What is the Byzantine Catholic Church?

The Byzantine Catholic Church traces its foundation back to the 12 Apostles: The very men who were companions of Jesus as he walked this earth over 2000 years ago. After the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), the Apostles began to proclaim the Gospel, first to the Jews in Jerusalem, then to the Gentiles. The first mission of the Church to the Greek-speaking Gentiles was in the Roman province of Syria named Antioch. Antioch is where "the disciples were first called Christians" (Acts 11:26).

Antioch also became the base camp for the amazing missionary journeys of the Apostle Paul. Paul started numerous Greek-speaking Christian churches in Greece and Turkey: which was known as Asia Minor. Similar journeys were undertaken by other Apostles throughout the Mediterranean, as well as the Latin West, and especially in Rome, the capital of the Empire.

From this short history, we can see that two major traditions developed in the earliest days of the Catholic Church and remain with us to this very day: the Eastern or "Greek" tradition, and the Western or "Latin" tradition. The Church in the West was based in the Empire's capital: Rome. This is why it is known as the Roman Catholic Church.

The Church in the East grew and developed from the Churches in Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria. These three Eastern centers shared the common language, culture, and philosophy of Greece. This Greek language and culture greatly influenced the development of the Eastern Christian tradition. The Byzantine Catholic Church shares in the inheritance of the first Greek-speaking Christians of the Eastern Mediterranean world, and it was founded by the Apostles of Jesus Christ.

So, what is the Byzantine Catholic Church? It is an Eastern Catholic church in communion with the Pope in Rome. The Byzantine Church started with the 12 Apostles, who preached to Gentiles in the Greek-speaking parts of the Roman Empire, such as Antioch, Jerusalem, and Alexandria. Due to the Greek language and culture, the Byzantine Church formed traditions and practices that were unique from the Western ones in the Roman Church.

That was an overview of the Byzantine Catholic Church in a nutshell. You can find out more about the Byzantine Catholic Church by going to byzcath.org or by visiting a local Byzantine Catholic parish. Thanks for learning with us. Until next time, may God grant you many blessed years.

source: https://www.byzcath.org/index.php/about-us-mainmenu-60/about-byzantines-mainmenu-62

Greek

True

Third

Jerusalem, Syria, and Alexandria