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The Byzantine Rite
Just what is the Byzantine Rite? What is it mean to be a "Greek Catholic"? How does it Differ from the Roman or Latin Rite Catholic Church?, and why is it Greek Catholic, when most Greek Catholics are Slovakian, Hungarian, Ukrainian, Russian, ETC. and not of Greek descent?
To begin with, we must Go Back Hundreds, Perhaps over a Thousand Years ago. Two Missionaries from Greece, Cyril and Methodius Traveled to the Area of Carpathia and Ruthenia, Mountainous areas in Eastern Europe. They went to Spread the Work of Jesus Christ and the work of the Catholic Church. Cyril and Methodius, who went on to become Saints Cyril and Methodius were successful, as The Catholic Religion Spread. Cyril and Methodius brought their liturgical books to Rome to receive the blessings of Pope Hadrian, and he in turn blessed their mission of establishing the Greek Catholic religion in the Carpathian mountains of Eastern Europe.
In the days of the early Church, Jesus and the Apostles were under the rule of Rome. The Roman Emperors outlawed Christianity. All of the Emperors begining with Nero Ceasar either imprisoned, banished, or killed any person caught practicing Christianity. A few Hundred years later, Constantine became the Ruler of Rome. Constantine was a Christian himself and was the very first Roman Emperor to accept Christianity. Constantine would establish the Capital of the Empire to modern-day Turkey, in the city he created called Constantinoble. Constantinoble was also called "Byzantium", but is now called Istanbul.
We also have to look into the issue of Politics. The Byzantine-Rite (or Greek Catholic) Church has it's roots to the origin of the Catholic Church. The first World Empire was in Greece. The Roman Empire came into power Years after the Fall of the Greeks. The Roman Catholic Church formed then as the shift of power moved from Greece to Rome. The area was where the Church was born is in Constantinoble (The East). Rome (The West), is where Constantine moved the Empire to. Some actually say, The Greek Catholic church is the original and first Catholic Church. The Word "Byzantine" Comes from the former Roman capital of Byzantium. The Greek Catholic Church sort of divided according to geography. In the first half of the twentieth century, Greek Catholic Churches became either Byzantine-Russinian Catholic, Ukrainian Catholic, Romainian Catholic, Coptic (Egyptian) Catholic, or Syrian Catholic. The Greek Catholic Church should not be confused with Greek Orthodox, or the Russian Orthodox Church as we are Catholic.
Saint Nicholas Church is a Church whose members are of Austria-Hungary Czecholoslovakian ancestory. Hungarians also belong to the Byzantine-Rite. Saint Michael's Church in Perth Amboy is an example. Slovakian and Hungarians belonging to the Byzantine rite usually have their Roots in the Carpathian mountains.
The Greek (Byzantine) Catholic Church is the only Self-Governing Catholic Church in The United States. Some of Our Rituals and Holidays are A Bit Different from The Western European Roman Catholic Church. We also Celebrate Our Masses different too. For Example, our Communion is Bread in Wine, Given by Spoon, whereas the Roman Catholic Communion Is a Wafer. Other than That, We Are Catholics Under His Holiness, Pope Benedict XXVI and Celebrate Every Major Holiday the Same time As Roman Catholics. As Catholics, we Eastern and Roman Catholics share the same faith and have the same seven sacraments. The difference is that we Eastern Catholics have a different way or rite of expressing our faith in regards to Liturgy and customs.