The number of metropolitans and bishops who were subject to the patriarch of Constantinojile before the churches of Roumania, Servia, and Bulgaria had sev- ered their connection with him amoimted, according to Silbernagl {VerJ'uxsimg slimmlliclier Kirchcn chs Orients [1865]), to ]ol, of whom 02 belonged to Europe, 21 to Asia, and 18 to the provinces. In consequence of the decay of the Turkish empire, a verj' large number of the dioceses are now no longer subject to the jurisdic- tion of the patriarch, which, ere long, may be restricted to the dioceses in which the people are of the Greek nationality. Under the patriarch of Antioch were 12 dioceses, and to this patriarchate also belongs the arch- bishop of Cyprus, who is exempt, and has under his ju- risdiction 5 suffragan bishops. Under the jurisdiction of the patriarch of Jerusalem are 14 archbishops and bishops, under that of Alexandria 4. The population of the patriarchate of Alexandria is reported as only 5000 souls; that of Jerusalem as 15,000; while the pa- triarchate of Antioch comprises 29,000 families. The total population connected with the Greek or C)rthodox Eastern Church of Turkey, after the great territorial changes made in 1878, was estimated at 3,800,000 (see Aji- pletons' A nnual Cyclo]y(fdia, 1878, art. " Greek Church") ; but of this number a considerable part belongs to the Bulgarian dioceses of Eastern Koumelia, which have no longer any ecclesiastical communion with the patriarch of Constantinople. Of the convents of the Church, which are still numerous, the most celebrated are those on Mount Athos (q. v.). Of late, education has begun to make great progress among the population connect- ed with the Greek Church. Two theological seminaries have been established, the one on the island of Chalki, near Constantinople, and the other at Jerusalem ; and no one is henceforth to be appointed as bishop who has not been educated at one of these institutions, or is not fully up to the standard of the education there impart- ed. A flourishing teachers' seminary, according to the German model, has been established at Salonica, in Macedonia. See Easthkn Church.
2. The Armenian Church. — For more than three hundred years nearly two thirds of ancient Armenia has been under the rule of Turkey [see Ahjienia]; and, therefore, altliough the head of the Church (the catholicos of Echmiadzin) is now a subject of Russia (q. v.). the large majority of the adherents of the Ar- menian Church are still to be found in Turkey. Among the Armenian bishops of Turkey, the patriarch of Con- stantino])le occupies the highest rank: he is inferior only to the catholicos of Echmiadzin. An Armenian diocese was established at Constantinople as earl}- as 1307. Archbishop Joachim, of Bursa, was raised to the rank of patriarch of Constantinople in 1461 by the sul- tan Mohammed II, and he was at the same time ap- pointed the civil head of the Armenian nation. The
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patriarch is elected by the notables and the prominent-l clergymen of the Armenian eommuniry of Constant)- | nople, and is confirmed by the I'orte. Formerly the | Armenian bankers liad the ascendency in this assem- bly; but in 18jS) several Armenian employes of tlic Turkish government obtained the leading influence. The patriarch is entirely dependent upon these laymen, who appoint a coadjutor, or have him removed by the Turkish govermnent, whenever they please. The new patriarch has to make a profession of faith, which con- sists of nine articles, the eigliili of wliich designates the patriarcli as the vicar of Clirist. The benit which the patriarch receives from the I'orte confers upon him a direct power over the priests and laity of his diocese. Like the catholicos, he has the right to ordain bishops and to consecrate the ln)ly oil. With the exception of the patriarch of Jerusalem, he can appoint metropolitans and bishops througiiout Turkish Armenia; remove, ex- ile, and recall them; divide or unite their dioceses. The entire property of the Church is under his control; in the administration of it he is, however, limited by the lay synod, which consists of twenty members elect- ed by the people and confirmed by the Porte. More- over, he is assisted in the exercise of his ecclesiastical functions by a clerical synod consisting of his oflficials. As he has also civil jurisdiction, he has. like the Greek patriarch, liis own court and a patriarchal prison. He is the civil head not only of the Armenian nation, but also of the Syrian Jacobites. All communications be- tween the Turkish government and the Armenians pass through his hands; and even the Armenian patriarch of Sis and the bishops not directly subject to his jurisdic- tion receive their benit througli him. Like the (Jreek patriarch, he enjoys a number of honorary rights and exem]ition from taxation, but, in return, has to pay an ainiual tribute to the I'orte. His revenue consists chief- ly of taxes of installation and annual contributions from bishops; fees for ordination, for the holy oil, for mar- riages; inheritances and donations. Besides the patri- arch of Constantinople, the Armenian Church of Turkey has patriarchs at Sis, in the vilayet of Adana, at Jerusa- lem, and at Aghtamar, on the island of Van.
The first patriarch of Sis was elected in 1440, when the clergy of Sis, after the death of the catholicos Jo- seph HI, feared lest the residence of the patriarch, which had been at Sis since 1294, might be removed to Ech- miadzin. Without waiting for a general assembly of the Armenian bishops, the clergy of Sis hurriedly proceeded, conjointly with the people of Sis, to the election of a catholicos. Tlie bishops and rartubeds met, however, in 1441, at P^ehmiadzin, and elected as catholicos the monk Kyriakos, who was almost generally recognis-ed by the Armenian churches. In order to prevent a per- manent schism, the privilege was conferred upon Sis to be governed by a patriarch, on condition, however, that he receive the holy oil from the catholicos as a sign of his submission. The condition was accepted, and from that time Sis has had its own patriarchs. Ac- cording to a concordat concluded between the catholicos of Echmiadzin and the patriarch of Sis, the jurisdiction of the latter was to extend over the Armenian churches of Cilicia, Syria, Egypt, and Palestine ; but, as the bish- (ip of Jerusalem made himself intiependent in the mid- dle of the 17th century, his jurisdiction has since been limited to the Armenian churches of Armenia JNIinor, Cappadocia, and Cilicia. The patriarch of Sis has the title "Patriarch and Primate of Armenia Minor and the Armenians who are in Cilicia, Syria, and Palestine, Min- ister of the Kight and of the Throne of St. Gregory' the [Uuminator."