itäkatolisten

Iitäkatolisten, or Eastern Catholics, are members of the Catholic Church who follow Eastern Christian liturgical rites, spirituality, and canon law while remaining in full communion with the Pope in Rome. They are organized into sui iuris churches, each with its own hierarchy, liturgical tradition, and governance, and together they number several dozen million faithful worldwide.

Ritual traditions within the Eastern Catholic Churches span multiple rites, including Byzantine, West Syriac, East Syriac, Armenian, and Coptic. The most visible examples are the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Ruthenian (Carpathian) Greek Catholic Church, which use Byzantine rites in Ukrainian and Church Slavonic; the Melkite Greek Catholic Church in the Middle East uses a Greek/Arabic tradition; the Maronite Church follows the West Syriac rite in Arabic and other languages; and the Armenian Catholic Church uses the Armenian rite. Languages used in worship range from Church Slavonic to Ukrainian, Arabic, Syriac, and Armenian. In most Eastern Catholic Churches, married men may be ordained priests, while bishops are typically chosen from among celibate clergy.

Structure and governance: each sui iuris church has its own hierarchy led by a major archbishop, patriarch, or metropolitan, and a synod of bishops. They recognize the primacy of the Pope but preserve substantial autonomy over liturgy, discipline, and internal law. They are governed by the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

History and status: many eastern communities entered into communion with Rome through historic unions, such as the Union of Brest (1595–1596) and the Union of Uzhorod (1646). Today, Eastern Catholic Churches exist in countries across Europe, the Middle East, the Americas, and beyond, maintaining their distinct traditions while sharing a common communion with Rome.