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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center

Byzantine Great Tradition, Byzantine Rite, Greek Variant

The Melkite Greek CatholicChurch follows the Greek Variant of the Byzantine Rite in worship, theology, and spirituality:

• Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) Great Tradition of Eastern Catholicism
  • Byzantine Rite
    • Greek Variant

Then, Melkites are sometimes called "Eastern Catholics" or "Byzantine Catholics" or "Greek Catholics".

Great Traditions of Eastern Catholicism

In Eastern Catholicism, the Catholic Church has five "Great Traditions". The "Great Traditions" are:

• Alexandrian (Alexandrine)
• Armenian
• Byzantine (Constantinopolitan)
• Syriac - East Syriac: Chaldean
• Syriac - West Syriac: Antiochian (Antiochene)

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church / Grec Melkite Catholique is a part of the Byzantine (Constantinopolitan) Great Tradition.

Rites

Each of these great traditions is subdivided into "rites." A "rite" is the "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony, culture and circumstances of history of a distinct people, by which its own manner of living the faith is manifested . . ." [Canon 28 §1. Code of Canons of the Eastern (Catholic) Churches, 1990]. N.B. The term "rite" is never to be used to designate an actual Church jurisdiction.

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church / Grec Melkite Catholique is a part of the Byzantine Rite.

Variants

Some Rites have Variants. The Byzantine Rite has Greek and Slav Variants.

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church / Grec Melkite Catholique is a part of the Greek variant.

Churches

Churches are ecclesial communities which use or possess a "rite" in a particular variation. They are usually headed by a Patriarch or Metropolitan Archbishop, and should have a full ecclesial structure (Patriarchate, Eparchies (Dioceses) and Parishes).
The Catholic Communion has approximately 22 particular Churches.

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church / Grec Melkite Catholique is a Catholic Church with a Patriarch. The Patriarch is The Patriarch / Batriyark of Antioch.

More Information

Catholic Churches

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Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is an unofficial Melkite Greek Catholic Web site and has not been reviewed or approved by any Melkite clergy person.
Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center contains a range of World Wide Web sites on Melkite faith, belief, practice, history, etc. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center does not endorse any World Wide Web site nor takes any responsibility for the contents of any World Wide Web site. Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center offers these links with the understanding that Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center can not vouch for any of the contents on each site. Listing a site does not indicate acceptance nor endorsement of the doctrines / ideas / theology of the World Wide Web site. Please remember that Web sites will change their content and their location. It is the user's responsibility to decide whether or not the content on a particular World Wide Web site is appropripate.

Melkite Greek Catholic Church Information Center is dedicated to my cousins: Bucky (Richard C. Liles) and Shirley (Shirley Jean Liles Buck). Bucky fell asleep in the Lord on Dec. 12, 2000 and Shirley fell asleep in the Lord on Nov. 8, 2001.
O God of all spirits and of all flesh, who have destroyed death, overcome the devil, and given life to the world: grant, O Lord, to the souls of your servants Bucky and Shirley, who has departed from this life, that it may rest in a place of light, in a place of happiness, in a place of peace, where there is no pain, no grief, no sighing. And since You are a gracious God and the Lover of Mankind, forgive him/her every sin he/she has committed by thought, or word, or deed, for there is not a man who lives and does not sin : You alone are without sin, your righteousness is everlasting, and your word is true. You are the Resurrection and the Life, and the repose of your departed servants Bucky and Shirley. O Christ our God, and we send up glory to You, together with your eternal Father and your all-holy, good and life-givng Spirit, now and always and for ages upon ages. Amen.

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Last Updated: Saturday, August 08, 2009, 22:28:11, CDT
The current date and time is: Friday, September 03, 2010, 09:00:57, CDT or Friday, September 03, 2010, 14:00:57, GMT