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TheChurch of Antioch (Arabic:كنيسة أنطاكية,romanized: kánīsa ʾanṭākiya,pronounced[ka.niː.saʔan.tˤaː.ki.ja];Turkish:Antakya Kilisesi) was the first of the five major churches of what later became thepentarchy inChristianity, with its primary seat in the ancient Greek city ofAntioch (present-dayAntakya, Turkey).
The earliest record of the church of Antioch is given inActs 11, stating that some "men of Cyprus andCyrene, which, when they had come to Antioch, spoke to the Grecians, preaching the Lord Jesus [...] and a great number believed, and turned to the Lord."[1] Later, at the start of their missionary journeys,Paul the Apostle (also called Saul) andBarnabas preached in Antioch for a year, and followers of the church were called "Christians" for the first time.[2][full citation needed]
Followers of Jesus Christ trace the origin of the term Christian to the church community that developed in Antioch. The organized life of the early Christian church began after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, especially at Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles.[3] Following the martyrdom of Stephen and the resulting persecution in Jerusalem, many believers were scattered into surrounding regions and preached the gospel as they went.[4] Some of these dispersed believers reached Antioch, where they proclaimed the message to both Jews and Gentiles, and a significant community of disciples formed.[5] When the church in Jerusalem learned of this development, it sent Barnabas to Antioch; Barnabas later retrieved Saul (Paul) from Tarsus, and the two taught the believers for a year.[6] It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first called “Christians.”[7]
According to verses 19–26 of Acts 11,Barnabas went to Tarsus in search ofSaul and brought him to Antioch. They met with the church and taught for a year. The disciples, who had been scattered because of persecution in Jerusalem, were first calledChristians in Antioch.[8] One of the leading members of this group was Barnabas, who was sent to organize the new church. The group later became thePatriarchate of Antioch, part of thepentarchy as one of the five greatpatriarchates.
Saul, also known as Paul the Apostle, began his missionary journeys in Antioch.[2][full citation needed] According to Acts,Judaizers from Jerusalem caused a disturbance in the church.[9] Paul started his first missionary journey from Antioch and returned there.[10][11] After theJerusalem decree to the gentile converts in Antioch, Paul began his second missionary journey from Antioch.[12] His third journey also began there.Ignatius then served as bishop there for forty years until his martyrdom in 107 AD.[13][full citation needed]
Antioch served as a central point for sending missionaries to the gentiles, probably after theGreat Commission.Nicolas, one of theSeven Deacons, was a missionary from Antioch.
Antioch was also the birthplace ofJohn Chrysostom, a prominent Christian father who died in 407 AD.[14][full citation needed]
The seat of the Patriarchate was originally in Antioch (in present-dayTurkey). In response to the Ottoman invasion in the 15th century, it was moved to Damascus.[citation needed]
Some ancient synagogue priestlyrites andhymns of Greek origin have partially survived to the modern day, particularly in the unique worship of theMelkite andGreek Orthodox communities in the TurkishHatay province, Syria, Lebanon and northern Israel. Members of these communities still refer to themselves asRūm, which literally means "Eastern Romans" or "Byzantines" inTurkish,Persian andArabic. The termRūm is preferred toYūnāniyyūn, which means "Greek" or "Ionian".[citation needed]
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TheMaronite,Melkite, andSyriac Catholic patriarchates are infull communion with theCatholic Church and thus recognise each other's claims. The Catholic Church also appointed aLatin Patriarch of Antioch in 1100 by way ofBohemond (founder of thePrincipality of Antioch, one of thecrusader states). After theCrusades, this office became titular in 1268, and lasted as titular for many centuries until it was abolished in 1964.
The Maronite Patriarchate of Antioch and all the East was founded byMaron in the 5th century; it survived the laterMuslim invasions, reaffirming communion with Rome in the 12th century.
The Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and of All the East, of Alexandria and of Jerusalem was the contiguous Chalcedonian faction of the Church of Antioch, otherwise known asMelkites by then patriarchCyril VI Tanas, who brought the patriarchate back into communion withRome. Those who rejected communion with Rome formed the modern dayGreek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.
The Syriac Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch was the contiguous non-Melkite,non-Chalcedonian faction of the Church of Antioch first formed after theCouncil of Chalcedon. With the election of the Catholic-alignedAndrew Akijan as Syriac Patriarch of Antioch, the patriarchate subsequently re-entered into full communion withRome, and later re-established communion again in 1782 with the election of PatriarchMichael III Jarweh as the same, with those who rejected communion with Rome forming the modernSyriac Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch.
of theChurch of Antioch before 518 | |
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