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Church of the East: Patriarchs The Patriarchs of the Church of the East were the spiritual heads of the Nestorian Church, founded in the 5th century AD. The patriarchate was headquartered in Seleucia-Ctesiphon, in what is now Iraq, and it had jurisdiction over a vast territory that stretched from Central Asia to India. The patriarchs played an important role in the spread of Christianity in Asia. They established churches and monasteries in many new lands, and they translated the Bible and other Christian texts into local languages. They were also active in theological debates, and they helped to shape the development of Nestorian doctrine. The patriarchate came to an end in 1804 with the death of Eliya XII. Eliya was the last patriarch to be elected by the church's synod. After his death, the church was divided into two factions, one led by the patriarch of Urmia, and the other by the patriarch of Qudshanis. The two factions never reunited, and the Church of the East has remained divided ever since.
The Patriarchs
Name	Tenure
St Thomas the Apostle	†73	••••
Addai	37–65	••••
Mari	88–120	••••
Abris	121–37	••••
Abraham I	159–71	••••
James I	172–90	••••
Ahadabui ?	202–20 ?	••••
Schalupa ?	220–40 ?	••••
►Vacant 240–285/291
Papa bar-Aggai	285/91–c. 327	••••
Shimun I	329–41	••••
Sahdost	341–42	••••
Barbahemin	343–46	••••
►Vacant 346–363 or 399
Papa bar-Aggai	285/91–c. 327	••••
Tomarsa ?	363–72 ?	••••
Qayyuma ?	377–99 ?	••••
Isaac I	399–410	••••
Ahai	410–14	••••
Yahballaha I	415–20	••••
Ma’na	420	••••
Faraboht	421	••••
Dadisho I	421–56	••••
Babowei	457–84	••••
Acacius	485–96	••••
Babai	497–502	••••
Silas	503–23	••••
►Patriarchal schism 524–539
Narses	524–35	••••
Elisha	524–39	••••
Paul I	539	••••
Aba I the Great	540–52	••••
Joseph	552–67	••••
Ezekiel	570–82	••••
Ishoyahb I	582–96	••••
Sabrisho I	596–604	••••
Gregory I	605–08
►Vacant 608–628
Ishoyahb II	628–46	••••
Maremmeh	646–50	••••
Ishoyahb III	650–60	••••
Giwargis I	661–80	••••
John I Bar Marta	680–83	••••
Henanisho I	685–700	••••
John the Leper	692–93	••••
►Vacant 700–714
Saliba-Zakha	714–28	••••
Pethion	731–40	••••
Aba II	741–51	••••
Sourin	754	••••
James II	754–75	••••
Henanisho II	775–80	••••
Timothy I	780–823	••••
Isho Bar Nun	823–28	••••
Giwargis II	828–31	••••
Sabrisho II	831–35	••••
Abraham II	837–50	••••
Theodosius I	853–58	••••
Sergius I	860–72	••••
Israel of Kashkar (not consecrated)	877	••••
Enos I	877–84	••••
John II	884–92	••••
John III	893–99	••••
John IV	900–05	••••
Abraham III	906–37	••••
Emmanuel I	937–60	••••
Israel I	961	••••
Abdisho I	963–86	••••
Mari II	987–99	••••
John V	1000–11	••••
John VI	1012–16	••••
Ishoyahb IV	1020–25	••••
Eliya I	1028–49	••••
John VII	1049–57	••••
Sabrisho III	1064–72	••••
Abdisho II	1074–90	••••
Makika I	1092–1110	••••
Eliya II	1111–34	••••
Barsauma I	1134–36	••••
\|\| III	1138–48	••••
Ishoyahb V	1149–75	••••
Eliya III	1176–90	••••
Yahbhallah II	1190–1222	••••
Sabrisho IV	1222–24	••••
Sabrisho V	1226–56	••••
Makika II	1257–65	••••
Dinkha I	1265–81	••••
Yahbhallah III	1281–1317	••••
Timothy II	1318–32	••••
Dinkha II	1332–64	••••
Shimun II ?		••••
Shimun III ?		••••
Eliya IV	†1437	••••
Shimun IV Basidi	1437–97	Bar Mama (81)
Shimun V	1497–1502†	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya V	1502–04	Bar Mama (81)
Shimun VI	1504–38	Bar Mama (81)
Shimun VII Ishuyau	1538–39	Bar Mama (81)
Shimun VIII	1551–58	Bar Mama (81)
►Schism 1552 - formation of the Assyrian Church of the East and the Chaldean Catholic Church
Eliya VI bar Giwargis	1558–91†	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya VII	1591–1617	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya VIII	1617–60†	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya IX Yukhannan Maraugin	1660–1700†	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya X Maraugin	1700–22†	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya XI Denkha	1722–78†	Bar Mama (81)
Eliya XII Ishuyau	1778–1804	Bar Mama (81)
►End of patriarchate

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