The Holy Land

Christianity was established by Jesus Christ, the Son of God, in Israel in the 1^st Century A.D.  Jesus established His Holy Catholic Church on earth and appointed Peter to lead it.  The number of Christians in the Holy Land today varies according to the source, but most agree that the number is declining.

Catholics in the Holy Land are divided among six liturgical rites—Roman, Armenian, Chaldean, Greek Melkite, Maronite, and Syriac.  Therefore, it is appropriate to discuss Catholic liturgical rites.  (Also see my blog of April 19, 2017.)

The Catholic Church has different liturgical rites.  “Rite” refers to liturgical practices, ecclesiastical discipline, and spiritual heritage—which differ among the various rites.  They all share the same essential beliefs, including the acknowledgement of the Pope as leader of the Universal Church.  However, the mass prayers and other liturgical rituals differ.  

Almost all Catholics in the United States and in most of the world belong to the Roman or Latin Rite.  This is one of a handful of Western rites that also include the Milanese or Ambrosian rite used in Milan, Italy, the Mozarabic rite used in Toledo, Spain, and the Bragan rite used in Braga, Portugal.  Also, the Dominicans, Carmelites and Carthusians have unique rites.  Pope Benedict XVI created an Anglican rite as well.

There are several Eastern rite churches.  Eastern Catholic churches date back to the early days of Christianity.  After the Roman Empire split in the 4^th Century into Eastern and Western halves, churches in the West were aligned with the Roman patriarch (the Pope) and churches in the East (mostly modern day Eastern Europe and the Middle East) to the patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, Constantinople, and Jerusalem—while still acknowledging the special position of the Pope as successor to St. Peter.  Over time, most of the Eastern churches split from Rome.  Some left the Church and have never returned, such as the Nestorians after the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.  Others left after the Council of Chalcedon in 451.  Both of these councils dealt with the divine and human natures of Jesus.  The largest schism came in 1054, when many of the Eastern churches split with Rome to become the various Orthodox churches.  

Today’s Eastern Catholic Churches have different histories of reunification with Rome.  Some never left the Catholic Church, others asked for reunification, and others came back due to the missionary activities of the Dominicans, Franciscans, and Jesuits.  Eastern Catholic Churches today are divided into five major rites, each of which has one or more minor rites.  The major rites are:  Byzantine (mostly Eastern Europe), Chaldean (Middle East and India), Antiochene (Middle East and India), Armenian (Eastern Europe), and Alexandrian (Africa).  It should be noted that many Eastern rite Catholics have left their homelands due to war and now live in the United States or other western nations.  Some eastern churches refer to a diocese as an eparchy (pronounced epar-key).  An exarchy is a missionary diocese.  The bishop is sometimes referred to as an eparch (or an exarch).

The Church of Constantinople became the political and religious center of the eastern Roman Empire after the Emperor Constantine built a new capital there (324–330) on the site of the ancient town of Byzantium. Constantinople developed its own liturgical rite from the Liturgy of St. James, in one form as modified by St. Basil, and in a more commonly used form, as modified by St. John Chrysostom. After 1054, except for brief periods of reunion, most Byzantine Christians have not been in communion with Rome.  But over the last several centuries, many Byzantine Catholics have returned to the Church.  They make up the Byzantine Rite.  Byzantine Catholics are subdivided into numerous sub-rites.  The largest of these is the Ukrainian rite with 4.4 million members, mostly in the Ukraine.  Greek Melkites number 1.5 million and have traditionally come from the Middle East.  Ruthenians number 600,000 and traditionally lived in the area near Slovakia.  Romanians number about 500,000.  A dozen other Byzantine rites have a total of a half million members.

Chaldean Catholics trace their origins to the Church in Antioch founded by St. Peter.  The rite uses the ancient Syriac language (the Semitic dialect used in Jesus' time and better known as Aramaic). Its Liturgy is attributed to St. James and the Church of Jerusalem.  Chaldeans number about 600,000 and were traditionally in the Middle East and Syro-Malabar Catholics number 4.1 million and are mostly in India.

Antiochian Catholics have the same origins and similar liturgical practices as the Chaldeans.  Maronite Catholics, traditionally in Lebanon, number 3.4 million; Syriac or Syrian Catholics, traditionally in Syria, number 200,000; and Malankar Catholics number 400,000, mostly in India.

Armenian Catholics were the first to convert as a nation to Christianity. Today they number 700,000.

The Church of Alexandria in Egypt was one of the original centers of Christianity, since like Rome and Antioch it had a large Jewish population which was the initial object of apostolic evangelization. Its Liturgy is attributed to St. Mark the Evangelist.  Coptic Catholics in Egypt (not to be confused with the much larger Orthodox Coptic Church) number less than 200,000.  Ethiopian Catholics number less than 100,000 and Eritrean Catholics less than 200,000.

Israel’s 8.3 million people are mostly Jewish—75 percent.  Muslims account for about 18 percent of the total and Christians only 2 percent or about 175,000.  Most of these Christians are Catholic of one Rite or another.

Palestine’s 4.5 million people are mostly Muslim.  Christians total about 75,000 or less than 2 percent.  Most of these Christians are Greek Orthodox, but some are Catholic.

Jordan’s 10.2 million people are almost all Muslims, but there are about 225,000 Christians.  Most of the Christians are Greek Orthodox or other Orthodox Christians, but there may be about 40,000 Catholics.  Most of the Catholics belong to the Greek Melkite rite.

Roman-Rite

There are 70,000 Roman-rite Catholics in Israel, Palestine, Jordan, and Cyprus and are served by the Patriarch of Jerusalem.  The Diocese of Jerusalem dates to Apostolic times and became the Patriarchal See of Jerusalem in 451.  When Jerusalem fell to Saladin in 1187, the Patriarchate was moved to Acre, then to Cyprus, and finally to Rome. Pope Pius IX restored the Latin Patriarchate in Jerusalem in 1847.  The Patriarch has two cathedrals in Jerusalem:  the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher and the Co-Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.

The Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher is Christianity’s most sacred site as the locations of Jesus’ death and resurrection are contained within its walls.  There has been a church on this site since 335, but the current church dates to the 11^th Century.  The church is co-owned by the Greek Orthodox Church, the Roman Catholic Church, and four other Orthodox churches.  These groups have not always gotten along and the keys to the church have been controlled by two Muslim families since the 12^th Century.  This may be an official website:  churchoftheholysepulchre.net.

All are from Wikipedia.

The neo-Gothic Co-Cathedral of the Most Holy Name of Jesus was built in 1872.  Its four stained glass windows depict the Risen Christ, the Crucifixion, the Adoration of the Magi, and the Four Evangelists.

Both are from Wikipedia.

Armenian-Rite

The Armenian Patriarchal Exarchy of Jerusalem and Amman serves 500 Armenian-rite Catholics in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan.  The Exarchy was established in 1991 and is immediately subject to the Armenian Patriarch in Lebanon.  The Cathedral of Our Lady of Sorrows, also known as Our Lady of the Spasm, is located in Jerusalem.  The Cathedral was built in 1881 and is located near the Fourth Station of the Cross (Jesus meets his Mother) on the Via Dolorosa.

Both are from Wikipedia.

Chaldean-Rite

Chaldeans living in Israel and Palestine are served by the Chaldean Territory Dependency of Jerusalem is immediately subject to the Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq.  The Territory began as a patriarchal vicariate in 1970, became a patriarchal exarchate in 1991, before being demoted to its present status in 1997.

The 4,000 Chaldeans living in Jordan are served by the Chaldean Territory Dependency of Jordan, which is immediately subject to the Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq.  The Territory was established in 2004.

Greek Melkite-Rite

There are more than 100,000 Greek Melkite Catholics in Israel, Palestine, and Jordan and they are served by four ecclesiastical jurisdictions, all of which are immediately subject to the Greek Melkite Patriarch in Syria.

The Archdiocese of Akka, Israel, serves 70,000 Greek Melkite Catholics.  The Archdiocese was established as a diocese in 1753 and became an archdiocese in 1964.  The Archbishop’s cathedral is dedicated to St. Elijah and is located in Haifa.  St. Elijah Cathedral was built in 1939.  The Cathedral’s door portrays the story of the Prophet Elijah.

Both are from Wikipedia.

The Titular Patriarchal See of Jerusalem was established in 1838.  The Cathedral of the Annunciation of the Virgin in Jerusalem is the Jerusalem cathedral for the Greek Melkite patriarch in Damascus, Syria.

Both are from Wikipedia.

The Territory Dependency of Jerusalem serves 3,000 Greek-Melkite Catholics.  The Territory was established as a patriarchal vicariate in 1838.  It became a patriarchal exarchy in 1992 before being demoted to its current status in 1998.  The Territory is administered by the Archbishop of Petra and Philadelphia.

The Archdiocese of Petra and Philadelphia serves 30,000 Greek Melkite Catholics in Jordan.  The Archdiocese was established in 1932.  The Archbishop’s cathedral is dedicated to St. George and is located in Amman.

Maronite-Rite

There are 11,000 Maronite-rite Catholics in Israel, Palestine and Jordan and they are under three jurisdictions, all of which are immediately subject to the Maronite Patriarch in Lebanon.

The Maronite Archdiocese of Haifa and the Holy Land serves 10,000 Catholics, mostly in Israel.  The Archdiocese was established in 1996.  The Cathedral of St. Louis the King is in Haifa and was constructed between 1883 and 1889.

Both are from Wikipedia.

The Maronite Patriarchal Exarchy of Jerusalem and Palestine serves 500 Catholics in Palestine.  The Maronite Patriarchal Exarchy of Jordan serves 700 Catholics in Jordan.  Both were established in 1996 and are administered by the Archbishop of Haifa and the Holy Land.

Syriac-Rite

There are 5,000 Syriac-rite Catholics in Israel, Palestine and Jordan.  They are under the jurisdiction of the Syriac Patriarchal Exarchy of Jerusalem, which itself is immediately subject to the Syriac Patriarch in Lebanon.  The Exarchy was established in 1892 and St. Thomas Church in Jerusalem serves as the Cathedral.  It was built in 1986.  There is a website for the Syriac guest house at the cathedral:  guesthousejerusalem.com.

          Definitions

The Catholic Church is mostly divided into ecclesiastical provinces—a province consists of a metropolitan archdiocese and one or more dioceses.  The province and the archdiocese are led by an archbishop.  Each of the dioceses is called a suffragan diocese and is led by a bishop.  Archbishops have some responsibilities for the province, but all bishops answer directly to the Pope.  There are also jurisdictions below the level of a diocese.  In the Holy Land, there are some jurisdictions called territorial dependencies, which are under the direct control of the patriarch of the particular rite.  This type of jurisdiction seems only to exist in the Middle East.