and thirteenth Apostle."[1] However, since he is the only Melkite Patriarch, the usual and convenient rule is to call him so simply. According to Eastern custom he is "His Beatitude."[2] At Rome they do not seem to recognize this. To them he is "Eccellenza reverendissima."[3]
Antioch has long been abandoned as the Patriarchal residence. When the Ottoman Turks conquered Syria in 1516 Damascus became the political centre of the province. The Patriarch of Antioch then went to live there. Antioch is now a poor town of about 35,000 inhabitants, mostly Noṣairi. It has a few Orthodox Christians, a handful of Latins, Maronites, and Uniate Armenians, I believe no Melkites at all. The Orthodox Patriarchs then resided at Damascus; for a time there was still a Metropolitan of Damascus as well. Then, since the Patriarch was there himself, he assumed the administration of that see. This is still the case with both Orthodox and Melkites. When the division between Cyril and Silvester came, Cyril had to flee Damascus. From 1724 to 1834 the Melkite Patriarchs resided at the monastery of St Saviour, or at 'Ain Trāz, or Zūk Mikā'īl (p. 204). Meanwhile they appointed Vicars Patriarchal for Damascus. In 1834 Maximos III returned to Damascus (p. 212), but now, having also the administration of Egypt, he spent a great part of his time in his house at Cairo. Peter IV did not like Damascus; so he built himself a large house next to the Patriarchal College at Beirut. But he did not live to inhabit it. Since then this house is let. The present custom is for the Patriarch to divide his time between Cairo and Damascus, at both of which he has houses. It depends on his own preference where he spends most of his time. He is rarely at Jerusalem, where his flock is very small. He has a country house at 'Ain-Trāz.[4]
The Patriarch has Vicars Patriarchal representing him. These are generally, but neither necessarily nor always, bishops. At present there are such vicars at Cairo (for Egypt), at Jerusa-
- ↑ A missionary in Syria was much puzzled by this "thirteenth apostle." The idea is simple enough. We all know the twelve apostles. The Patriarch is so great that he is practically a thirteenth, practically equal to the others.
- ↑ Ġibṭah, Μακαριώτης.
- ↑ For the φῆμαι and titles of Patriarchs and bishops see Charon, op. cit., iii, 409-423. Cyril VIII made up a coat-of-arms for himself. It may be seen ibid., p. 422. It is shocking bad heraldry.
- ↑ Charon (iii, pp. 452-488) gives a complete list of the Patriarch's ecclesiastical rights and duties, according to the Synod of Jerusalem in 1849, also (pp. 507-519) of his civil rights and duties.
