Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church
The Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church,[a] also known in the United States as the Byzantine Catholic Church, is a sui iuris (autonomous) Eastern Catholic church based in Eastern Europe and North America. As a particular church of the Catholic Church, it is in full communion with the Holy See. It uses the Byzantine Rite for its liturgies, laws, and cultural identity.
Not to be confused with the Ruthenian Uniate Church, a former Eastern Catholic body.Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church
- United States
- Czech Republic
- Ukraine
- Slovakia[1]
1646
664
417,795[2]
549
1 in the United States
Byzantine Catholic Church (US only)
Name[edit]
While not directly associated with the former Ruthenian Uniate Church, the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church also derives its name from the Rusyn and Ruthenian Slavic peoples of Eastern Europe and their communion with Rome.[3] While Ruthenian Catholics are not the only Eastern Catholics to utilize the Byzantine Rite in the United States, the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church refers to itself as the "Byzantine Catholic Church" within the US.[4]
As of 2016, the membership of the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church was estimated at some 419,500 faithful, with seven bishops, 664 parishes, 557 priests, 76 deacons, and 192 men and women religious.[18] The Church is not organised as a single synod. This is mainly because some of the priests and faithful of the Eparchy of Mukacheve desire that it should be part of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.[19]
People
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48°37′24″N 22°18′08″E / 48.6232°N 22.3022°E