No “Pentarchy” at Íznik

By Peter Anderson

Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew gifts a cross to Pope Leo during his November 30-December 2 trip to Constantinople and Lebanon. (photo:Vatican Media)

On October 22, 2025, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew presided at Vespers at the Church of St. George in Neochori (Yeniköy), near Istanbul. St. George is the Jerusalem Patriarchate’s embassy church (or “metochion”) to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, and Archbishop Nektarios, the representative of the Jerusalem Patriarchate to the Ecumenical Patriarchate, was present. Bartholomew, in his address at the Vespers service, revealed that he had invited not only Pope Leo XIV to celebrate with him at Nicaea (İznik) on November 28, 2025, the 1700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council, but had also invited Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria, Patriarch John of Antioch, and Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem.

Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew expressed regret that Patriarch Theophilos had not yet responded to the invitation. The Ecumenical Patriarch stated:

“This historic event, a tangible manifestation of the unity of Eastern and Western Christianity — of the four Patriarchs of the East and the Patriarch of the West, the Pentarchy of the Patriarchates — cannot be imagined without the presence of [Patriarch Theophilos,] the successor of St. James, the Brother of the Lord.”

What is the “Pentarchy”? The Pentarchy is not a concept developed by churches but rather by Byzantine Emperor Justinian (482-565). The concept was recognized in his law, the Sixth Novella, adopted in 535. The concept was that one emperor and five patriarchs (Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem) would rule over one society of Christians. Among the five patriarchs, Justinian’s Pentarchy recognized that the Patriarch of Rome was first in honor, but without authority over the other four patriarchs.

The Pentarchy was also recognized in 692 by the Quinisext Council (or Council of Trullo). However, the validity of this council was never recognized by the Pope of Rome.  The split between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in 1054 made impossible a single body consisting of all five patriarchs. At no time has a Pope ever recognized the concept of the Pentarchy, because the concept assumes the equality of the five patriarchs and does not recognize that the primacy of Rome involves more than honor.

Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus (left), Patriarch John of Antioch (center-left), Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria (center-right), Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem (right). Photo: antiochpatriarchate.org

Now, many centuries later, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been attempting to revive a new concept of Pentarchy. Thus, on September 1, 2011, Bartholomew convened a special meeting of the Patriarchs of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. For a fifth member, in the place of Rome, Bartholomew invited the Archbishop of the Church of Cyprus to join the meeting. These four patriarchates and the one church had been recognized as independent churches before the year 500. At the 2011 meeting, the heads of these “ancient churches” issued a joint statement calling for peaceful existence between religions in the Middle East.

The celebration at İznik of the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea provided another opportunity for Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to use the concept of Pentarchy. However, this latest attempt was unsuccessful. Not only did the Patriarch of Jerusalem fail to accept Bartholomew’s invitation, but so did the Patriarch of Antioch.  They only sent representatives. The Patriarch of Alexandria did personally attend.

The failure of the two patriarchs to attend is another sign of the divisions within Orthodoxy today. There is a fear that the Ecumenical Patriarch is using the concept of Pentarchy to give greater importance to the “ancient Orthodox churches.” Not being ancient, the Moscow Patriarchate is strongly opposed to such an attempt. Because of the influence of Russia in the Middle East, the Patriarchs of Antioch and Jerusalem probably declined Bartholomew’s invitation to avoid irritating Moscow.

Based on the İznik experience, it is very likely that Pentarchy will remain an historic concept without current applicability.