The division of the Catholic Church into two parts, the Western or Latin Church and the Eastern Church, is the result of political accidents; the division of the Roman Empire by Diocletian (284-305) ; again by the sons of Theodosius I (Arcadius in the East, 395-408; Honorius in the West, 395-423); and finally, the strengthening of the breach by establishment of the Holy Roman Empire by Charles the Great (Charlemagne) in 800. The Western Church comprises the patriarchate of the West, its Patriarch being the Bishop of Rome The Eastern Church, originating within the boundaries of the ancient Eastern Empire whose capital was Constantinople (Byzantium), is not one similar integral body Not since before the Council of Nicea (325) has there been a unified Eastern Church At that Council three patriarchs were recognized, those of Rome, Alexandria and Antioch; by 451 two more were added* Jerusalem and Constantinople, the former only a title of honor Thus four patriarchates constitute the Eastern Church, as opposed to the one Western patriarchate.
Any Catholic who is not subject to the Bishop of Rome as his patriarch but who does recognize him as the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church is an Eastern Catholic. The term Uniate, frequently employed m the past, is not favorably regarded by Eastern Catholics Hence its use is not approved by the Holy See.
It is a matter of little concern where the Eastern Catholic lives; he may be in North America or Syria; he still belongs to the Eastern Catholic Church of his patriarch. It is not possible to assign definite geographical limits to an Eastern Catholic Church and say this Church is found exclusively in such a place. Since the Eastern Catholics may move about, the East ern Catholic Churches are found wherever Eastern Catholics dwell.
There are some fundamental distinctions which when they are clarified help to dispel much of the confusion concerning the Eastern Churches. They have to do with the terms, religion, patriarchate rite, language and place The Catholic religion, founded by Jesus Christ, comprises specific truths, precepts and means of salvation by which those who profess it are united with God and, in virtue of this union, with one another It is therefore one religion, not a plurality of religions Hence one is a Catholic or not depending upon his adherence to or rejection of the tenets of the Catholic Church The five Bishops of Rome, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem and Constantinople are all patriarchs The patriarchate or geographical territory over whose inhabitants each rules comprises many dioceses whose bishops are subject to the respective patriarch (see Patriarchs) A rite may be defined as the manner of performing all services for the public worship of God and the sanctification of men (see Rites) Language naturally is concerned with rite but is its least important note Any rite may be celebrated in any language without ceasing to be the same rite, e.g., the Mass according to the Roman Rite is said in the old Church Slavonic in parts of Yugoslavia and Prague. Lastly, place is of little moment in the Eastern Churches At one time this was otherwise When there were clear-cut geographical divisions of patriarchates, an Eastern Catholic was born within the limits of a particular patriarchate. Now a man belongs to his rite wherever he may dwell and his children inherit this quality from him wheresoever they may travel When these distinctions are clear it can be seen that it is not necessary to hear Mass in the Latin language or to receive the sacraments according to the Roman Ritual in order to be a member of the Catholic Church. Unity of religion is not the same thing as uniformity of rite The profession of the Catholic Faith is not the same as the manner in which it is professed.
Though a discussion of the schismatic Eastern Churches is beyond the scope of this article, yet some consideration of them must be made when the Eastern Catholic Churches are classified The greater part of the Eastern Catholic Churches are reunited portions of the schismatic Churches. The Maronite and Italo-Greek Churches, never having been in schism, are an exception to this rule The Eastern Catholic Rites include the following Coptic, Ethiopian, Syrian, Chaldean, Armenian, the two Malabar Churches in India, Byzantine, and Maronite.
The Catholic Copts have their own Patriarchate The old Coptic of their liturgy, which is Alexandrian in origin, is gradually being supplanted by Arabic, the present-day vernacular.
The Ethiopian Catholics were converted from the Ethiopian National Church which went into schism with the Copts. Their rite is substantially Coptic (Alexandrian), with Geez, the classical language.
The Syrians were converted from the Jacobites in 1781 Their patriarch lives at Beirut A derivation of the Antiochian Rite is used in a Syrian dialect.
The Chaldeans were converted from Nestonanism They use an adaptation of the Antiochian Rite with the Syriac language. Their immediate superior lives at Mosul as Patriarch of Babylon.
The Catholic Armenians were converted from the Armenian National Church. The head of this group is the Armenian Katholikos, Patriarch of Cilicia. They are found principally in the Levant, Italy and Austria Their rite, derived from that of Antioch and Caesarea and influenced by the Latin ritual, is in exclusive use among Armenians.
The Malabarese were converted from the Malabar Christians in India m 1599. They lack a patriarch, having instead two ecclesiastical provinces headed by their own Metropolitans. The city Ernakulam is the center for Catholics of the Chaldean Rite of Malabar (which shows noticeable Western influence) , this branch has been Catholic since before 1599 After Mar Ivanios’ conversion, he became in 1932 the Metropolitan of the new province for the faithful of the Antiochian Rite of Malankara, centered in Trivandrum.
The Byzantine Catholics are the Catholic counterpart of the extensive Orthodox Church (see Orthodoxy). These Eastern Catholics have no common authority other than that of the Supreme Pontiff They represent groups which have never been m schism and others which have been reunited to Rome m different countries and at various times Their common bond, besides union with the Supreme Pontiff and all it implies, is the use of the Byzantine rite (that used by the Greek Orthodox, i.e., the schismatic Church in Constantinople) at least in its fundamental notes, even though this rite is used m various languages Within this group there are several divisions. (1) Melkites in Syria and Egypt using Arabic liturgically and subject to the Patriarch of Antioch; (2) Greek Catholics in Greece and Turkey using Greek liturgically; (3) Ruthemans (Ukrainians and Carpatho-Russians) in Europe and the Americas using Old Slavic, (4) Bulgarian Catholics also using Old Slavic; (5) Rumanian Catholics using their own language liturgically; (6) Italo-Greeks in Italy, Sicily using Greek liturgically but with many Latin modifications in their rite, (7) Russian Catholics using Old Slavic in their liturgy Since the Revolution in 1917 this Church has been practically extinct m Russia, but has made some gains among Russian refugees in Europe, America and China. Rome is keeping this Church alive by instituting colleges for Russian priests (even from other nations and rites) in various countries of the Latin Rite.
The Maronite Church is a group with no counterpart, there is no such thing as a schismatical Maronite They are found in Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus and the United States. Their liturgy is basically Antiochian with modifications including the use of the Syriac tongue.
This completes the list of the Eastern Churches
These Eastern Churches, with the exception of the Maronites, have counterparts in the various dissident Eastern Churches of the corresponding rite; some of them are heretical (Nestorian and Monophysite), others are considered as merely schismatical and commonly called “Orthodox ”
The attitude of Roman Catholics of the Latin Rite towards Catholics of the Eastern Rites varies considerably with the extent of their knowledge Many do not know that there can be and are Catholics who do not pray before statues of the Blessed Mother of Christ and St Joseph, who have never been to Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, who do not genuflect in passing before the Blessed Sacrament Those who have heard only superficially about the Eastern Churches are inclined to consider them a cross between Catholicism and Protestantism, and this attitude unfortunately has been fostered quite strenuously by Anglicanism These Easterners are Catholics and have as much right to be so treated as Latins Regarding faith and morals they must be numbered with the Romans Schism and heresy to the Eastern Catholics are as abhorrent as to those of the Roman rite
At the beginning of the fourth century Christendom presented a picture of unity in regard to faith, morals and obedience to the Bishop of Rome as the visible head of the Church Uniformity of rite was not then and is not now the ideal of the Holy See No Catholic can be more Catholic than the Holy See, and Benedict XIV in speaking of the schismatics and Eastern Catholics in the East has aptly expressed the attitude of the Church “Eastern Christians should be Catholics, they have no need to become Latins”
Indeed, the Catholic Eastern Churches are the living proof of the Church’s universality. Eastern schisms have been largely the outcome of political quarrels The Eastern Catholics in remaining loyal to the Holy See and preserving the bond of faith have cast aside their political, social and economic aspirations and come not as Greeks and Slavs and Russians and Armenians and Syrians but as Catholics to rally around the Holy Father uniting their efforts with his to “restore all things in Christ.”