When Adanōs accepted the submission of the twelve Magi at Tanthes, he declared the city holy among all the holiness of the world. There, selfish, power-hungry, and black-hearted men were persuaded by the grace of the God to set aside their corruption and iniquity and with him build a church to spread the world over. Adanōs, though the doctrine of his faith affirmed his possession of Eleia, the grace of the prophets, was mortal, and died some 30 years after the prostration of the Magi. Adanōs was a shrewd administrator, and in his later years, ran his nascent church with a firm hand. He stipulated that his successor, called the Primate of Tanthes, would be chosen by the twelve Blessed Magi (who nowadays are not Magi), of which all but one had by then died, and been replaced by his dearest apostles, and by the hierarchs of the domains his faith spread to. He did not stipulate that there would always be twelve, or that they would always remain in Tanthes, though he replaced each that died during his lifetime.
The doctrine of Tanthene Primacy declared that Tanthes would forever be the center of his faith, and the Primate of Tanthes forever the center of Tanthes. When the Giraïrs marched east to found their empire, the Primate of Tanthes blessed Panarine before the nations of the world, as the sword and shield of the faith, and heirs to the Empire of Tanthes. When Panarine fell, this station was coveted by Goentea, though the blessing of Tanthes has yet to be extended. The number of Blessed Magi, or Tanthene Electors, has varied between 8 and 13, with 12 preferred for symmetry with Adanōs. In addition, several hierarchs outside of Tanthes have at various points been given the distinction: the head of the Oronar Orthodox church is a Tanthene Elector, as was the hierarch of Panarine. Prior to the Gosselevian Schism, the hierarch of Goscelebe was briefly considered by the Primate of Tanthes as successor to a vacant seat as Blessed Magus. Before the title was given to the hierarch of Panarine, three Giraïr emperors held the title of Blessed Magus and passed it to their heirs.
The Primate of Tanthes has broad authority and spiritual relevance in Orthodox Adanism. Their vast power over Adanist nations, including the prospect of grants of status as successor to Panarine, means that the Primate has historically been extremely powerful. The Primate of Tanthes has historically held the authority to place an Adanist polity under Theocracy, via one of the faith’s military orders. Finally, in Orthodox doctrine, only the Primate holds a permanent state of intercession with Eleia, though ’touching’, but not ‘bearing’. In other words, the Primate of Tanthes is thought to hold great sway in granting blessings to the faithful.