Latin Patriarchate of Alexandria


The Latin Patriarchate of Alexandria was a nominal patriarchate of the Latin church on the see of Alexandria in Egypt.

History

Origins

Alexandria, a major Egyptian city during Classical antiquity, was an influential early Christian diocese. It was founded, according to Church tradition, by Saint Mark the Evangelist. From the First Council of Nicaea onward, Alexandria enjoyed honors roughly equal with Rome and Antioch, as one of three Petrine sees. Following Emperor Justinian I's establishment of the Pentarchy, Alexandria was considered third in honor, after Rome and Constantinople.
Despite the rupture of communion between Rome and Constantinople in 1054, the remaining patriarchates initially remained in communion with Rome. Antioch and Jerusalem broke communion in 1098 and 1099, respectively, when crusaders forcibly deposed the sitting bishops, and Latin bishops took their place, creating the Latin Patriarchates of Antioch and Jerusalem.
There is little direct evidence concerning Alexandria's relationship with Rome. However, by inference, historians may conclude that the Alexandrine patriarch communed Latins for a time after 1054, and kept the pope's name on the communion diptychs. This is confirmed by Patriarch Nicholas I sending representatives to the Fourth Lateran Council. There is no direct evidence that either Alexandria or Rome repudiated the other; however, Rome's appointing of a Latin patriarch in 1310 implies communion between the two must have ceased by that date.

Patriarch in Rome

Records of a Latin patriarch of Alexandria begin only in the 14th century. The position was merely titular since the bishop never occupied the See. His patriarchal cathedral in Rome was the papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. Many incumbents would hold residential episcopal posts of various ranks in Catholic countries, and even other Titular Latin patriarchates. The titular see would have its share of disputed nominations during the papal schism in Avignon.
Since 1724, the Melkite Catholic Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East holds the title of patriarch of Alexandria. In 1895, the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria was established out of the Catholic Apostolic Vicariate of Alexandria. Thus, there remains a patriarch of Alexandria for the Catholic Church.

Suppression

The titular Latin Patriarchate of Alexandria was left vacant in 1954 and suppressed in January 1964 along with those of Antioch and Constantinople. It was no longer mentioned in the Vatican yearbook. This was after Pope Paul VI met with Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras I of Constantinople, showing the Latin Church by this point was more interested in reconciliation with the Eastern Church, abolishing the titular title.

Latin patriarchs of Alexandria