Il titolo di '''patriarca di Antiochia''' (Antakya nell'attuale Turchia) è portato tradizionalmente dal vescovo di Antiochia, antica sede apostolica.

Attualmente cinque vescovi di chiese diverse portano tale titolo. Nessuno di questi risiede effettivamente ad Antiochia; nel corso dei secoli, infatti,  le sede apostoliche di Antiochia sono state spostate a causa di persecuzioni e scismi.

* Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, della Chiesa ortodossa siriaca, è alla guida del Patriarcato di Antiochia (siro-ortodosso) con sede a Damasco; è considerato dalla sua chiesa il 122° Patriarca successore di San Pietro.

* Ignatius IV (Hazim), della Chiesa ortodossa di Antiochia, è alla guida del Patriarcato di Antiochia (ortodosso-antiocheo) anch'esso con sede a Damasco.

* Ignace Pierre VIII Abdel-Ahad, della Chiesa cattolica sira, è alla guida del Patriarcato di Antiochia dei Siri con sede a Beirut.

* Il cardinale Chiesa cattolica maronita, è alla guida del Patriarcato di Antiochia dei Maroniti con sede a Bkerké (Libano).

* Gregorio III Laham, della Chiesa cattolica greco-melchita, è alla guida del Patriarcato di Antiochia dei Greco-Melchiti con sede a Damasco.

==Patriarca latino di Antiochia==

Il '''Patriarca latino di Antiochia''' fu insediato ad Antiochia, nel Boemondo, primo principe di Antiochia. Il Patriarca fu una delle maggiori autorità ecclesiastiche negli Cattolici della Cristiani che vivevano nel territorio della diocesi. Nel periodo delle crociate furono presenti due gerarchie, greche e latine ognuna con le proprie regole e liturgie, vescovi, abati, cattedrali e monasteri.

Il seggio del Patriarcato di Antiochia era uno dei più vecchi e prestigiosi della Cristianità. Fin dal Alessio I Comneno sperava che i principi Franchi ed Europei riportassero Antiochia e la sua Santa Sede sotto il controllo del governo bizantino. Ma quando i Crociati entrarono in Antiochia non solo non la cedettero all’imperatore di Bisanzio, ma espulsero il  Patriarca Greco, Giovanni IV e lo mandarono a  Costantinopoli.

L’imperatore bizantino fu gravemente offeso e si diede tanto da fare che nel Manuele I Comneno ebbe il controllo di Antiochia.

'''''Patriarch of Antioch''''' is a traditional title carried by the earliest period.  This diocese is one of the few for which the names of its bishops from the apostolic beginnings have been preserved.

==History==
It was in the city of Antioch (modern day Acts 11:26). Traditionally, apostolic father. By the 4th century, the bishop of Antioch had become the most senior bishop in a region covering modern-day eastern Palestine, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran. His hierarchy served the largest number of Christians in the known world at that time.  In consideration of this and its ancient origins, the Patriarchs of Antioch were considered the most senior of the various Patriarchs of Christendom, which included the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Constantinople, the Patriarch of Alexandria, and the Patriarch of Rome.  

Despite being overshadowed in ecclesiastical authority by the Patriarch of Constantinople in the later years of the Eastern Roman Empire, the Antiochene Patriarch remained the most independent, powerful, and trusted of the Eastern Patriarchs until the conquest of Eastern Christianity by Islamic armies began in the late 7th century.  The Antiochene church was a centre of Christian learning, second only to Alexandria. In contrast to the Hellenistic-influenced Christology of Alexandria, Rome, and Constantinople, Antiochene theology was greatly influenced by Rabbinic Judaism and other modes of Semitic thought — emphasizing the single, transcendent divine  (substance), which in turn led to adoptionism in certain extremes, and to the clear distinction of Christ of  (two natures: dyophysitism): one participating in humanity, the other in divinity. Lastly, compared to the Patriarchates in Constantinople, Rome, and Alexandria which for various reasons became mired in the theology of imperial state religion, many of its Patriarchs managed to straddle the divide between the controversies of Christology and imperial unity through its piety and straightforward grasp of early Christian thought which was rooted in its primitive Church beginnings.  

However, with the advent of internal schisms such as that over Monophysitism and followed by the Islamic conquests, the Patriarch's ecclesiastical authority became entangled in the politics of imperial authority and later Islamic occupation.  Being considered independent of both Byzantine Imperial and Arab Moslem power but in essence occupied by both, the ''de facto'' power of the Antiochene patriarchs faded.  Additionally, the city suffered several natural disasters including major earthquakes throughout the 4th and 6th centuries and anti-Christian conquests beginning with the Zoroastrian Persians in the 6th century, then the Muslim Arabs in the 7th century, then the Muslim Seljuks in the 11th century, and culminating in its final obliteration by Muslim Mamluks in the 13th century.  Lastly, the ecclesiastical schisms between Rome and Constantinople and between Constantinople and Alexandria and Antioch left the Patriarch's authority isolated, fractured and debased, a situation which further increased when the Franks took the city in 1099 and installed a Latin Patriarch of Antioch.

==Current patriarchs==
Today, no fewer than five church hierarchs claim the title of Patriarch of Antioch, three of whom are in full communion with the churches that are part of the Roman Catholic Church; though they are in communion with the Holy See, they are not the part of the Latin Rite, but are instead Eastern Catholic Churches.) All five see themselves as part of the Antiochene heritage and claim a right to the Antiochene See through apostolic succession, although none are actually based in the city of Antakya. This multiplicity of Patriarchs of Antioch as well as their lack of location in Antioch, reflects the troubled history of Christianity in the region, which has been marked by persecution and internecine struggles since the Islamic conquest.  Indeed, the Christian population in the original territories of the Antiochene patriarchs has been all but eliminated by assimilation and expulsion, with the region's current Christians forming a small minority. 

Depending on how history and the canons of the Church are interpreted each Patriach's claim to the orginal See of Antioch can be sustained with proof as follows:

1. If Flavian II was Patriarch until his death then it means that 
*the Melkite, Greek Orthodox and Maronite Patriarchs are the continuation of the original See and
*Severus was not Patriarch at any time and thus the Syriac Catholic and Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs are not the continuation of the original See.  
2. If Flavian II was legally deposed and Severus was indeed the Legal continuation of the Patriarchate then 
*the Syriac Catholic and Syriac Orthodox Patriarchs are the continuation of the original See.
*the Melkite, Greek Orthodox and Maronite Patriarchs are not the continuation of the original See.<br> 
3. Further, if Byzantine Emperor to depose him were illegal then it means that the current legal continuation of the Patriarchate is the Maronite Patriarch.<br>  
4. The Melkite versus the Greek Orthodox Patriarchs - The Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches both recognize that Cyril VI was legally elected Patriarch in 1724 and that that current Greek Orthodox church of Antioch was a later creation to serve the faithful that did not choose to enter full communion with Rome. As such, the Melkite Patriarch has the legal claim to the Patriarchate.<br>  
5. The Syriac Orthodox and the Syriac Catholic both recognize that Andrew Akhidjan was legally elected Patriarch in 1662 who re-entered communion with Rome but later Patriarchs severed that Communion.<ref>http://stsharbelpeoria.org/the_evolution_of_the_patriarchate_of_antioch</ref> Later Michael Jarweh was elected Patriarch in 1782 and he again re-entered communion with Rome which caused those that opposed union to separate and form a new ecclesial body that today is called the Syriac Orthodox Church.  As such, the Syriac Catholic Patriach has the legal status as the continuation of the original See of Antioch over the Syriac Orthodox Church provided of course that Severus was indeed legally elected Patriach which the Catholic Church does not accept.

The current Patriarchs of Antioch are: