The Chartophylax: Archivist and Librarian to the Patriarch in Constantinople

Abstract

<p>Chartophylax was the title given to the archivist/librarians who served in the adminstration ofthe Orthodox Church during the Byzantine Empire. By the 9th century, the position of chartophylax to the Patriarch in Constantinople had become one ofthe most important in the patriarchal administration. This article describes the duties of the chartophylax in Constantinople as they developed from the 5th through the 15th centuries; it also examines some ofthe reasons for the rise in prominence of this position.</p><p>This is a pre-copyedited version of an article accepted for publication in Libraries & Culture following peer review. The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available through the University of Texas Press.</p>