The Eastern Orthodox Church has multiple leaders, including the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, the Patriarch of Antioch, the Patriarch of Alexandria, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, and the Metropolitans and Archbishops of various regions. However, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is often considered the “first among equals” and has a prominent role in the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The current Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is Bartholomew I, who has held the position since 1991. The Ecumenical Patriarchate is based in Istanbul, Turkey, and has a historic and symbolic role in the Eastern Orthodox Church, particularly as the successor to the ancient patriarchate of Constantinople, which was one of the five ancient patriarchates of early Christianity.
The other autocephalous churches in the Eastern Orthodox communion are the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem, as well as the Churches of Russia, Greece, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, Georgia, Cyprus, Poland, Albania, and the Czech Lands, and Slovakia. Each of these churches has its own head, who is known by various titles, such as Patriarch, Metropolitan, or Archbishop.
In addition to the autocephalous churches, there are also a number of autonomous and semi-autonomous churches, as well as jurisdictions established by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, that operate under the guidance of a hierarchy or group of hierarchs.
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