Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Jerusalem

The first Syriac Orthodox church in Jerusalem was probably built between the Sasanian conquest (614) and the Islamic conquest (637). The Patriarch Michael the Syrian (died 1199) implies that the church torn down by Harun al-Rashid in 806/807 predated the Islamic conquest. It was soon rebuilt by an Egyptian named Macarius of Naburwah. Since almost all of the known bishops were monks, there must also have been at least a rudimentary monastic community.{{sfnp|Palmer|1991|pp=26–31}}

The church appears to have been destroyed at the time of the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. In 1092, Mansur of Tilbana, another Egyptian, built what was then the only Syriac Orthodox church in the city. In the first quarter of the 12th century, Bishop Ignatius II rebuilt the destroyed church and monastery. It was dedicated to Saint Mary Magdalene and later also to Simon the Pharisee. Shortly after 1125, Ignatius III constructed a hostel with a courtyard across from the church.{{sfnp|Palmer|1991|pp=26–31}} According to John of Würzburg, writing later in the century, this church was believed to have formerly been the house of Simon the Leper.{{sfnp|John of Würzburg|1890|pp=23–24}}

After the Ayyyubid conquest in 1187, the church and monastery were transformed into a Muslim school. The bishops were only able again to occupy it again briefly when the city was in Christian hands between the Sixth Crusade (1229) and the Khwarazmian conquest (1244). Thereafter the Syriac Orthodox used the small church of Saint Thomas of the Germans until it was handed over to the Muslim authorities by the incumbent monk, who converted to Islam in 1451/1452.{{sfnp|Palmer|1991|pp=26–31}}

The Syriac Orthodox patriarch acquired the Monastery of Saint Mark from the Coptic Orthodox in 1472 and this has served ever since as the church of the bishops of Jerusalem.{{sfnmp|Palmer|1991|1pp=26–31|Barsoum|2003|2p=566}} There was a deputy metropolitan bishop of Jerusalem from the early 18th century to the office's abolition in 1858, who resided at the Monastery of Saint Mark, whilst the metropolitan bishop resided at the Mor Hananyo Monastery in Tur Abdin.{{sfnmp|Barsoum|2008|1p=41|Barsoum|2009a|2p=43–44}}

The following ecclesiastical properties belong to the archdiocese:

• Monastery of Saint Mark
• Chapel of Saint Joseph of Arimathea and Saint Nicodemus in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
• Church of the Mother of God, Bethlehem, Palestine.{{cite web |url=http://syriacorthodoxresources.org/ChMon/HLand/BethlehemYoldathAloho.html|date=22 September 2002|title=Church of the Mother of God, Bethlehem|access-date=11 December 2021|website=Syriac Orthodox Resources}}
• Church of Saint Ephrem, Amman, Jordan.{{cite web |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2015/9/18/life-on-hold-for-iraqi-christian-refugees-in-jordan|date=18 September 2015|title=Life on hold for Iraqi Christian refugees in Jordan|last1=Lynn|first1=Kelly |access-date=11 December 2021|website=Al Jazeera}}

The archdiocese also possesses minor rights of worship at the following churches:

• Church of the Nativity
• Church of the Tomb of the Virgin Mary

The Syriac Orthodox Register of Episcopal Ordinations only goes back to 793. Michael the Syrian appended to his Chronicle a list of bishops of Jerusalem from James, brother of Jesus, down to his own time. It is identical to the Register for the bishops after 793. The bishops were of metropolitan rank.{{sfnp|Palmer|1991|p=27}}

In the following list, a date range like 792×818 means "ordained between 792 and 818". Bishops before 793 cannot be dated at all. The list begins with the first bishop elected in opposition to the Council of Chalcedon (451), but the numbering takes into account the earlier bishops of Jerusalem.List drawn from {{harvnb|Chabot|1905|p=493}} and {{harvnb|Palmer|1991|pp=36–37}}.

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• Theodosius (451–453)
• Severus (590–635)
• Anastasius
• Martyrius
• Sallustianus
• Elias
• Cyril II
• Jeremy I
• Thomas I
• John I
• Philoxenus I
• Timothy I (792×818)
• Job (816×845)
• Ignatius I (816×846)
• Joseph III (816×846)
• John II (845×875)
• Cyril III Noah (845×875)
• Cyriacus
• Severus (877×884)
• Joseph IV (909×924)
• Theodore (909×924)
• Cyril IV (922×936)
• Jeremy II (935×954)
• Thomas II (964×986)
• John III (1006×1031)
• Philoxenus II (1003×1031)
• Zacharias (1041×1058)
• Thomas III (1041×1058)
• Timothy II (1062×1074){{efn|Barsoum places Timothy II's episcopate in {{circa|1080}}.{{sfnp|Barsoum|2009b|p=2}}}}
• John IV (1079×1083)
• Cyril V (1090×1130)
• David (1090×1130)
• Ignatius II Hesnun (1090×1130, died 1124/1125)
• Ignatius III ibn Busayr of Gadina (1123×1140)
• Ignatius IV Romanus (1138×1167){{efn|Barsoum places Ignatius IV Romanus' episcopate in 1139–1183.{{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|p=442}}}}
• Athanasius (1167×1200)
• Ignatius V Sahdo (1167×1200){{efn|Barsoum places Ignatius V Sahdo's episcopate from 1193 to his death in the first decade of the 13th century.{{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|p=449}}}}
• Basil (fl. 1292–1295){{sfnp|Barsoum|2008|p=58}}
• Basil Simon (?–1421/1422)
• Gregorius Joseph al-Gurji ({{circa|1510/1512}}–1537){{efn|Gregorius Joseph al-Gurji was metropolitan bishop of Jerusalem, Homs, Damascus, Tripoli, and Mardin for a time.{{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|pp=511–512}}}}{{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|pp=511–512}}
• Gregorius Bahnam ({{circa|1530}})
• John of Mardin (d. 1577){{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|p=80}}
• Gregorius John of Gargar (d. 1585×1587){{efn|John of Gargar was metropolitan bishop of Jerusalem and Tripoli.{{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|p=156}}}}
• Gregorius Behnam of Arbo (1590–1614){{sfnmp|Barsoum|2008|1p=58|Barsoum|2003|2p=21}}
• Abd al-Azal (1640){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009b|p=2}}
• Gregorius Abdal Jaleel (1664–1671){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=96}}
• Gregorius Simon II (1679–1692){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|pp=4, 15}}
• Gregorius Simon III of Salah (1693–1719){{sfnmp|Barsoum|2008|1p=77|Barsoum|2009a|2p=4}}
• Gregorius ‘Abd al-Ahad (1719–1731){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=25}}
• Gregorius Barsoum (1720–1727){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=16}}
• Gregorius Barsoum (1729–1737){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=29}}
• Gregorius Sani’a (1731–1737){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=37}}
• Gregorius Thomas (1737–1748){{sfnp|Ignatius Jacob III|2008|page=216}}
• Gregorius George (1748–1773){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|pp=42–49}}
• Gregorius Bishara of Bitlis (1774–1789){{efn|Bishara of Bitlis was metropolitan bishop of Jerusalem and Amida from 1774 to 1783.{{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=121}}}}
• Athanasius Jacob (1785–1797){{sfnp|Barsoum|2008|p=59}}
• Dionysius Jacob (1798){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009b|p=2}}
• Cyril ‘Abd al-Ahad (1799–1840){{sfnp|Barsoum|2008|p=59}}

:Deputy: Gregorius Jacob (?–1847){{sfnp|Barsoum|2008|pp=41, 50}}

:Deputy: Athanasius Yuhanna (1850–1864){{sfnp|Barsoum|2008|p=60}}

• Gregorius Abded Sattuf (1872–1880){{sfnp|Kiraz|2011}}
• George Kassab of Sadad (d. 1896){{sfnp|Barsoum|2003|p=22}}
• Iyawannis Elias (1896–1908){{sfnp|Barsoum|2008|p=42}}
• Gregorius Ephrem (1909–?){{sfnp|Barsoum|2009a|p=43}}
• Athanasius Yeshue Samuel (1946–1957)
• Dionysius Behnan Jijjawi (1957–1996)
• Sewerus Malki Mourad (1996–2018)
• Gabriel Dahho (2019–2022){{cite web |url=https://syriacpatriarchate.org/2019/04/consecration-of-archbishop-patriarchal-vicar-for-jerusalem/|date=10 April 2019|title=Consecration of Archbishop Patriarchal Vicar for Jerusalem|access-date=13 December 2021|website=Syrian Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch}}{{cite web |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-mourns-passing-of-archbishop-mor-gabriel-dahho|date=22 July 2022|title=WCC mourns passing of Archbishop Mor Gabriel Dahho|access-date=22 July 2022|website=World Council of Churches}}

:Patriarchal delegate: Anthimos Jack Yakoub (2022–2023){{cite web |url=https://syriacpress.com/blog/2022/07/29/two-patriarchal-delegates-appointed-by-syriac-orthodox-church-to-holeb-archdiocese-and-jerusalem-jordan-and-holy-lands-archdiocese/|date=29 July 2022|title=Two Patriarchal Delegates appointed by Syriac Orthodox Church to Holeb Archdiocese and Jerusalem, Jordan, and Holy Lands Archdiocese|access-date=6 August 2022|website=Syriac Press}}

• Anthimos Jack Yakoub (2023–present){{cite web |url=https://www.oikoumene.org/news/wcc-congratulates-archbishop-mor-anthimos-jack-yakoub-patriarchal-vicar-for-jerusalem-jordan-and-the-holy-land|date=2 February 2023|title=WCC congratulates Archbishop Mor Anthimos Jack Yakoub, patriarchal vicar for Jerusalem, Jordan, and the Holy Land|access-date=10 March 2023|website=World Council of Churches}}

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Notes

{{Notelist|30em}}

Citations

{{Reflist|30em}}

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• {{cite book | last1 =Barsoum| first=Ephrem |date=2003|title=The Scattered Pearls: A History of Syriac Literature and Sciences|edition=2nd|publisher=Gorgias Press|translator=Matti Moosa|author-link=Ignatius Aphrem I |url=https://archive.org/details/EphremBarsoumMattiMoosaTheScatteredPearlsAHistoryOfSyriacLiteratureAndSciences|accessdate=14 July 2020}}
• {{cite book | last1 =Barsoum| first1 =Aphrem|date=2008|title=History of the Za'faran Monastery|publisher=Gorgias Press|translator=Matti Moosa|author-link=Ignatius Aphrem I|url=https://archive.org/details/history-of-the-zafaran-monastery-by-ignatius-aphram-barsoum-z-lib.org|access-date=26 June 2021}}
• {{cite book | last1 =Barsoum| first=Aphrem|date=2009a|title=History of the Syriac Dioceses|volume=1|publisher=Gorgias Press|translator=Matti Moosa|author-link=Ignatius Aphrem I|url=https://archive.org/details/history-of-syriac-dioceses.-aphrem-barsoum|access-date=26 June 2021}}
• {{cite book | last1 =Barsoum| first=Aphrem|date=2009b|title=The Collected Historical Essays of Aphram I Barsoum|volume=1|publisher=Gorgias Press|translator=Matti Moosa|author-link=Ignatius Aphrem I|url=https://archive.org/details/the-collected-historical-essays-of-aphram-i-barsoum|access-date=26 June 2021}}
• {{cite book |editor-first=Jean-Baptiste |editor-last=Chabot |editor-link=Jean-Baptiste Chabot |location=Paris |publisher=Ernest Leroux |year=1905 |volume=III |title=Chronique de Michel le Syrien |url=https://archive.org/details/MichelLeSyrien3/page/n7/mode/2up}}
• {{cite book | author1=Ignatius Jacob III|date=2008|title=History of the Monastery of Saint Matthew in Mosul|publisher=Gorgias Press|translator=Matti Moosa|author-link=Ignatius Jacob III|url=https://archive.org/details/history-of-the-monastery-of-saint-matthew-in-mosul-by-ignatius-aphram-barsoum-z-lib.org|access-date=25 May 2021}}
• {{cite book |author=John of Würzburg |author-link=John of Würzburg |translator=Aubrey Stewart |title=Description of the Holy Land |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924028534323/page/n6 |location=London |year=1890 |publisher=Palestine Pilgrims' Text Society}}
• {{cite encyclopedia |first1=George A. |last1=Kiraz|title=ʿAbdullāh II Saṭṭūf|encyclopedia=Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage |editor1=Sebastian P. Brock |editor2=Aaron M. Butts |editor3=George A. Kiraz |authorlink1=George A. Kiraz |editor4=Lucas Van Rompay |url=https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/Abdullah-II-Sattuf|publisher=Gorgias Press, electronic edition by Beth Mardutho |year=2011|accessdate=17 July 2020}}
• {{cite encyclopedia |first1=George A. |last1=Kiraz |first2=Lucas |last2=Van Rompay |title=Jerusalem |encyclopedia=Gorgias Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Syriac Heritage |editor1=Sebastian P. Brock |editor2=Aaron M. Butts |editor3=George A. Kiraz |authorlink1=George A. Kiraz |editor4=Lucas Van Rompay |url=https://gedsh.bethmardutho.org/entry/Jerusalem|publisher=Gorgias Press, electronic edition by Beth Mardutho |year=2011|accessdate=7 June 2020}}
• {{cite journal |first=Andrew |last=Palmer |title=The History of the Syrian Orthodox in Jerusalem |journal=Oriens Christianus |volume=75 |year=1991 |pages=16–43 |url=https://www.academia.edu/11289906}}
• {{cite journal |first=Andrew |last=Palmer |title=The History of the Syrian Orthodox in Jerusalem, Part II: Queen Melisende and the Jacobite Estates |journal=Oriens Christianus |volume=76 |year=1992 |pages=74–94 |url=https://www.academia.edu/11290385}}

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Category:Bishops in Jerusalem