Catholicos
| Part of the series on Church of the East |
|
| Association |
| Communion of the Church of the East |
| Member Churches |
| Assyrian Church Borneian Church Religion of Light Chaldean Syrian Church Church of the East in Arakan, Burma and Tenasserim |
| Topics |
| Catholicos Assyrian Monasticism Assyrian Hospitals School of Samarqand Monastery of Mar Toma |
| People |
Catholicos is the common title of the Patriarch of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, the head of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East and nominal head of all of the Churches of the East.
The Patriarchs of Seleucia-Ctesiphon trace their apostolic succession back to Mar Toma the Apostle, as well as the Apostle Mar Tulmai and Mar Addai and Mar Mari, members of the 72 Lesser Apostles.
The title of Catholicos has been used by the Patriarch of Seleucia-Ctesiphon since the metropolitan of that city was declared the head of all the bishops in the Persian Empire and equal to the Sees of Rome, Constantinople and Alexandria. "Catholicos" is derived from the Greek word καθóλικος, meaning "universal" or "pertaining to the whole", i.e., "head of all the bishops".
Patriarchs of Seleucia-Ctesiphon
I Century
- Mar Toma c.33-c.77
- Mar Tulmai c.33
- Mar Addai
- Mar Aggai c.66-c.87
- Mar Mari c.87-c.120
II Century
- Mar Abres I c.121-c.137
- Solatubnaia c.137-c.159
- Mar Abraham (Oraham) I c.159-c.171
- Mar Yaqub I c.171-c.190
VI Century
- Mar Yeshuyab I 581-596
- Mar Sabriyeshu I 596-604
VII Century
- Mar Gregorius I 604-609
- Mar Babai I the Great 609-633
- Mar Sabiryeshu (Sabrisho) II 633-644
- Mar Hananiyeshu (Qnanisho) I 685-700
VIII Century
- Mar Timothy I 797-823
XI Century
- Mar Makkikha II 1092-1100
XII Century
- Mar Eliya II 1100-1132
- Mar Gewargis III 1133-1140
XIII Century
- Mar Yaballaha III 1245-1271 - First Turkic Catholicos
- Mar Sargis VI 1271-1274
- Mar Abdiyeshu IV 1274-1290
- Mar Gregorius II 1292-1334
XIV Century
- Mar Mertas II 1367-1398
- Mar Bardaysan I 1398-1401 - Martyred by Timür
XV Century
- Mar Bardaysan II 1401-1412
- Mar Shimun II 1412-1428
- Mar Mertas III 1428-1443 - Granted independence to the Religion of Light Church
XX Century
- Mar Timothy VIII 1936-1984
- Mar Bardaysan X 1984-1992
- Mar Abdiyeshu XVII 1992-present
