Congregation for the Oriental Churches
Encyclopedia
The Congregation for the Oriental Churches (Congregatio pro Ecclesiis Orientalibus) is the dicastery
of the Roman Curia
responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical, disciplinary and spiritual patrimony of the Latin Rite, the heritage of the various Oriental Christian traditions. It has exclusive authority over the following regions: Egypt
and the Sinai Peninsula
, Eritrea
and northern Ethiopia
, southern Albania
and Bulgaria
, Cyprus
, Greece
, Hungary
, Israel
, Iran
, Iraq
, Lebanon
, the Palestinian territories
, Syria
, Jordan
, Turkey
, and Ukraine
. It "considers those matters, whether concerning persons or things, affecting the Catholic Oriental Churches" and was founded by the Motu Proprio
Dei Providentis of Pope
Benedict XV as the "Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church" on 1 May 1917.
s and Major Archbishop
s of the Oriental Churches, and the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
, are members of this Congregation by virtue of the Law itself. The consultors and officials are selected in such a way that reflects as far as possible the diversity of rites.
This congregation's competance is does not include the exclusive competance of the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith
and for the Causes of Saints
, of the Apostolic Penitentiary
, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as well as the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
for what pertains to dispensations for a marriage ratum sed non consummatum ('"established but not consummated" in Latin
).
In matters which affect the Eastern as well as the Latin Churches, the Congregation operates, if the matter is important enough, in consultation with the Dicastery
that has competence in the matter for the Latin Church.
The Congregation pays special attention to communities of Eastern Catholic faithful who live in the territory of the Latin Church and attends to their spiritual needs by providing visitators and even their own hierarchs, so far as possible and where numbers and circumstances require, in consultation with the Congregation competent to establish Particular Churches in the region.
In regions where the Eastern Churches have been dominant from ancient times, apostolic and missionary activity is solely the responsibility of this Congregation, even if the above is carried out by Latin Rite missionaries.
The congregation collaborates with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
in matters that concern relations with non-Catholic Eastern Churches and with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
in matters within the scope of the latter.
s of the Holy Roman Church, one of which functioned in the capacity of Secretary.
There were also Councillors, chosen from among the more distinguished clergy and those experienced in things oriental.
The current Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation is Leonardo Sandri
. The Secretary is Archbishop
Cyril Vasil
, S.J.
. The Undersecretary is Monsignor
Maurizio Malvestiti.
Congregation (Roman Curia)
A congregation is a type of dicastery of the Roman Curia, the central administrative organism of the Catholic Church....
of the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
responsible for contact with the Eastern Catholic Churches for the sake of assisting their development, protecting their rights and also maintaining whole and entire in the one Catholic Church, alongside the liturgical, disciplinary and spiritual patrimony of the Latin Rite, the heritage of the various Oriental Christian traditions. It has exclusive authority over the following regions: Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and the Sinai Peninsula
Sinai Peninsula
The Sinai Peninsula or Sinai is a triangular peninsula in Egypt about in area. It is situated between the Mediterranean Sea to the north, and the Red Sea to the south, and is the only part of Egyptian territory located in Asia as opposed to Africa, effectively serving as a land bridge between two...
, Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and northern Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, the Palestinian territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
, Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, and Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. It "considers those matters, whether concerning persons or things, affecting the Catholic Oriental Churches" and was founded by the Motu Proprio
Motu proprio
A motu proprio is a document issued by the Pope on his own initiative and personally signed by him....
Dei Providentis of Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Benedict XV as the "Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Church" on 1 May 1917.
Structure
PatriarchPatriarch
Originally a patriarch was a man who exercised autocratic authority as a pater familias over an extended family. The system of such rule of families by senior males is called patriarchy. This is a Greek word, a compound of πατριά , "lineage, descent", esp...
s and Major Archbishop
Major Archbishop
right|200 px|thumb|Archbishop [[Sviatoslav Shevchuk]], Major Archbishop of Kyiv-HalychIn the Eastern Catholic Churches, major archbishop is a title for an hierarch to whose archiepiscopal see is granted the same jurisdiction in his autonomous particular Church that an Eastern patriarch has in...
s of the Oriental Churches, and the president of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently from 1962–1965.Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement...
, are members of this Congregation by virtue of the Law itself. The consultors and officials are selected in such a way that reflects as far as possible the diversity of rites.
Competance
This Congregation has authority over- all matters which relate to the Oriental Churches referred to the Holy SeeHoly SeeThe Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
(structure and organisation of the Churches; exercise of the offices of teaching, sanctifying and ruling; status, rights and obligations of persons) and - the ad limina visits of Eastern bishopBishopA bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s.
This congregation's competance is does not include the exclusive competance of the Congregations for the Doctrine of the Faith
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , previously known as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition , and after 1904 called the Supreme...
and for the Causes of Saints
Congregation for the Causes of Saints
The Congregation for the Causes of Saints is the congregation of the Roman Curia which oversees the complex process that leads to the canonization of saints, passing through the steps of a declaration of "heroic virtues" and beatification...
, of the Apostolic Penitentiary
Apostolic Penitentiary
The Apostolic Penitentiary, formerly called the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, is one of the three tribunals of the Roman Curia. The Apostolic Penitentiary is chiefly a tribunal of mercy, responsible for issues relating to the forgiveness of sins in the Catholic Church.The...
, the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura and the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, as well as the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments
The Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments is the congregation of the Roman Curia that handles most affairs relating to liturgical practices of the Latin Catholic Church as distinct from the Eastern Catholic Churches and also some technical matters relating to the...
for what pertains to dispensations for a marriage ratum sed non consummatum ('"established but not consummated" in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
).
In matters which affect the Eastern as well as the Latin Churches, the Congregation operates, if the matter is important enough, in consultation with the Dicastery
Dicastery
Dicastery is an Italicism sometimes used in English to refer to the Departments of the Roman Curia....
that has competence in the matter for the Latin Church.
The Congregation pays special attention to communities of Eastern Catholic faithful who live in the territory of the Latin Church and attends to their spiritual needs by providing visitators and even their own hierarchs, so far as possible and where numbers and circumstances require, in consultation with the Congregation competent to establish Particular Churches in the region.
In regions where the Eastern Churches have been dominant from ancient times, apostolic and missionary activity is solely the responsibility of this Congregation, even if the above is carried out by Latin Rite missionaries.
The congregation collaborates with the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity
The Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity origins are associated with the Second Vatican Council which met intermittently from 1962–1965.Pope John XXIII wanted the Catholic Church to engage in the contemporary ecumenical movement...
in matters that concern relations with non-Catholic Eastern Churches and with the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue
The Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue is a dicastery of the Roman Curia, erected by Pope Paul VI on 19 May 1964 as the Secretariat for Non-Christians, and renamed by Pope John Paul II on 28 June 1988....
in matters within the scope of the latter.
History
Until 1917, the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith had a division for the "Affairs of the Oriental Rite", which ceased to exist on the 30th of November 1917Structure in 1917
It was presided over by the Supreme Pontiff himself and included several CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
s of the Holy Roman Church, one of which functioned in the capacity of Secretary.
There were also Councillors, chosen from among the more distinguished clergy and those experienced in things oriental.
The current Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation is Leonardo Sandri
Leonardo Sandri
Leonardo Sandri is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Roman Curia, having previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela , Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico and Substitute for General Affairs...
. The Secretary is Archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
Cyril Vasil
Cyril Vasiľ
Archbishop Cyril Vasiľ, S.J., is a Slovak Jesuit priest, professor and Rector of the Pontifical Oriental Institute. He was appointed Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and ordained bishop of the see of Ptolemais in Libya .Vasiľ was born in Košice, Slovakia...
, S.J.
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
. The Undersecretary is Monsignor
Monsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Maurizio Malvestiti.
Cardinal Secretaries (to 1967)
Note: From 1917 to 1967, the Pope served also as Prefect of the Congregation.- Niccolò MariniNiccolò MariniNiccolò Marini was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church who served as secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches from 1917 to 1922, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1916.-Biography:...
(1917–1922) - Giovanni Tacci PorcelliGiovanni Tacci PorcelliGiovanni Tacci Porcelli was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church who served as Secretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches from 1922 to 1927, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1921.-Biography:...
(1922–1927) - Luigi SinceroLuigi SinceroLuigi Sincero was a Roman Catholic Cardinal and President of the Pontifical Commission for the Authentic Interpretation of the Code of Canon Law and Secretary of Sacred Congregation for the Oriental Churches, the title of Prefect held by the Popes from 1917 until 1967.He was born in Trino...
(1927–1936) - Eugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent TisserantEugène-Gabriel-Gervais-Laurent TisserantEugène Tisserant was a French Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. Elevated to the cardinalate in 1936, Tisserant was a prominent and long-time member of the Roman Curia. He was also, for a time, Grand Master of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre...
(1936–1959) - Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (1959–1961)
- Gabriel Acacius CoussaGabriel Acacius CoussaGabriel Acacius Coussa was a Syrian Melkite Catholic archbishop, expert in canon law and cardinal. He served as secretary of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches and was the first Eastern Catholic to hold this position....
(pro-prefect 1961, prefect 1962) - Gustavo TestaGustavo TestaGustavo Testa was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches from 1967 to 1968, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1959.- Biography :...
(1962–1967)
Cardinal Prefects
- Gustavo TestaGustavo TestaGustavo Testa was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches from 1967 to 1968, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1959.- Biography :...
(1967–1968) - Maximilien de FurstenbergMaximilien de FurstenbergMaximilien Louis Hubert Egon Vincent Marie Joseph, Freiherr von Fürstenberg-Stammheim also Maximilian Kardinal von Fürstenberg was a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and was Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches.He was born in the castle of Ter Worm, Heerlen, The Netherlands,...
(1968–1973) - Paul-Pierre PhilippePaul-Pierre PhilippePaul-Pierre Philippe O.P. was a Cardinal and Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Roman Catholic Church....
(1973–1980) - Władysław Rubin (1980–1985)
- Duraisamy Simon Lourdusamy (1985–1991)
- Achille SilvestriniAchille SilvestriniAchille Silvestrini was one of the most prominent Vatican diplomats during the long reign of John Paul II...
(1991–2000) - Ignatius Moussa Daoud (2000 – 9 June 2007)
- Leonardo SandriLeonardo SandriLeonardo Sandri is a Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches in the Roman Curia, having previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to Venezuela , Apostolic Nuncio to Mexico and Substitute for General Affairs...
(9 June 2007 – present)