▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁Ant io ch , ▁and ▁Rome ▁should ▁have ▁prim acy ▁over ▁other , ▁less er ▁dioc eses . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁See ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁was ▁not ▁yet ▁of ▁ecc les iast ical ▁prom in ence , ▁but ▁its ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁Imperial ▁court ▁gave ▁rise ▁to ▁its ▁importance . ▁The ▁Council ▁of ▁Constantin ople ▁in ▁ 3 8 1 ▁modified ▁the ▁situation ▁somewhat ▁by ▁placing ▁Constantin ople ▁second ▁in ▁honor , ▁above ▁Alexand ria ▁and ▁Ant io ch , ▁stating ▁in ▁Can on ▁III , ▁that ▁" the ▁bishop ▁of ▁Constantin ople ... ▁shall ▁have ▁the ▁pr er og ative ▁of ▁honor ▁after ▁the ▁bishop ▁of ▁Rome ; ▁because ▁Constantin ople ▁is ▁New ▁Rome ". ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁ 5 th ▁century , ▁this ▁status ▁was ▁challeng ed ▁by ▁the ▁b ish ops ▁of ▁Alexand ria , ▁but ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁Chal ced on ▁confirmed ▁in ▁Can on ▁XX V III : ▁ ▁In ▁making ▁their ▁case , ▁the ▁council ▁f athers ▁argued ▁that ▁tradition ▁had ▁accord ed ▁" hon or " ▁to ▁the ▁see ▁of ▁older ▁Rome ▁because ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁imperial ▁city . ▁According ly , ▁" m oved ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁purposes " ▁the ▁f athers ▁" app ort ioned ▁equal ▁pr er og atives ▁to ▁the ▁most ▁holy ▁see ▁of ▁new ▁Rome " ▁because ▁" the ▁city ▁which ▁is ▁hon ored ▁by ▁the ▁imperial ▁power ▁and ▁sen ate ▁and ▁enjo ying ▁privileges ▁equal ing ▁older ▁imperial ▁Rome ▁should ▁also ▁be