Catholicos - Origin of The Title

Origin of The Title

The title came into common use with the Patriarchate of Antioch sometime after the division of jurisdiction of provinces among the three Churches in the First Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, this along with canon six confirmed the traditional jurisdiction of the Church of Antioch. In early usage, Catholicoi were created mainly to rule provinces formed outside of the Roman Empire. The actual extent of their relationship with Antioch is unclear.

The earliest ecclesiastical use of the title Catholicos was by the Catholicos of Armenia, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, in the 4th century. Sometime later, it was adopted by the bishops of Seleucia-Ctesiphon in Persia, who became the designated heads of the Church of the East. The first claim that the bishop of Selucia-Ctesiphon was superior to the other bishoprics and had (using a later term) patriarchal rights was made by Patriarch Papa bar Gaggai (or Aggai, c. 317-c. 329). In the 5th century this was claim strengthened and Isaac (or Ishaq, 399-c.410), who organized the Council of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, used the title of bishop of Selucia-Ctesiphon, Catholicos and Head over the bishops of all the Orient. This line of Catholicos founded the Church of the East and the development of the East Syrian Rite.