In Hosianism, Patriarchalism refers in broad terms to the specific liturgical, religious and hierarchical characteristics of certain Hosian denominations. Patriarchal Hosian Churches are usually identified as having a formal hierarchy headed by a Patriarch, a high regard for the Hosian religious traditions and the seven Sacrifices ordained by it, and being more concerned with mystery than their Confessional and Ameliorate counterparts.
Specifically, Patriarchalism is usually employed by Hosians to identify that a particular denomination embodies or succeeds the "One Holy Apostolic and Ecumenical Church" described in the Aurorian Creed or the Creed of the Hosioi (equivalent of the Creed of the Apostles). As such, the Luthoran Church designates itself as patriarchal as well as confessing.
There are two variants within Patriarchalism: Aurorian (also Western or Martinist) Patriarchalism, consisting of those patriarchal churches accepting the Aurorian creed and its binitarian formula, and anti-Aurorian (also Eastern or Eudemian) Patriarchalism, consisting of those churches that rejected the outcome of the Council of Auroria.
Aurorian (or Western) Patriarchalism[]
At the Council of Auroria, the Church Fathers formalised the Aurorian Creed, thus founding the Holy Apostolic Hosian Church of Terra. Both the Patriarchal and Luthoran branches accept this creed, which formalises a binitarian Pneumatology. This is the starting point of all the Western Patriarchal denominations, who all originate from the now-defunct Apostolic Church through numerous great schisms. Commonly, Western Patriarchals claim that their denomination is the continuation of the Apostolic Church, and their Arch-Patriarch the sole legitimate successor of the first Arch-Patriarch, St. Michael, regarded as the first Bishop of Auroria and founder of the Hosian Church. There are two major Western Patriarchal churches, the Terran Patriarchal Church and the Aurorian Patriarchal Church (which, having been established after the Second Council of Auroria, claims to be the restoration of the Holy Apostolic Church in full), and several smaller churches.
Eastern (or anti-Aurorian) Patriarchalism[]
Those Churches that rejected the outcome of the Council of Auroria, identifying instead with the older Creed of the Hosioi, became the Patriarchal Church (Eastern Rite). Their denominations are generally classified as Eastern (or, as a pejorative, anti-Aurorian) Patriarchalism to distinguish them from Western Patriarchals. There exist fundamental theological and liturgical differences between the remnant of the Apostolic Church and the Eastern Rite Patriarchals, which caused the schism occurring after the Council of Auroria. Its theological position is described as unitarian. The largest Eastern Patriarchal denomination is the Apostolic Church of the East, established in 3412.