Sarah Mitchell
The Eastern Catholic Churches, also known as the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, are 23 autonomous churches of the Catholic Church in full communion with the pope in Rome. They are distinct from the Latin Church in theology, liturgy, and history, but they maintain full and equal mutual sacramental exchange with members of the Latin Church. Eastern Catholics are a minority within the Catholic Church, with approximately 18 million members of the Eastern churches out of 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the pope. While there has never been an Eastern Catholic Pope, the pope has supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary authority in the whole Catholic Church, including the Eastern Catholic churches.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Eastern Catholics in communion with the Pope | 18 million |
| Largest Eastern Catholic Churches | Syro-Malabar Church, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church |
| Pope's authority over Eastern Catholic Churches | Supreme, full, and universal ordinary authority |
| Eastern Catholics as members of the Latin Church | No |
| Eastern Catholic Churches | Ukrainian Catholic Church, Maronite Catholic Church, Chaldean Catholic Church, Ethiopian Catholic Church, Eritrean Catholic Church |
| Eastern Catholic Cardinals' eligibility for the papacy | Yes |
| Eastern Catholic Pope in history | No |
| Pope's restriction on Eastern Catholic bishops | Age limit of 80 years for "active voice" |
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What You'll Learn
Eastern Catholics are a minority within the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church is a communion of connected churches, with 24 distinct churches in total. Each church has its own hierarchy, spiritual jurisdiction, liturgical traditions, culture, and customs. They are united by a shared faith in the teachings of the Church and a common fidelity to the pope as the head of the Church.
The largest of these Catholic Churches is the Latin Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church. The remaining 16 to 18 million Catholics are members of the other 23 churches, which are generally referred to as Eastern Catholics. These churches include the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the Maronite Catholic Church, the Chaldean Catholic Church, the Ethiopian Catholic Church, and the Eritrean Catholic Church.
While there has never been an Eastern Catholic Pope post-schism, any Catholic male can technically be elected pope. In the most recent papal conclave, four Eastern Cardinals participated in the voting process, and there may be Eastern Cardinals who could be potential candidates in future elections. The last pope of Greek extraction was Zachary, who served from 741 to 752.
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Eastern Catholics are not members of the Latin Church
Eastern Catholics are a minority within the Catholic Church, with approximately 18 million members of the Eastern churches out of 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the pope. Eastern Catholics are in full communion with the pope and are members of the worldwide Catholic Church. However, they are distinct from the Latin Church, both theologically and liturgically, and are not members of it.
The Eastern Catholic Churches are particular, self-governing churches that recognize the pope's spiritual and juridical supreme authority. They are autonomous, or sui iuris, with their own distinct practices and traditions, separate from those of the Latin Church. The Latin Church, which uses the Latin liturgical rites, including the Roman Rite, the Ambrosian Rite, and the Mozarabic Rite, has historically exerted pressure on Eastern Catholics to conform to its norms and practices, known as Latinization.
The Eastern Catholic Churches have their origins in the Middle East, North Africa, East Africa, Eastern Europe, and South India. They include the Byzantine, Coptic, Syriac, and Armenian liturgical traditions. The Maronite Church, unique among the Eastern Churches, is entirely Catholic and has never broken union with Rome.
While Eastern Catholics are not members of the Latin Church, both groups are in full and equal mutual sacramental exchange. This means that Latin and Eastern Catholics may freely attend a Catholic liturgy celebrated in any rite. The Second Vatican Council affirmed the right of Eastern Catholics to maintain their distinct practices, and the Apostolic See, under the pope, serves the Eastern Catholic Churches, respecting their Eastern liturgies and heritage.
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Eastern Catholic churches are autonomous
The Eastern Catholic Churches are distinct particular churches that are considered autonomous or "sui iuris" in canon law. This means that they have their own liturgical, theological, spiritual, and canonical traditions, separate from the Latin Church. The Latin Church is the largest autonomous particular church, with 23 Eastern Catholic Churches making up the remainder.
The Eastern Catholic Churches are in full communion with the pope and the worldwide Catholic Church, recognising the pope's spiritual and juridical supreme authority. However, they are not members of the Latin Church, which follows the Latin liturgical rites, of which the Roman Rite is the most widespread.
The Eastern Catholic Churches have a diverse organisational structure. Major Eastern Catholic Churches are headed by patriarchs, major archbishops, or metropolitans, and have a fully developed structure and functioning internal autonomy. On the other hand, minor Eastern Catholic Churches may have only a few hierarchs and basic internal organisation.
The term "rite" is used to refer to the liturgical, theological, spiritual, and disciplinary patrimony of a distinct people within a Church. While each Catholic Church may have its own rite or customs, there are generally considered to be eight major rites. The Eastern Catholic Churches are also referred to as "autonomous ritual churches" in the 1983 Code of Canon Law.
The Eastern Catholic Churches are a minority within the Catholic Church, with approximately 18 million members out of 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the pope. The largest Eastern Catholic Church is the Syro-Malabar Church, followed by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
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An Eastern Catholic can become pope
Although there has never been an Eastern Catholic Pope, it is technically possible for an Eastern Catholic to become Pope. There are only two requirements for becoming the Pope: being male and being baptized into the Catholic Church. As Eastern Catholics are in communion with the Pope and members of the worldwide Catholic Church, they are eligible to become Pope.
Eastern Catholics are a minority within the Catholic Church. Of the 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the Pope, approximately 18 million are members of the Eastern Churches. The largest numbers of Eastern Catholics are found in Eastern Europe, Eastern Africa, the Middle East, and India. The Syro-Malabar Church is the largest Eastern Catholic Church, followed by the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
Eastern Catholic Churches are distinct theologically, liturgically, and historically from the Latin Church, but they are all in full communion with it and with each other. Canonically, each Eastern Catholic Church is autonomous with respect to other Catholic churches, whether Latin or Eastern, though all accept the spiritual and juridical supreme authority of the Pope.
In the most recent papal conclave, four Eastern Cardinals got to vote. There will be a few Eastern Cardinals who could potentially be picked when the next election comes around. While it is technically possible, it is unlikely due to the reality of church politics.
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Pope Francis changed Eastern Catholic synods
Eastern Catholics are a minority within the Catholic Church, with approximately 18 million members of Eastern Catholic Churches out of 1.3 billion Catholics in communion with the Pope. They are in full communion with the Pope and are members of the worldwide Catholic Church, but they are not members of the Latin Church, which uses Latin liturgical rites. Eastern Catholic Churches are instead distinct particular churches sui iuris (autonomous) and maintain full and equal mutual sacramental exchange with members of the Latin Church.
Pope Francis has relied heavily on synods during his papacy, permitting broad discussion on controversial proposals that have seemed at times to contravene Catholic doctrine. In 2021, the Pope announced a global consultative and discernment process called the "synod on synodality", which was meant to foster discussion among all Catholics about how the Church could better involve more people in the discernment of God's will for the Church.
In a motu proprio called Iam pridem, Pope Francis restricted the deliberative participation of retired bishops over 80 in the synodal assemblies of the Eastern Catholic Churches. The Pope was asked by a number of hierarchs to restrict the voting authority of older bishops at the synods of bishops. Some Eastern Catholic sources suspect that some patriarchs have complained that older bishops have different priorities on the appointment of bishops than their younger counterparts.
The synod of bishops has deliberative governing authority in the Eastern Catholic Churches in which it exists. It elects a patriarch, is involved directly in the appointment of bishops and the creation of new dioceses (eparchies), and is required to be either consulted by the patriarch or to give consent on important financial, administrative, or personnel decisions for the Eastern Catholic Church in question.
Pope Francis has expressed his desire to strengthen the collegial aspects of the Church's governance and has argued for more recognition of charismatic gifts in the Church. He has also increased the authority and influence of the Synod of Bishops.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Eastern Catholics are in full communion with the Pope and members of the worldwide Catholic Church. They are, however, not members of the Latin Church, which uses the Latin liturgical rites.
There has never been an Eastern Catholic Pope post-schism (since 1054). However, there have been Greek and Syrian Popes, and even a period of time called the "`Byzantine Papacy'" in the 7th-8th century where there was a near monopoly on Greek Popes.
The Pope has supreme, full, immediate, and universal ordinary authority in the whole Catholic Church, which includes the Eastern Catholic Churches. The Pope is free to make changes to reflect his heritage. For example, Pope Francis restricted the voting authority of older bishops at the synods of bishops in Eastern Catholic Churches.
