Blackwell Reference Online

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Generic term used to designate Christians in full communion with rome who belong to one or other of the Eastern rites. The following are the principal Eastern Catholic churches and communities. (1)  The ukrainian catholic church , the largest Eastern Catholic church. (2)  The ruthenian Catholic church, united to Rome since the Union of Uzhorod (1646). Ruthenian or Rusyn communities, who live south of the Carpathians, have a strong sense of ethnic identity, despite living for centuries under Hungarian, Czechoslovak or Soviet rule. Ruthenian Catholics were forcibly united to the Orthodox church under the former communist regime. A Ruthenian hierarchy was re-established by the appointment in 1991 of Bishop Ivan Samedi of Mukacevo. The Ruthenian church has a close relation with the Ukrainian Catholic church, yet asserts its own traditions and individuality. In the diaspora , however, many Ruthenians have joined Ukrainian Catholic jurisdictions. In america the intransigent opposition of Latin Catholic bishops to married Ruthenian clergy led to over half the Ruthenian Catholic community in the USA returning to the Orthodox church. The Byzantine Catholic metropolia of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the organizational base for the Ruthenian Catholic community in the USA. (3)  The melkite catholic church . (4)  The Romanian Catholic church, whose origins lie in Habsburg-supported Roman ... log in or subscribe to read full text