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EASTERN CATHOLIC
CHURCHES
Eastern Catholic churches are
divided into five main traditions. They are: Alexandrean,
Antiochean, Armenian, Chaldean and Byzantine (Constantinopolitan).
Each of these main traditions are again subdivided into individaul
churches which are ranked as Metropolitan Churches, Major
Archiepiscopal Churches or Patriarchal Churches. The names
of these churches and the number of catholics belonging to
each church are given below:
I.Alexandrean
1.Coptic-166,953
2.Ethopian-132,697
II. Antiochean
3.Syrian - 185,870
4.Maronite-2,176,152
5.Syro-Malankara -295,467
III.Armenian
6.Armenian - 142,853
IV.Chaldean
7.Chaldean - 628,250
8.Syro-Malabar -2,939,521
V. Byzantine
9.Byelorussian - 30,000
10. Bulgarian - 15,000
11. Greek - 2300
12. Hungarian - 252,840
13. Italio-Albanian- 61,597
14. Melkite - 1,146,778
15. Romanian- 1,562,979
16. Ruthenian- 461,555
17. Slovak- 400,00
18. Ukranian- 4,194,900
19. Krizevei- 48,770
20. Albanian- **
21. Russian- **
**No information is available
about Albanian and Russian Catholic Churches because of the
previous communist rule. Ukranian Church with more than four
million faithful is the largest Eastern Cathollic Church.
The Syro-Ma1abar Church is the second largest Eastern Catholic
Church with nearly 3 million faithful. The Latin Church or
Roman Church has a following of 880 million.
PATRIARCHATES:
Patriarch is the head of a patriarchal church. Patriarchates
have existed from ancient times. Pope, the head of the Universal
Church is also the Patriarch of the Roman Church. Six of the
21 Eastern Churches are Patriarchal now. They are: Coptic,
Syrian, Maronite, Armenian, Chaldean and Melkite.
MAJOR ARCHIEPISCOPAL CHURCH:
Major Archbishop is the head of a Major Archiepiscopal Church,
which has the same structure and autonomy as a Patriarchal
Church. The main difference is that the election of a Major
Archbishop needs confirmation by the Pope, while that of a
Patriarch has only to be notified to the Pope and other Patriarchs.
Two of the Eastern Churches are Major Archiepiscopal Churches.
They are: Ukranian and Syro-Malabar. The remaining thirteen
are Metropolitan Churches.
Syro-Malabar Church was elevated
to the status of a Major Archiepiscopal Church on May 20,
1993 with His Eminence Cardinal Antony Padiyara as the First
Major Archbishop |
