The Syriac Orthodox Church underwent schism in the medieval era, first, after the death of Patriarch Philoxenus I Nemrud in 1292 with the formation of separate patriarchates of Mardin and Melitene, and again in 1364 due to the emergence of a patriarchate of Tur Abdin. Unity was restored to the church gradually as the patriarchate at Melitene came to an end in c. 1360, and the patriarchate of Mardin lapsed after its patriarch Ignatius Behnam Hadloyo was acknowledged as patriarch of Antioch in 1445. A line of patriarchs in communion with the Catholic Church split permanently in 1782, and thus formed the Syriac Catholic Church.
Unless otherwise stated, all information is from the Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage, and the list provided in The Syriac World, as noted in the bibliography below. Numeration includes incumbents deemed legitimate by the Syriac Orthodox Church prior to the schism in 518.[1]
On the death of Patriarch Philoxenus I Nemrud in 1292, the Syriac Orthodox Church split into the patriarchates of Antioch, Mardin, and Melitene. A separate patriarchate of Tur Abdin broke off from the patriarchate of Mardin in 1364. The patriarchate of Melitene ended in c. 1360, and the patriarch of Mardin Ignatius Behnam Hadloyo was acknowledged as the patriarch of Antioch in 1445, thus ending the schism.
^According to the Zuqnin Chronicle, Paul became patriarch in c. 551, whereas John of Ephesus dates the beginning of his reign to 564.[2] Paul was deposed in 578 by Pope Peter IV of Alexandria, but continued to be recognised as patriarch by his supporters until his death in 581.[3]
^Peter III may have become patriarch in 578, and thus no vacancy may have taken place.[2]
^Peter III became patriarch in either the same year as the deposition of Paul II in 578 or after his death in 581.[2]
^Julian is counted as either Julian I as the first Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch by that name,[4] or Julian II, after Julian (r. 471–475/476).[2]
^Athanasius I may have become patriarch in 594, and thus no vacancy may have taken place.[5]
^Ignatius is either counted as Ignatius I as the first Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch by that name,[4] or Ignatius II, after Ignatius (r. c. 70 – c. 107).
^Dionysius II may have become patriarch in 896, and thus no vacancy may have taken place.[4]
^Theodore bar Wahbun is considered an illegitimate patriarch.[13]
^Athanasius is also counted as Athanasius VII and Athanasius IX.[4]
^Michael II the Younger is considered an illegitimate patriarch.[14]
^John is counted as John XI, John XIII, or John XIV.[4]
^John bar Ma'dani was consecrated as patriarch after Dionysius VII, and both claimed the patriarchal office simultaneously until Dionysius' death in 1261, after which John was recognised as the sole patriarch.[15]
^Michael is counted as either Michael I as the first patriarch by that name in this line,[4] Michael II after Michael I (r. 1166–1199),[16] or Michael III after Michael II the Younger (r. 1199–1215).[4]
^Michael is also counted as Michael II as the second patriarch by that name in this line, and Michael IV.[4]
^Ignatius bar Wahib is counted as either Ignatius I as the first patriarch of Mardin by that name,[17] or Ignatius V, after Ignatius IV Yeshu (r. 1264–1283).[4]
^Ismail is counted as either Ignatius II,[17] or Ignatius VI.[4]
^Shahab is counted as either Ignatius III,[17] or Ignatius VII.[4]
^Abraham is counted as either Abraham II,[18] Ignatius II,[19] Ignatius IV,[17] or Ignatius VIII.[4]
^ abBehnam is counted as either Ignatius V,[17] or Ignatius IX.[4] Patriarch of Antioch from 1445 to 1455.
^Khalaf is counted as either Ignatius VI,[17] or Ignatius X.[4]
Kiraz, George A. (2011). "ʿAbdulmasīḥ II". In Sebastian P. Brock; Aaron M. Butts; George A. Kiraz; Lucas Van Rompay (eds.). Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: Electronic Edition. Gorgias Press. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
Palmer, Andrew (1990). Monk and Mason on the Tigris Frontier: The Early History of Tur Abdin. Cambridge University Press.
Palmer, Andrew (1993). The Seventh Century in the West Syrian Chronicles. Liverpool University Press.
Salvadore, Matteo (2017). "African Cosmopolitanism in the Early Modern Mediterranean: The Diasporic Life of Yohannes, the Ethiopian Pilgrim Who Became a Counter-Reformation Bishop". Journal of African History. 58 (1). Cambridge University Press: 61–83. doi:10.1017/S002185371600058X. S2CID164524442.
Van Rompay, Lucas (2011a). "Pawlos of Beth Ukome". In Sebastian P. Brock; Aaron M. Butts; George A. Kiraz; Lucas Van Rompay (eds.). Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: Electronic Edition. Gorgias Press. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
Van Rompay, Lucas (2011b). "Severos bar Mashqo". In Sebastian P. Brock; Aaron M. Butts; George A. Kiraz; Lucas Van Rompay (eds.). Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage: Electronic Edition. Gorgias Press. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
Wilmshurst, David (2019). "West Syrian patriarchs and maphrians". In Daniel King (ed.). The Syriac World. Routledge. pp. 806–813.
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