Presiding Patriarch (Mormonism)

In Mormonism, the Presiding Patriarch (also called Presiding Evangelist, Patriarch over the Church, Patriarch of the Church, or Patriarch to the Church) is a church-wide leadership office within the Latter Day Saint Priesthood. Among the duties of the Presiding Patriarch are to preside in council meetings, ordain other patriarchs, and administered Patriarchal Blessings.

History

The first Presiding Patriarch was Joseph Smith, Sr., father of the movement's founder, Joseph Smith, Jr. The elder Smith was ordained to the office by his son on December 18, 1833 in Kirtland, Ohio. When the senior Smith was on his deathbed, he ordained his eldest son, Hyrum, to succeed him in the office by right of lineal succession. When Hyrum was assassinated together with his brother Joseph, their only surviving brother, William asserted his lineal right to the Patriarchate. William was duly ordained to the office by Brigham Young. William was shortly thereafter excommunicated from Young's organization for apostacy. After joining himself with, and supporting a rival faction of the church led by James J. Strang, William was sustained as Presiding Patriarch for the . He later apostasized from Strang's organization and asserted his own claim to be successor by right of lineal succession to the Presidency of the Church (after joining himself with other factions for short periods of times).

Related Topics:
Joseph Smith, Sr. - Joseph Smith, Jr. - December 18 - 1833 - Kirtland, Ohio - Hyrum - Lineal succession - William - Brigham Young - James J. Strang

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In the meantime, Young called John Smith, a brother of Joseph Smith Sr. known as "Uncle John", to be Presiding Patriarch of the largest Latter Day Saint church faction, which is known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. John Smith was succeeded by Hyrum's son, John Smith, in 1855. This John Smith was followed by his grandson, Hyrum G. Smith in 1912. After Hyrum G. Smith's death, in 1932, church President Heber J. Grant dimished the responsibilities of the office and also eliminated the precedent of direct lineal succession (Mormonism), by ordaining Joseph Fielding Smith to the office in 1942. Joseph Fielding Smith resigned the office in 1946 and in 1947 and Hyrum G. Smith's son, Eldred G. Smith was ordained Presiding Patriarch. In 1979, the First Presidency announced that Eldred G. Smith had received "emeritus" status and effectively discontinued the office.

Related Topics:
John Smith - Latter Day Saint - Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - John Smith - Heber J. Grant - Lineal succession (Mormonism) - First Presidency

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