Apostolic See - Definition and Overview

In the several centuries following the founding of Christianity, five particular cities and centers of Christianity were considered to be the Apostolic Sees.

The Churches in each of these cities was considered Apostolic because it was founded (at least allegedly) by one of the Apostles.

• Rome, in present-day Italy, from the Apostle Saint Peter.

• Constantinople, now Istanbul in present-day Turkey, from the Apostle Saint Andrew. (See Patriarch of Constantinople.)

• Antioch, in present-day Syria, from the Apostle Saint Peter. (See Patriarch of Antioch, Antiochian Orthodox Church, Syrian Orthodox Church.)

• Alexandria, in present-day Egypt, from the Apostle Saint Mark. (Three bishops now claim to hold this office as St. Mark's successor: one Eastern Orthodox patriarch, one Eastern-rite Catholic patriarch, and the Coptic pope.)

• Jerusalem, in present-day Israel, or Palestine, from the Apostle Saint James the Great, and in any case the original Church. (See Patriarch of Jerusalem.)

Present day

In the present day, the See of Rome is the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the See of Constantinople is the primary See of the (less centralized) Eastern Orthodox Church. The other three Eastern Sees are seats of Eastern Orthodox patriarchs.

See also

• Holy See
• episcopal see