United States, reunited with Rome in 1697 and America. The Ruthenians reunited with Rome use Modern Romanian in their liturgy; in in the Union of Brest-Litovsk in 1596 and the Eastern Rite Churches 1948, they were forced to join the Romanian Union of Uzhorod in 1646. They employ Old Today Orthodox Church in Romania, but since the Slavonic and English in the liturgy. fall of communism, the Catholic Romanian Fr. William P. Saunders, PhD Rite has regained independence. The Russian Finally, the Ukrainian Rite has large Rite, located mainly in Russia and China with populations in the Ukraine, Poland, the United The Eastern Rite Catholics are part of the congregations in Europe, Australia, and North States, Canada, England, Australia, Germany, Roman Catholic Church, not the Orthodox and South America, reunited with Rome in France, Brazil and Argentina. The Ukrainians Church. While the majority of Roman 1905 and use Old Slavonic as a liturgical reunited with Rome about 1595. However, Catholics belong to the Latin Rite, the Eastern language. The Georgian Rite, based in the Stalin forced the Ukrainian Rite Catholics to Rites provide a special dimension to our former Soviet Republic of Georgia, reunited enter the Russian Orthodox Church in 1943, Catholic heritage and spirituality. The Second with Rome in 1329, severed ties in 1507, then but since the independence of the Ukraine, Vatican Council's Decree on the Catholic in 1917 broke with the Russian Orthodox they have reunited with Rome. This rite uses Eastern Churches emphasized, "The Catholic Church and again reunited with Rome as the Old Slavonic and Ukrainian. Church values highly the institutions of the Georgian Byzantine Rite, and has struggled Eastern Churches, their liturgical rites, for survival ever since, especially during All Roman Catholics are welcome to attend Ecclesiastical traditions and their ordering of Communist oppression; the Georgian the Divine Liturgy at these Eastern Rite Christian life. For in those churches, which are language is used in their liturgy. The Slovak Churches (which does indeed fulfill the distinguished by their venerable antiquity, Rite is based in Slovakia, the Czech Republic Sunday obligation) and may receive Holy there is clearly evident the tradition which has and Canada, and uses Old Slavonic in its Communion. Particulars of Canon Law, come from the Apostles through the Fathers liturgy. however, do regulate marriages between a and which is part of the divinely revealed, Latin Rite and an Eastern Rite Catholic. In all, undivided heritage of the Universal Church" The three largest of the Byzantine Rites are these rites remind us of the universality of our (No. 1). the Melkite, Ruthenian and Ukrainian. The Roman Catholic Church and the rich liturgical Melkite Rite has strong congregations in traditions we share as Catholics. Vatican Council II recognized in its "Decree Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, United States, on the Catholic Eastern Churches," "The holy Brazil, Venezuela, Canada, Australia, and Used with permission. Catholic Church, which is the Mystical Body Mexico. The Melkites reunited with Rome of Christ, is made up of the faithful who are during the Crusades but due to impediments The Evangelization Station organically united in the Holy Spirit by the Hudson, Florida, USA caused by the Moslem occupations more same faith, the same sacraments and the same E-mail: [email protected] officially reunited in the early 1700s and use government. They combine into different Greek, Arabic, English, Portuguese, and www.evangelizationstation.com groups, which are held together by their Spanish in the liturgy. hierarchy, and so form particular churches or Pamphlet 105 rites. Between those churches there is such a The Ruthenian or Carpatho-Russian Rite is wonderful bond of union that this variety in based in the Ukraine and the United States the Universal Church, so far from diminishing with strong congregations in Ukraine, United its unity, rather serves to emphasize it. For the States, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Catholic Church wishes the traditions of each Republic, Australia, and North and South particular Church or Rite to remain whole and entire, and it likewise wishes to adapt its own United States, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, them and Rome until the time of the way of life to the needs of different times and and Canada, has remained united with Rome missionaries in the 1500s. places" (No. 2). Although these Eastern Rites since the time of its founder St. Maron, and differ from the Western or Latin Rite in "rite" uses the Syriac and Arabic languages in its The Byzantine Rite, the largest Eastern Rite, and liturgy, ecclesiastical discipline and liturgies. is based on the Rite of St. James of Jerusalem Canon Law and spiritual traditions, they are with the later reforms of St. Basil and St. John fully part of the Roman Catholic Church under The Syrian Rite is located primarily in Chrysostom. These rites employ the Liturgy of the leadership and pastoral care of the pope, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt and Syria, with healthy St. John Chrysostom. This parent rite the successor of St. Peter. communities in Asia, Africa, Australia, and comprises many rites, which are themselves North and South America, reunited with Rome highly ethnic oriented. The Albanian Rite, Today, the various Eastern Rites are organized in 1781, and uses the Syriac and Arabic centered in Albania, reunited with Rome in under the four eastern patriarchates. (The languages in its liturgies. 1628 and uses Albanian as its liturgical following information was gleaned from the language. The Belarussian (formerly titled Catholic Almanac.) The Armenian Rite, technically a distinct rite, Byelorussian) Rite, centered in Belarussia derived from the Antiochene Rite and is an with large populations in Europe, North and The Alexandrian Rite is officially called the older form of the Byzantine Rite. Although it South America, and Australia, reunited with Liturgy of St. Mark. (St. Mark is traditionally uses a different language, this rite is Rome in the 1600s and uses Old Slavonic as considered the first bishop of Alexandria.) technically called the Greek Liturgy of St. their liturgical language. The Bulgarian Rite, Their present liturgy contains elements of the Basil. This rite has jurisdictions primarily in centered in Bulgaria, reunited with Rome in Byzantine Rite of St. Basil and the liturgies of Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Syria, Turkey, 1861 and uses the Old Slavonic language in Sts. Mark, Cyril, and Gregory Nazianzen. This Ukraine, France, Greece, Romania, Armenia, the liturgy. The Croatian Rite, based primarily parent rite includes the Coptic Rite and the Argentina and the United States. The in Croatia with a significant population in the Ge'ez Rite. The Coptic Rite, which is situated Armenians reunited with Rome during the United States, reunited with Rome in 1611 and primarily in Egypt, reunited with Rome in Crusades, and the ritual liturgical language is employs Old Slavonic as a liturgical language. 1741 and uses the Coptic and Arabic Classical Armenian. The Greek Rite, which is centered in Greece languages in its liturgies. The Ge'ez Rite, and Turkey with congregations also in Asia based primarily in Ethiopia, Jerusalem, and The Chaldean Rite, also technically a distinct Minor and Europe, reunited with Rome in Somalia, reunited with Rome in 1846 and uses rite, also originated from the Antiochene Rite. 1829 and uses the Greek language in the the Ge'ez language in their liturgies. This rite is also divided into two rites: The liturgy. The Hungarian Rite, situated in Chaldean Rite, located primarily in Iraq, Iran, Hungary with significant populations The Antiochene Rite is the Liturgy of St. Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Turkey and the United throughout Europe and North and South James of Jerusalem. This parent rite includes States, reunited with Rome in 1692, and uses America, reunited with Rome in 1646 and the following rites: The Malankar Rite is the Syriac and Arabic languages in the liturgy. uses Greek, Hungarian, and English in their located in India, reunited with Rome in 1930, The Syro-Malabar Rite, located in India, liturgies. The Italo-Albanian Rite, mainly in and uses the Syriac and Malayalam languages claims to have originated with St. Thomas the Italy with congregations in North and South in its liturgies. Apostle, and uses the Syriac and Malayalam America, never separated from Rome and uses languages in the liturgy. Although the Syro- the Greek and Italo-Albanian languages in the The Maronite Rite, located primarily in Malabar Rite was never in formal schism, for liturgy. The Romanian Rite, centered in Lebanon, Cyrpus, Egypt, and Syria but with centuries no communication occurred between Romania with a significant population in the large populations of the faithful also in the