This is being written with a recognition that, in the United States at least, many Latin Rite Catholics forget that the Eastern Catholic Churches are part of the same Catholic Church. It’s very easy for what I say here to appear to focus on differences between the Latin Rite and Eastern Churches, rather than on what is shared. I know of no other way, in a limited amount of space, to describe aspects of belief, liturgy, and practice that may be clinically significant. I’ll focus on Eastern Catholic Churches present in the United States. Much of the information here has come from the Harper-Collins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, by Richard McBrien, 1995.
What is a “Rite”?
Before Vatican II the term "Rite" was used to refer to the Church you “belonged to” by Canon Law. The suggestion was that the tradition of liturgy was all that really defined the different Churches. After Vatican II, the focus was also on the unique heritage and self-government of each Church, including the Latin Church. It varies with the different Rites, but some even have had their own Code of Canon Law.
|
Church |
Area of Origin |
Language |
Liturgical Rite |
Population in the US |
In the US, centered in: |
|
Maronite |
Syrian Lebanon, Syria |
Arabic |
Maronite Rite |
1993 53,000 |
Detroit, then Brooklyn |
|
Melkite |
Syrian Lebanon, Syria |
Arabic |
Byzantine Rite |
1993 26,500 |
Brooklyn, then Mass. |
|
Chaldean |
Iraq |
Soureth (Aramaic) |
|
1993 52,000 |
Detroit |
|
Romanian |
Hungarian Transylvania |
|
Byzantine Rite |
1993 5,000 |
Ohio |
|
Armenian |
|
|
Armenian Rite |
1993 38,500 |
|
|
Italo-Albanian |
|
|
Byzantine Rite |
|
No separate parishes |
|
Ruthenian Greek Catholic |
|
|
|
1993 243,800 |
Pittsburgh |
|
Ukranian |
|
|
|
1993 145,400 |
Philadelphia |
|
Russian |
|
|
|
|
Parishes under Latin bishops |
The Chaldean and Syro-Malabar Rite are local expression of the East Syrian (Assyro-Chaldean) Rite, even though the Chaldeans are centered in Iraq and the Malabars are centered in India, claiming to have been Christianized by St Thomas. My experience has been that many Malabar priests are “bi-ritual” and able to celebrate the liturgy in either the Malabar or Latin Rite.
There are seven liturgical rites used by both Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches.
1. Armenian
2. Byzantine
3. Coptic
4. Ethiopian
5. East (Assyro‑Chaldean) Syrian
6. West (Antiochene) Syrian
7. Maronite
In general, when the numbers of Eastern Catholics organized into their own parishes is small, they relate to the local Latin Rite bishop. When the numbers are larger, one or more Eastern Catholic dioceses will be created with an Eastern Rite bishop.
1929 ¾ the decree Cum Data Fuerit was issued by Rome, requiring celibacy for Ruthenian clergy in the United States (at that time the largest group).
The Maronite Church is the only Eastern Church that has no Orthodox counterpart.
There is often still friction between Eastern Churches and the Latin Rite due to historical patterns of pressure and a process of “latinization” (making “Latin”). Eastern Catholic Churches are at times insultingly called “uniate” Churches, meaning that they gave in to pressure to unite with Rome.
“Eastern liturgies are notable because of their length; because of their frequent use of incense; because they are always sung; and because parts of the service are hidden from view within a sanctuary enclosed by a curtain or barrier. The sumptuousness of their symbolism, vestments, and ceremonial¾the beauty of their chant, and the rich iconography of their churches¾combine to make an almost overwhelming sensible impact on the worshiper. On a deeper, interior level, these rites are characterized by their transcendental, eschatological spirit and profound sense of mystery and awe; by the richly developed trinitarian, Christological, and Marian theology of their prayers and hymns; and by their strong monastic stamp.” (Encyclopedia of Catholicism, p. )