I've got a number of questions I was wondering if someone could help me with. I was told that Byzantine Catholics were not Eastern Orthodox yet I see the terms both used here. What is the difference? Also, I was under the impression that the 'priest' at the Byzantine Catholic church I have been visiting isn't called a priest? I'm confused on that term as I've seen it used here also. Thank you

byzantines are Catholics (in communion with rome) that use the Byzantine rite which is a predominantly eastern one and so we have that in common with many orthodox churches. Most byzantine rite churches are ones whom after the great schism continued to be in communion with rome or re established it after a while. Most byzantine churches are Orthodox in their teachings and liturgies. And there are some who say that their churches never really broke from the eastern orthodox churches. This being said however communion is no longer in place

What does "orthodox in their teachings and liturgies" mean? Thanks

I mean simply that the two Churches follow the same tradition. The churches view the sacraments similarly or identically as their Orthodox counterparts do. A good example is the teaching of the immaculate conception, The Orthodox teaching is that Mary was not born free of the inherited sin of adam, however was free of sin in her life ( romans believe that she was free of original sin) orthodox believe that she was truly human as only a truly human woman could allow god to be born "fully man". The orthodox teaching on original sin is different to that of the roman church. As far as I am aware all eastern Catholic churches adhere to the Orthodox teaching of the conception of the Theotokos .

what church are you attending? if the service is held in another language it is quite possible he is given another name by the faithful . He is a priest tho :p
since you have been attending a byzantine church you have encountered the liturgy of st john. how do you like it?

Thank you. I've only attended four or five times now. The service is in English. I am still trying to get a grasp of how the liturgy is arranged and what is different week to week. I have to say though I am so drawn to everything I've experienced so far. I drive by at least five or six Roman Catholic churches on the way there. I plan to continue attending for a few months more before I make any final decision to change.

Julia,

Welcome to the forum. As Dewi noted, the parishioners might be addressing the priest by the equivalent term in whatever their historic language might be. For instance, in a parish of the Melkite Church (one of the Churches that use the Byzantine Rite), a priest might be addressed as "Abouna _____"

Many years,

Neil

"Orthodox" is a term which goes back to the early Christian centuries and is found, among other places, in the Roman Canon of the Mass. It has never passed out of use, either in the East or in the West.

In general, parishioners would seldom refer to their particular priest in that way - they would say "Father John" or whatever his name is. But he is a priest and they know it - if the church you are attending offers a printed English text of the Divine Liturgy have a look at it.

Fr. Serge

In terms of teaching, Byzantine Catholics teach the exact same faith as the Roman Catholic Church, although they may use more Eastern language in explaining that faith.

The same differences in faith that exist between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Church also exist between the Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Catholics.

In terms of outward ceremony, Byzantine Catholics resemble the Orthodox, but in terms of inward faith, they are identical to the faith proclaimed by the Patriarch of Rome.

Grace and peace,
Rd John

Thank you! This is helping me a lot. Were the Orthodox church and the Eastern Catholic variations ever one church? I'm thinking how the protestant churches split away from the Roman Catholic church.

You raise an interesting question. The answer to your question depends on your perspective. Generally, most of the the Orthodox theologians I know would argue that Rome broke away from the Orthodox Church, while the Roman Church argues that Eastern Orthodoxy broke away from her. You pays your money and makes your choice!

julia, I can only answer for the melkite church and say yes indeed we were one church, The church of Antioch. The church split in two.

Pilgrim, Your statements astonish me. In my parish we do not espouse latin theology in eastern wording, we espouse eastern theology in eastern wording, and though I know this has been discussed...frequently, we do not differ from Orthodox in the same manner as the roman church, at least not in my parish. Inwardly we are not identical to Rome.Perhaps you attend a thoroughly latinized parish, or maybe there's a misunderstanding based on the usage of the word 'faith.'

I respectfully disagree wholly


1 I believe everything which Eastern Orthodoxy teaches.
2 I am in communion with the Bishop of Rome as the first among the bishops, according to the limits recognized by the Holy Fathers of the East during the first millennium, before the separation

Since I am eastern Orthodox, I can honestly say I follow the EOC party line.