Ruthenian Catholic Church

The Ruthenian Catholic Church (also known as the "Byzantine Catholic Church" in America) is an Eastern Catholic Church that uses the Byzantine Rite in its services. It is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic Churches that is in full communion with the Holy See. There are two main communities within the Church - American and European. In the United States, the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh is self-governing (sui iuris). In Europe, Ruthenian Catholics are immediately subject to the Holy See. The European branch has an eparchy in Ukraine (the Eparchy of Mukacheve) and another in the Czech Republic (the Ruthenian Apostolic Exarchate of Czech Republic).

The Ruthenian Catholic Church is rooted among the Rusyn people who lived in Carpathian Ruthenia. This part of the Carpathian Mountains straddles the borders of the present-day states of Hungary, Slovakia and Ukraine. Today, the Church is multi-ethnic. Members of the Metropolitan province of Pittsburgh are predominantly English-speaking. Most are descendants of Rusyns but the descendants of other nationalities are also present such as Slovaks, Hungarians and Croats as well as those of non-Slavic and non-Eastern European ancestry. The modern Eparchy of Mukacheve in Ukraine is mostly Ukrainian speaking and remains officially part of the greater Ruthenian Church.

Eastern Catholic Churches

The Eastern Catholic Churches, also historically known as Uniate Churches, are 23 self-governing particular churches in full communion with the Pope. Together with the Latin Church, also known as the Western Church, they make up the Catholic Church. Liturgies of the 23 Eastern Catholic churches include the Byzantine, Alexandrian, Armenian, East Syrian, and West Syrian Rites, traditions that are shared with other Eastern Christian churches with which they were once associated, such as the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches. Although some theological issues divide them from other Eastern churches, they admit members of the latter churches to the Eucharist and the other sacraments, as governed by canon law.

As a result of migration, Eastern Catholic churches have spread from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and India to Western Europe, the Americas and Oceania where eparchies have been established alongside Latin Church dioceses.

Juridical status

Catholic Church

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with more than 1.25 billion members worldwide. One of the oldest religious institutions in the world, it has played a prominent role in the history of Western civilisation.Headed by the Bishop of Rome, known as the Pope, its doctrines are summarised in the Nicene Creed. The Catholic Church is also notable within the Western Christian tradition for its celebration of the seven sacraments.

The Catholic Church teaches that it is the one true church founded by Jesus Christ, that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles, and that the Pope is the successor to Saint Peter. The Church maintains that the doctrine on faith and morals that it declares as definitive is infallible. The Latin Church, the autonomous Eastern Catholic Churches and religious institutes such as the Jesuits, mendicant orders and enclosed monastic orders, reflect a variety of theological emphases in the Church.

Catholic Church (disambiguation)

The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the church in communion with the Bishop of Rome (the Pope), the largest Christian church in the world.

Catholic Church, Catholic church, catholic Church and catholic church may also refer to: