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MaroniteRosary
Guest
I’m just very curious because all eastern catholics have patriarchs and I was seeing if a eastern catholic has the privilege to be a pope.
God Bless
God Bless
Does the pope have to be a Roman Catholic to be the pope, or can they be eastern catholic?
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Kielbasi
Guest
Every pope is automatically of the Latin Church, even if he was an eastern Catholic to start.
The Pope is the bishop for the Diocese of Rome, and Rome is a Latin Rite see. As such, its part of his duties to conduct liturgical rites in Latin Rite churches for Latin Rite faithful.
An Eastern Rite individual could certainly be elected pope, but it wouldn’t change the “job description” of being the patriarch of Italy and the West, and all of that entails.
The Pope is the bishop for the Diocese of Rome, and Rome is a Latin Rite see. As such, its part of his duties to conduct liturgical rites in Latin Rite churches for Latin Rite faithful.
An Eastern Rite individual could certainly be elected pope, but it wouldn’t change the “job description” of being the patriarch of Italy and the West, and all of that entails.
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Hesychios
Guest
Well, Kielbasi is right.
It is always the bishop of Rome who is the Pope. When the Pope is elected the Cardinals are choosing a bishop (actually the Metropolitan) of the Roman synod.
A bishop of the synod will practice the rite of the local church. If he doesn’t already know the rites, he will have to learn to use them.
In history there were some ten bishops of Rome who were Greeks (there is a book called “ten Greek Popes”), and I think there were a few who were Syrians (but I don’t know who they might be).
One bishop of Rome was said to be the son of Saint Photios!
I don’t know if I can believe that one, but I read it somewhere…
It is always the bishop of Rome who is the Pope. When the Pope is elected the Cardinals are choosing a bishop (actually the Metropolitan) of the Roman synod.
A bishop of the synod will practice the rite of the local church. If he doesn’t already know the rites, he will have to learn to use them.
In history there were some ten bishops of Rome who were Greeks (there is a book called “ten Greek Popes”), and I think there were a few who were Syrians (but I don’t know who they might be).
One bishop of Rome was said to be the son of Saint Photios!
I don’t know if I can believe that one, but I read it somewhere…
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JJRfan
Guest
The current practice is to elect one of the Cardinals. I can’t recall who was the last non-cardinal to be elected. The cardinal-electors aren’t restricted to electing one of their number as Pope. The can elect any baptised male Catholic. That would include Eastern and Oriental Catholics. I’m not sure how necessary it would be for him to celebrate in the Roman Rite. Although he’s the Bishop of Rome, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province and Primate of Italy these functions he mainly delegates to the Cardinal Vicar of Rome. I suppose if an Eastern or Oriental Catholic were elected as Pope he could be bi-ritual.
It seems to me that an alternative argument might be feasible. If the Pope is the Bishop of Rome and Rome is a Latin see then perhaps a Latin should always be elected to that see.
It seems to me that an alternative argument might be feasible. If the Pope is the Bishop of Rome and Rome is a Latin see then perhaps a Latin should always be elected to that see.
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gferrer
Guest
In the Catholic Encyclopedia entry for Pope Theodore II, it states that he was the son of Photios. Of course, it would be useful to have a primary source citation for this, but none is provided there.One bishop of Rome was said to be the son of Saint Photios!
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MaroniteRosary
Guest
Wait so if the pope is the bishop of Rome then how does he run the whole church, like Maronite byzantine etc
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Filii_Dei
Guest
He is assisted by the Roman Curia, effectively the administration for the whole Church. For the most part, most of its function is devoted to the Latin rite. The Eastern Catholics have considerable autonomy under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, but if need be, they have a direct hotline through to the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, and vice versa.
I didn’t imagine I could summarise it into so few sentences, but I did!
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Hesychios
Guest
One answer would be: he shouldn’t.
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Skeptic92
Guest
The only requirement for papal election is that the candidate is a baptized Christian male, rite or ordination doesn’t play a part, obviously if the candidate is not already ordained, the Proto-Deacon ordains the new Pope to the Diaconate, Priesthood and consecrates him as a Bishop.
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couponfit
Guest
If he’s an eastern rite he becomes roman rite.
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O_Duirnin
Guest
I remember reading somewhere that Grégoire-Pierre Agagianian, the Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cicilia, was considered to be among the papabili during the 1958 conclave, and came rather close to being elected, although such statements are of course anecdotal.
As for whether a member of one of the Eastern Churches would have to become Latin upon election to the Papacy, I’ll defer to someone who knows better.
As for whether a member of one of the Eastern Churches would have to become Latin upon election to the Papacy, I’ll defer to someone who knows better.
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xavierakx
Guest
There are Bishops in Latin dioceses who are Eastern Catholic, and vice versa. And so yes, an Eastern Catholic can as well become a Bishop of the Diocese of Rome.
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Hesychios
Guest
Actually I doubt this. This was true in the bad old days, but not currently as far as I know.
I think the point was that the candidate would become Latin rite on accepting the office (of course it is not exactly something that the canons address specifically - I guess the subject is academic). I might be mistaken but I don’t think anyone questions the ability of any Eastern Catholic getting elected.
Although I think it would be inappropriate for an Eastern Catholic to take the job, that is another matter, they are certainly eligible for election.
Pax et Bonum
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xavierakx
Guest
It’s true even today. Two examples that you can verify:
- Cardinal Padiyara was an Oriental Catholic, became a Bishop in the Latin diocese of Ootacamund, and later became the Major Archbishop of Syro Malabar Church (equivalent of a Patriarch in a Patriarchal church).
- Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil is an Oriental Catholic, but Archbishop in a Latin diocese.
There are many such examples.
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Hesychios
Guest
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ByzCathCantor
Guest
We all learn something new every day! And with God, all things are possible!
My brother Hescyhios, I hope this shows that we have managed to be more open within the Catholic Church on such matters, and there is a blueprint which exists today for mutual cooperation and support of the various faith traditions within the Catholic communion, irrespective of canonical bounds.
Yes, it was once true more often than not that Latin ordinaries presided over congregations of Eastern Catholics, so it’s not your imagination either. We’ve just grown beyond it (thankfully) for the most part. Indeed, in the US and elsewhere, where we have smaller communities of Eastern and Oriental Catholics, they are now being served by Eastern Catholic hierarchs where possible. By way of example, the Italo-Graeco-Albanian congregations in Nevada are being served by the Ruthenian Eparchy of the Holy Protection of Mary in Phoenix, AZ.
Blessings to you and all!
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Vico
Guest
CCEO Canon 979 1. In accordance with the norm of law, those who have received sacred orders are capable of the power of governance, which exists in the Church by divine institution.
CIC Can. 129 ß1 Those who are in sacred orders are, in accordance with the provisions of law, capable of the power of governance, which belongs to the Church by divine institution. This power is also called the power of jurisdiction.
CCEO Canon 984 1. Besides the Roman Pontiff, a hierarch is understood to mean, first of all, a patriarch, a major archbishop, a metropolitan who presides over a Church sui iuris, and an eparchial bishop, as well as one who for a time succeed these in governance in accordance with the law.
CIC Can. 134 ß1 In law the term Ordinary means, apart from the Roman Pontiff, diocesan Bishops and all who, even for a time only, are set over a particular Church or a community equivalent to it in accordance with can. 368, and those who in these have general ordinary executive power, that is, Vicars general and episcopal Vicars; likewise, for their own members, it means the major Superiors of clerical religious institutes of pontifical right and of clerical societies of apostolic life of pontifical right, who have at least ordinary executive power.
The diocesan bishops of each and every ritual Church have jurisdiction (which is the power of governance). The head of the synod of the various ritual Churches are also bishops with their own particular jurisdiction, and each ritual Church has a synod (Congregation for Oriental Churches substituting for those without a Metropolitan, Major-Archbishop, or Patriarch).
So the Bishop of Rome is head of the Latin Church. Additionally he is the president of all the Catholic bishops, assisted by the Roman Curia. The Roman Curia includes the Congregation for Oriental Churches.
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dochawk
Guest
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Formosus
Guest
I think he meant ethnicity Greek, Syrian etc.
Further, the Ambrosian rite isn’t a Sui iuris church and hasn’t been for a long time.
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JJRfan
Guest
The question that the OP asked didn’t refer to the liturgical rite; it referred to the canonical church. I infer you’re speaking of Paul VI because he was the Archbishop of Milan prior to his elevation to the Papacy. Even if we might say Pope Paul VI belonged to the Ambrosian Rite, His Holiness was still a Latin Catholic, i.e. he belonged to the Latin Catholic Church sui iuris. The Ambrosian Rite is a liturgical rite. It’s not a canonical church. The Ambrosian Rite is just one of a number of liturgical rites of the Latin Catholic Church (called by some the Roman Catholic Church).
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