Catholicos of the East (Seleucia-Ctesiphon) · apostolic by the Addai & Mari tradition; catholicate at Seleucia-Ctesiphon from c. 280
East of Rome's border, the Church of the East grew from the Addai and Mari tradition in Mesopotamia, its catholicos seated at the Persian twin capital. It bore the fiercest persecution of the age under Shapur II (340–379), stood fully self-governing from 424, and sent missions down the Silk Road as far as China.
Continues today in three heirs: the Assyrian Church of the East, the Ancient Church of the East, and the Chaldean Catholic Church.
65 holders in the record.
List of patriarchs of the Church of the East · the communion today