The crisis in the Patriarchate of Antioch in 1913 (based on the materials of the Foreign Policy Archive of the Russian Empire)

Abstract

For almost two centuries, the ancient Patriarchate of Antioch, domestic Church for orthodox population of Syria and Lebanon, was under the control of the Greek patriarchs. At the beginning of the 20th century it regained its independence. Though it was not only a benefit, but also a real challenge, including internal crises. One of the first was the crisis of 1913. At the beginning of the year, Patriarch Gregory IV of Antioch visited Russia, and soon after his return, a sharp conflict broke out inside the patriarchate. On the basis of Russian diplomatic documents, the article analyzes the causes and development of the crisis in the Patriarchate of Antioch, clarifies the role of Russian diplomacy in resolving the conflict between the patriarch and the synodal opposition, and determines the impact that the patriarch’s trip to Russia had on the progress of the crisis.

References

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