Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church
Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church: a Church sui iuris of the Constantinopolitan (Byzantine) tradition. Status, head, countries, books, history, and sources.
- Tradition (CCEO can. 28 §2)
- Constantinopolitan (Byzantine) tradition (Source: CCEO, vatican.va ↗)
- Catechism (CCC 1203)
- Byzantine (Source: Catechism, vatican.va ↗)
- Canonical status
- Metropolitan Church sui iuris (Source: GCatholic ↗)
- Head
- Archbishop William Charles Skurla (Metropolitan) (as listed by GCatholic on 21 October 2026) (Source: GCatholic ↗)
- Historical centre
- Uzhhorod (Union of Uzhhorod, historical homeland (Transcarpathia)) (Source: Wikidata ↗)
- Present see
- Pittsburgh (Metropolitan see of the Church sui iuris) (Source: Wikidata ↗)
- Liturgical books
- Byzantine service books (Hieratikon/Služebnik for the Divine Liturgies of St John Chrysostom and St Basil and the Presanctified; Horologion, Octoechos, Triodion, Pentecostarion, Menaion). Editions and translations are approved by each Church's own authority; no single edition is common to all Byzantine Churches. Generic book names only: each Church's own authority approves its editions and translations, and no edition is named here until verified. (Source: Byzantine Catholic Metropolia of Pittsburgh ↗)
- Own jurisdiction in
- Canada, Czechia, Ukraine, United States (4) (Source: GCatholic ↗) As listed on 21 October 2026.
- Approximate historical heartland
- Transcarpathia; NE Slovakia; Lemko region (Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine) (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- Note
- CNEWA describes three jurisdictions: the Metropolia of Pittsburgh, a Church sui iuris; the Eparchy of Mukachevo, immediately subject to the Holy See; and an exarchate in the Czech Republic. CNEWA says their relationship "has not been clarified". (Source: CNEWA ↗)
Where it has its own jurisdiction
Showing the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church, present jurisdictions: 4 countries.
Countries where the Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church has its own jurisdiction: 4 countries.
Countries with the Church's own jurisdiction; faithful elsewhere are served by local ordinaries.
Countries shaded (4)
- Canada
- Czechia
- Ukraine
- United States
Source: GCatholic ↗, as listed on 21 October 2026.
Borders are illustrative (Natural Earth, de facto lines) and imply no position. Shading shows where a Church has its own jurisdiction, not where all its faithful live. Made with Natural Earth ↗ (public domain). Sources and method.
History
- 24 April 1646 Union of Uzhhorod (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1771 Eparchy of Mukachevo erected (Clement XIV) (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1949 Suppressed in Soviet Transcarpathia (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 16 January 1991 Holy See confirms underground bishops of Mukachevo (Source: CNEWA ↗)
- 1996 Apostolic Exarchate in the Czech Republic (Source: CNEWA ↗)
Dates are given as ranges or centuries where the sources give no single date.
Texts and resources
Every resource is an outside link; nothing here is hosted by Bibliotheca Catholica. What the badges mean.
- Liturgies Eastern and Western, vol. I: Eastern Liturgies (F. E. Brightman, 1896) ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
published 1896 (pre-1931) - Catholic Encyclopedia: 'Greek Rites' ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
published 1907 to 1912 - Catholic Encyclopedia: 'Liturgy of St. Basil' ↗ Rights: Public domain (US)
1907 to 1912
In the library
- John Chrysostom The Divine Liturgy most often served bears his name
- Basil the Great The Liturgy of Saint Basil
- Theodore the Studite Byzantine monastic tradition
- De Spiritu Sancto, Basil the Great Read: On the Holy Spirit
- Homilies on Romans, John Chrysostom Read: Homilies on Romans
Main sources: CNEWA ↗. Checked 2026-10-26. Sources and method.