan of Homs, Ephrem Barsaum, was elected Patriarch, the Patriarchal Centre moved to the Syrian city of Homs.
7. In 1959 Patriarch Ignatius Jacob III moved the Patriarchal Centre to the Capital of Syria, Damascus. Today, the Patriarchal Centre of the Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch still holds office in Damascus, and this is the rightful Patriarchate that traces back its origins to Antioch.