Patriarch of the Church of Sanctaria
Archbishop of Sanctus Patriarch | |
|---|---|
| Church of Sanctaria | |
Patriarch Patrick X | |
Coat of arms | |
| Incumbent: Patrick X since 22 February 2025 | |
| Style | His Holiness |
| Location | |
| Ecclesiastical province | See of Sanctus |
| Residence | Episcopal Palace, Sanctus |
| Headquarters | Episcopal Palace, Sanctus |
| Information | |
| First holder | Julius |
| Denomination | Sanctarian Catholic |
| Established | 10th century |
| Diocese | Sanctus |
| Cathedral | Basilica of St. George in Heaven |
The Patriarch of the Church of Sanctaria, also known as the Patriarch of the Sanctarian Catholic Church, is the archbishop of Sanctus, head of the worldwide Church of Sanctaria, and formerly sovereign of the Papal States of Sanctaria. According to the Church of Sanctaria, the primacy of the archbishop of Sanctus is derived from his role as the apostolic successor of the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, who sent the original Patriarch, Julius, to discover new lands, and to whom primacy was conferred by Jesus, giving the first Pope, St. Peter, Keys of Heaven and the powers of "binding and loosing", naming him as the "rock" upon which the Church would be built. The current Patriarch is Patrick X, who was elected on 22 February 2025.
According to tradition, the apostolic see of Sanctus was founded by Julius in the 10th century. The patriarchy, also sometimes called the papacy in honour of the original Roman Catholic Church's pope, is one of the most enduring institutions in the International Democratic Union and has had a prominent part in regional and Sanctarian history. In the past, the patriarchs helped spread Sanctarian Catholicism, and Christianity, and intervened to find resolutions in various doctrinal disputes. In addition to the expansion of Christian faith and doctrine, modern patriarchs are involved in ecumenism and interfaith dialogue, charitable work, and the defense of human rights.
Over its history, the patriarchy accrued broad secular and political influence, with the holder of the office eventually becoming a significantly power temporal ruler as sovereign of the Papal States of Sanctaria. In recent centuries that temporal authority has declined and, in 1974, the office gave up all claims of temporal power and dissolved the then Papal States; the office is now solely focused on religious and organisational matters. The patriarch is considered one of the IDU's most significant people due to the extensive diplomatic, cultural, and spiritual influence of his position on the many millions of Sanctarian Catholics across the region.
List of Patriarchs[edit | edit source]
| N° | Term of office | Patriarch | Method of Selection | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Term | ||||
| Patriarch of the Church of Sanctaria | ||||||
| 1 | 985 | 998 | 12–13 years | Julius | Self-appointment | — |
| 2 | 998 | 1011 | 12–13 years | Paul I | Designated successor | — |
| 3 | 1011 | 1025 | 13–14 years | John I | Designated successor | — |
| 4 | 1025 | 1027 | 1–2 years | Simon I | Designated successor | — |
| 5 | 1027 | 1043 | 15–16 years | Patrick I | Designated successor | — |
| 6 | 1043 | 1061 | 17–18 years | Christopher I | Designated successor | Laid out methods of election of Patriarch |
| 7 | 1061 | 1065 | 3–4 years | Patrick II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 8 | 1065 | 1073 | 7–8 years | Paul II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 9 | 1073 | 04 May, 1097 | 23–24 years | Gregory I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 10 | 18 August, 1097 | 02 February, 1109 | 11 years, 168 days | Gregory II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 11 | 22 April, 1109 | 26 September, 1121 | 12 years, 157 days | Mark I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 12 | 13 December, 1121 | 14 March, 1124 | 2 years, 92 days | Thomas I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 13 | 02 June, 1124 | 18 July, 1129 | 5 years, 46 days | Gregory III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 14 | 20 October, 1129 | 18 February, 1141 | 11 years, 121 days | Lawrence I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 15 | 02 April, 1141 | 27 September, 1148 | 7 years, 178 days | Luke I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 16 | 12 December, 1148 | 19 October, 1153 | 4 years, 311 days | Simon II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 17 | 30 November, 1153 | 02 January, 1155 | 1 year, 33 days | Patrick III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 18 | 01 March, 1155 | 09 May, 1171 | 16 years, 69 days | Gregory IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 19 | 18 July, 1171 | 27 February, 1174 | 2 years, 224 days | Patrick IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 20 | 11 June, 1174 | 20 April, 1182 | 10 years, 313 days | Patrick V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 21 | 22 June, 1182 | 05 June, 1187 | 4 years, 348 days | Patrick VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 22 | 01 September, 1187 | 22 January, 1201 | 13 years, 143 days | Luke II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 23 | 06 March, 1201 | 22 July, 1209 | 8 years, 138 days | Lawrence II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 24 | 11 September, 1209 | 02 May, 1224 | 14 years, 234 days | Mark II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 25 | 14 September, 1224 | 21 August, 1229 | 19 years, 341 days | Simon III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 26 | 09 November, 1229 | 29 March, 1248 | 18 years, 141 days | Thomas II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 27 | 16 May, 1248 | 02 September, 1248 | 109 days | Stephan I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Assassinated |
| 28 | 03 December, 1248 | 24 June, 1254 | 5 years, 203 days | Stephan II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 29 | 11 September, 1254 | 09 April, 1258 | 3 years, 210 days | Gregory V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 30 | 22 August, 1258 | 13 February, 1266 | 7 years, 175 days | Stephan III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 31 | 12 April, 1266 | 20 July, 1279 | 13 years, 99 days | Aequitas I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 32 | 04 September, 1279 | 22 March, 1286 | 6 years, 199 days | Paul III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 33 | 14 June, 1286 | 01 August, 1303 | 17 years, 48 days | Christopher II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 34 | 11 November, 1303 | 22 May, 1305 | 1 year, 192 days | Adrian I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 35 | 19 August, 1305 | 23 February, 1308 | 2 years, 188 days | Simon IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 36 | 06 April, 1308 | 19 October, 1313 | 5 years, 196 days | Patrick VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 37 | 12 December, 1313 | 04 February, 1314 | 54 days | Paul IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 38 | 19 April, 1314 | 28 June, 1327 | 13 years, 70 days | Michael I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 39 | 28 August, 1327 | 04 January, 1331 | 3 years, 129 days | John II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 40 | 24 March, 1331 | 10 September, 1339 | 8 years, 170 days | Stephan IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 41 | 29 November, 1339 | 18 April, 1351 | 11 years, 140 days | Lawrence III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 42 | 07 June, 1351 | 04 July, 1369 | 18 years, 27 days | John III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 43 | 22 September, 1369 | 08 May, 1377 | 7 years, 228 days | Adrian II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 44 | 12 July, 1377 | 23 October, 1380 | 3 years, 103 days | Adrian III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Killed in Battle |
| 45 | 21 December, 1380 | 18 September, 1386 | 5 years, 271 days | Gregory VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Declared Papal Kingdom of Sanctaria |
| 46 | 09 November, 1386 | 22 March, 1394 | 7 years, 133 days | Luke III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 47 | 08 June, 1394 | 10 February, 1402 | 7 years, 247 days | Michael II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 48 | 31 May, 1402 | 18 June, 1414 | 12 years, 18 days | Paul V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 49 | 28 September, 1414 | 02 April, 1421 | 6 years, 186 days | Stephan V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 50 | 12 June, 1421 | 09 February, 1433 | 11 years, 242 days | Adrian IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 51 | 22 May, 1433 | 18 June, 1447 | 14 years, 27 days | Francis I | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 52 | 01 October, 1447 | 12 March, 1455 | 7 years, 162 days | Luke IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 53 | 08 June, 1455 | 18 May, 1468 | 12 years, 345 days | Simon V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 54 | 02 August, 1468 | 11 January, 1481 | 12 years, 162 days | Simon VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 55 | 29 March, 1481 | 01 July, 1490 | 9 years, 94 days | Francis II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Established Council of Haven |
| 56 | 22 November, 1490 | 03 May, 1505 | 14 years, 162 days | Gregory VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 57 | 02 September, 1505 | 19 July, 1512 | 6 years, 321 days | Thomas III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Concluded Council of Haven |
| 58 | 28 August, 1512 | 29 January, 1518 | 5 years, 154 days | Patrick VIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 59 | 22 March, 1518 | 04 August, 1518 | 135 days | Gregory VIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Assassinated |
| 60 | 12 October, 1518 | 22 June, 1527 | 8 years, 253 days | Paul VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 61 | 01 October, 1527 | 09 August, 1532 | 4 years, 313 days | Thomas IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Declared Papal States of Sanctaria |
| 62 | 22 November, 1532 | 12 May, 1541 | 8 years, 171 days | Aequitas II | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 63 | 08 September, 1541 | 29 January, 1545 | 3 years, 143 days | Simon VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 64 | 22 April, 1545 | 14 June, 1553 | 8 years, 53 days | Mark III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 65 | 02 September, 1553 | 24 October, 1559 | 6 years, 52 days | John IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 66 | 28 December, 1559 | 22 February, 1574 | 14 years, 56 days | Christopher III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 67 | 18 April, 1574 | 12 November, 1580 | 6 years, 208 days | Gregory IX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 68 | 29 January, 1581 | 01 August, 1599 | 18 years, 184 days | Stephan VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 69 | 21 November, 1599 | 02 February, 1606 | 6 years, 73 days | Thomas V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 70 | 28 May, 1606 | 02 November 1620 | 14 years, 158 days | Paul VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 71 | 28 December, 1620 | 14 February, 1622 | 1 year, 48 days | Gregory X | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Assassinated |
| 72 | 02 June, 1622 | 23 September, 1629 | 7 years, 113 days | Lawrence IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 73 | 02 December, 1629 | 04 October, 1642 | 12 years, 306 days | Adrian V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 74 | 08 December, 1642 | 13 May, 1647 | 4 years, 156 days | Simon VIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 75 | 21 August, 1647 | 06 March, 1652 | 4 years, 198 days | Simon IX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 76 | 17 June, 1652 | 30 September, 1656 | 4 years, 105 days | John V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 77 | 08 December, 1656 | 09 April, 1663 | 6 years, 122 days | Simon X | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 78 | 16 July, 1663 | 22 January, 1681 | 17 years, 190 days | Gregory XI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Resigned |
| 79 | 24 April, 1681 | 03 April, 1685 | 3 years, 344 days | Christopher IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 80 | 19 July, 1685 | 23 February, 1694 | 8 years, 219 days | Simon XI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 81 | 02 May, 1694 | 12 June, 1697 | 3 years, 41 days | John VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 82 | 28 November, 1697 | 04 March, 1704 | 6 years, 97 days | Paul VIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 83 | 01 May, 1704 | 18 September, 1717 | 13 years, 140 days | Thomas VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 84 | 30 November, 1717 | 22 June, 1719 | 1 year, 204 days | Thomas VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 85 | 09 September, 1719 | 08 January, 1727 | 7 years, 121 days | Paul IX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 86 | 12 March, 1727 | 29 May, 1732 | 5 years, 78 days | Adrian VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 87 | 04 July, 1732 | 18 June, 1735 | 2 years, 349 days | Simon XII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 88 | 02 September, 1735 | 14 May, 1744 | 8 years, 255 days | Gregory XII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 89 | 20 August, 1744 | 03 January, 1757 | 12 years, 136 days | Mark IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 90 | 24 March, 1757 | 02 June, 1761 | 4 years, 70 days | Gregory XIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 91 | 29 September, 1761 | 04 June, 1764 | 2 years, 249 days | Patrick IX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 92 | 25 August, 1764 | 18 January, 1772 | 7 years, 146 days | Luke V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 93 | 02 April, 1772 | 18 April, 1773 | 1 year, 16 days | Stephan VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 94 | 31 July, 1773 | 08 May, 1787 | 13 years, 281 days | Francis III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 95 | 11 July, 1787 | 03 September, 1798 | 11 years, 54 days | Lawrence V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 96 | 27 November, 1798 | 14 October, 1813 | 14 years, 321 days | Mark V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 97 | 19 December, 1813 | 22 May, 1817 | 3 years, 154 days | John VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 98 | 01 August, 1817 | 19 February, 1826 | 8 years, 202 days | Thomas VIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 99 | 14 April, 1826 | 22 March, 1831 | 4 years, 342 days | Gregory XIV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 100 | 02 May, 1831 | 11 March, 1844 | 12 years, 314 days | Aequitas III | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 101 | 29 May, 1844 | 08 June, 1854 | 10 years, 10 days | Thomas IX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 102 | 22 September, 1854 | 11 February, 1862 | 7 years, 142 days | Simon XIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 103 | 04 April, 1862 | 02 October, 1871 | 9 years, 181 days | Paul X | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 104 | 30 December, 1871 | 16 April, 1875 | 3 years, 107 days | Paul XI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 105 | 30 June, 1875 | 11 February, 1877 | 1 year, 226 days | Paul XII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 106 | 18 April, 1877 | 02 August, 1883 | 6 years, 106 days | Paul XIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 107 | 01 November, 1883 | 31 January, 1888 | 4 years, 91 days | Mark VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Resigned |
| 108 | 27 March, 1888 | 29 October, 1892 | 4 years, 216 days | Paul XIV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 109 | 18 December, 1892 | 26 June, 1897 | 4 years, 190 days | Paul XV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 110 | 14 August, 1897 | 03 September, 1901 | 4 years, 20 days | Paul XVI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 111 | 21 November, 1901 | 31 August, 1909 | 7 years, 283 days | Christopher V | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Resigned |
| 112 | 14 October, 1909 | 29 April, 1915 | 5 years, 197 days | Paul XVII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 113 | 19 June, 1915 | 28 January, 1919 | 3 years, 223 days | Paul XVIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 114 | 31 March, 1919 | 08 July, 1927 | 8 years, 99 days | Paul XIX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 115 | 22 August, 1927 | 09 December, 1931 | 4 years, 109 days | Simon XIV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 116 | 19 February, 1932 | 28 September, 1938 | 6 years, 221 days | Paul XX | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 117 | 02 December, 1938 | 10 June, 1945 | 6 years, 190 days | Simon XV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 118 | 08 September, 1945 | 04 May, 1949 | 3 years, 238 days | Paul XXI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 119 | 12 July, 1949 | 18 January, 1955 | 5 years, 190 days | Paul XXII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 120 | 21 April, 1955 | 06 September, 1962 | 7 years, 138 days | Paul XXIII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 121 | 31 October, 1962 | 19 November, 1974 | 12 years, 19 days | Aequitas IV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | Dissolved Papal States of Sanctaria |
| 122 | 04 January, 1975 | 01 December, 1983 | 8 years, 331 days | Thomas X | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 123 | 31 December, 1983 | 22 June, 1989 | 5 years, 173 days | Mark VII | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 124 | 14 September, 1989 | 30 November, 1994 | 5 years, 77 days | Paul XXIV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 125 | 22 January, 1995 | 08 January, 2003 | 7 years, 351 days | Paul XXV | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 126 | 15 March, 2003 | 11 July, 2018 | 15 years, 118 days | Simon XVI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 127 | 21 September, 2018 | 05 January, 2025 | 6 years, 106 days | Luke VI | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |
| 128 | 22 February, 2025 | Incumbent | 1 year, 65 days | Patrick X | Elected by Synod of Bishops | — |