# Holy Synod replaces the patriarch (1721)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1721-holy-synod-replaces-the-patriarch
Location: St Petersburg, Russia
Themes: Politics

Peter the Great abolishes the Moscow patriarchate and creates the Holy Synod. At this point in the timeline (1721), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Innocent XIII (8 May 1721 – 7 March 1724).

## Why it matters
Holy Synod replaces the patriarch mattered because it changed the relationship between the churches and political power.

Pope at the time: [Pope Innocent XIII](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-innocent-xiii)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Most Holy Synod](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_Holy_Synod)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Holy Synod replaces the patriarch](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Holy+Synod+replaces+the+patriarch)
- [Wikipedia — Enlightenment and Revival (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Christianity#Modern_era)