a man who is head of a patriarchy

any of the biblical fathers of the human race or of the Hebrew people

a man who is the father or founder, e.g. of a race, science, religion, or class of people

the oldest member or representative of a group

a venerable old man

any of the bishop in various Orthodox and Eastern churchess of the sees of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem or of the ancient see of Rome

the head of any of various Eastern churches

a Roman Catholic bishop next in rank to the pope