Eastern Catholic papabili

[Crescentinus]

Just a question… Why would the head of a sui iuris Church (such as the 22 Eastern Churches) want to leave his position and become the the head of a different sui iuris Church (such as Rome)?

I’m wondering what would happen if a head of a sui iuris Church becomes the next Pope. After all, Pope Benedict XVI is going to resign at the end of this month and I’m wondering what would happen if a head of a sui iuris Church becomes the next pope due to the conclave next month.

 

[Zekariya]

I’m wondering what would happen if a head of a sui iuris Church becomes the next Pope. After all, Pope Benedict XVI is going to resign at the end of this month and I’m wondering what would happen if a head of a sui iuris Church becomes the next pope due to the conclave next month.

To become the Bishop of Rome is to cease being the Bishop of Alexandria, the same with any of the heads of the 22 Eastern sui iuris Churches.

 

[Peter_J]

It would be nice if there were more Eastern Catholics in the world,

Well, possibly in the future. Keep in mind that transferring from the Latin Church to an Eastern Catholic Church was pretty rare in the past (and is still somewhat rare today).

 

[Peter_J]

Just a question… Why would the head of a sui iuris Church (such as the 22 Eastern Churches) want to leave his position and become the the head of a different sui iuris Church (such as Rome)?

I can’t really answer that, but it would be very interesting. (Especially if, say, a bishop started out as head of the 3,845-member Albanian Catholic Church, and then became head of the 1,180,000,000-member Latin Catholic Church.)

 

[Zekariya]

I can’t really answer that, but it would be very interesting. (Especially if, say, a bishop started out as head of the 3,845-member Albanian Catholic Church, and then became head of the 1,180,000,000-member Latin Catholic Church.)

That would be interesting but, I’d feel badly for the Albanian Catholic Church who chose him as their head. They would also have a vacant see to refill.

 

[Jerry-Jet]

Who is the highest ranking head of any Eastern Catholic Church that has the most members in Russia?

Would the Russian Orthodox Church be offended if a Russian were chosen pope?

Is there a church in Saudi Arabia? If there was would the Islamic world be offended if a pope was chosen from there?

What if an Eastern Catholic were chosen who was in Greece? Would the Greek Orthodox be offended?

Same question for China regardless of rite or church?

 

[Zekariya]

Who is the highest ranking head of any Eastern Catholic Church that has the most members in Russia?

Would the Russian Orthodox Church be offended if a Russian were chosen pope?

Is there a church in Saudi Arabia? If there was would the Islamic world be offended if a pope was chosen from there?

What if an Eastern Catholic were chosen who was in Greece? Would the Greek Orthodox be offended?

Same question for China regardless of rite or church?

I don’t believe that an Orthodox Church would be offended if a local Eastern Catholic became pope (the new pope would have previously been a Cardinal in the current practice).

I certainly don’t see Muslims playing any role. Certainly some Muslims could be offended and some would care regardless of who became pope.

 

[Peter_J]

Would the Russian Orthodox Church be offended if a Russian were chosen pope?

Is there a church in Saudi Arabia? If there was would the Islamic world be offended if a pope was chosen from there?

What if an Eastern Catholic were chosen who was in Greece? Would the Greek Orthodox be offended?

Same question for China regardless of rite or church?

I’ll answer those questions in a few days after I visit each of the alternate universes in which each of events have already happened. (It takes about a day to visit each one, and it’s a lot more efficient to go from one to another, and only return to this universe at the end.)

 

[Crescentinus]

To become the Bishop of Rome is to cease being the Bishop of Alexandria, the same with any of the heads of the 22 Eastern sui iuris Churches.

Does this mean that if a head of a sui iuris Church gets elected as Pope, then he would typically decline? I am quite confused. o:

 

[Zekariya]

Does this mean that if a head of a sui iuris Church gets elected as Pope, then he would typically decline? I am quite confused. o:

I think this means he (the head of a sui iuris Church) typically wouldn’t probably get many if any votes for becoming pope.

 

[shawnbm]

I think this means he (the head of a sui iuris Church) typically wouldn’t probably get many if any votes for becoming pope.

I don’t know the answer, but this seems pretty sound logic to me. Patriarchs and Major Archbishops of sui juris** churches would seem unlikely candidates for the reasons expressed. The vast majority of cardinals are neither of these since we know there is the Latin Church and twenty-two Eastern Churches, but 117 cardinals who can particiapte in the conclave. It would seem a residential archbishop or bishop, abbot or well respected priest would be where they would look, although the last two are highly doubtful.

 

[theistgal]

I think this means he (the head of a sui iuris Church) typically wouldn’t probably get many if any votes for becoming pope.

about your use of the term “sui iuris” - isn’t the Latin Rite one of the “sui iuris” Churches as well? You seem to be using it only to describe the Eastern rites.

From Wikipedia:

“Church documents such as the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches apply the Latin term sui iuris to the particular Churches that together compose the Catholic Church (i.e., the Roman Catholic Church and those in communion with her). By far the largest of these “sui iuris” or autonomous Churches is that known as the Latin Church or the Latin Rite.”

 

[Zekariya]

about your use of the term “sui iuris” - isn’t the Latin Rite one of the “sui iuris” Churches as well? You seem to be using it only to describe the Eastern rites.

From Wikipedia:

The head of an Eastern sui iuris Church probably won’t ever become the head of the Latin sui iuris Church is what I mean.

 

[Crescentinus]

The head of an Eastern sui iuris Church probably won’t ever become the head of the Latin sui iuris Church is what I mean.

But, suppose that it did happen. What would the implications be? o:

 

[Peter_J]

about your use of the term “sui iuris” - isn’t the Latin Rite one of the “sui iuris” Churches as well?

I have definitely heard that, but I don’t know if that’s official usage or not. It could be more of a consolation-statement for Latins who try to transfer to an Eastern Catholic Church and are denied.

 

[Peter_J]

Does this mean that if a head of a sui iuris Church gets elected as Pope, then he would typically decline? I am quite confused. o:

I can’t really answer that, but I’ll throw out this thought: often in these conversations/threads, it sounds like the weight of the whole Roman Communion rests on the Eastern Catholics. That’s a bit of an unrealistic view.

 

[Zekariya]

But, suppose that it did happen. What would the implications be? o:

The Eastern see would be vacant. They would have to elect a new head.

 

[jimmy]

Some eastern Catholics would be proud that an easterner was elected pope, others would find it offensive because the whole concept of the universal papacy is foreign to eastern Christianity and some eastern Catholics are opposed to it.

 

[Denho]

Some eastern Catholics would be proud that an easterner was elected pope, others would find it offensive because the whole concept of the universal papacy is foreign to eastern Christianity and some eastern Catholics are opposed to it.

But what if in a last hurrah of irony the Eastern Pope used his “universal and immediate jurisdiction” to abrogate Vatican I and decrees that the Western Church be broken into smaller sui iuris Churches?

 

[jimmy]

But what if in a last hurrah of irony the Eastern Pope used his “universal and immediate jurisdiction” to abrogate Vatican I and decrees that the Western Church be broken into smaller sui iuris Churches?

Hahaha, we can hope can’t we? If that happens, I think everyone will rejoice (atleast I will).