Pope Francis' Historic Title "Patriarch of the West" or Patriarca dell'Occidente has been Revived

 

Pope Francis' Historic Title "Patriarch of the West" has been re-introduced; it was a title that his predecessor Benedict XVI  (2005-2013) had removed. had changed in his pontificate. Recently, the Pope once again permitted the use of the historical title "Patriarch of the West" ("Patriarca dell'Occidente"; also: "Patriarch of the West"). Benedict XVI had this title. The title was first officially introduced into the annuario by Pius IX in 1863. It been first coined by Theodore I in the seventh century, and only used sporadically.

Since the Council of Chalcedon in 451, the early Church had recognised a hierarchy of the five most important patriarchates: Rome, Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. The Byzantine monk and church teacher Theodor Studites (759-826) spoke of the "five-headed power of the church" (Greek "pentarchy"). What was meant by this was the governing power of the five patriarchs - with joint responsibility.

These five patriarchs were the successors of the apostles in the same way - and they were understood to be the most important centres of unity of the one church. All other particular churches, according to the ideal, had to be united in faith with these five. Each patriarchate of the pentarchy had to lead its own territory with the metropolitans, bishops and faithful subordinate to it. It was forbidden for one patriarch to encroach on the jurisdiction of his colleague. When questions had to be decided, the bishops met at the Ecumenical Council convened by the Byzantine emperor.
Namely, the pope is Patriarch of the West; all Western bishops of whatever rank are subject not only to his papal but also to his patriarchal jurisdiction. (according to the Catholic Encyclopedia)
Benedict XVI had historical title deleted in 2005 - reintroduction perhaps a gesture towards the Eastern Churches.
With the title "Patriarch of the West", the Pope places himself in the ecumenical dialogue on the same level as the Patriarch of Constantinople and other patriarchs of Eastern churches who do not recognize the Pope as their head. The current Patriarch of Constantinople, Bartholomew I, whom Pope Francis has addressed as "brother" on several occasions, was apparently one of the first to be informed of the move.
The change was visibly implemented in the so-called Papal Yearbook, the official “Annuario Pontificio” published by the Vatican publishing house LEV. The new edition for the current year 2024 went on sale in the Vatican this week.
Since 2020, the directory has listed most papal titles separately as "historical titles". These include the designations "Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Pontifex Maximus of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Province of Rome, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God." On the page in front of it is the Pope with his original title: "Francis, Bishop of Rome".
This article has been updated - with information from https://katholisch.de/artikel/52523-der-papst-traegt-wieder-den-titel-patriarch-des-westens