So, whats so different about us?
Mostly terminology, but some differences in the understanding of the nature of bishops and synods. The Oriental Orthodox have a slightly different understanding of the nature of Christ, but not sufficiently different as to be heretical by Catholic understanding at present.
There are 3 major “communions” - unions of churches with self-governance of some kind - the Catholic, The Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox.
The Catholics are of several Rites: Roman, Byzantine (aka Constanopolitan, Greek Catholic), West Syrian/Antiochian, East Syrian/Eddessan, Armenian, Alexandrian (aka Coptic)
The Eastern Orthodox are of two rites: Byzantine and Byzanto-Roman.
The Oriental Orthodox include Alexandrian, Armenian, and East Syrian rites. They are headed by Pope Shenouda of Alexandria, Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The Jacobite Churches include both Syrian rites, but I don’t know that they count as a formal communion. They are present in Syria and India.
Can a Catholic receive Eucharist at an Orthodox church,
In exceptional circumstances, yes. Part of those include permission from the pastor of the orthodox parish.
or could a Catholic and an Orthodox person marry?
Generally, Yes, but generally, it must be done in the Orthodox parish. It isn’t advised, but is permitted.
Some Orthodox jurisdictions do not permit it, however.
Also, there’s like a differentiation between Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic right? Like, Eastern Orthodox is it’s own thing while “Eastern Catholic” refers to churches that aren’t “Roman” catholic but are in full communion with the pope?
Thanks,
Snakemauler
The Eastern Catholics are the 22 Churches sui iuris that are in full communion with the pope, and act as part of the synod of the Catholic Church, while retaining self governing status as churches, called Churches Sui Iuris.
Byzantine Rite Catholics and Greek Catholics (14 churches sui iuris) (the terms are synonyms, as is Greek Rite Catholic) are generally portions of the Eastern Orthodox Churches which left the Eastern Orthodox communion and joined the Catholic Communion. 1 has no orthodox counterpart (Italo-Albanian GCC), 1 has an orthodox counterpart that is a schism from the Catholic (The ACROD split from the Ruthenian GCC); the rest have parallels from the time of their split. Two have no hierarchs (Russian and one other).
Other Eastern Catholics (7 churches sui iuris) are of other Eastern Rites, and most have non-Catholic Parallel churches. Some, the majority synod is the Catholic; others the majority synod is the non-catholic.
The Chaldeans (Catholic Communion) are parallel to the Assyrian Church of the East (Oriental Orthodox Communion)
The Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankar Catholic Churches have parallel Syriac churches and protestant churches using the same liturgical rites.
The Syrian Catholic and Syrian Orthodox churches parallel.
The Coptic Catholic Church split off from the Coptic Orthodox Church.
The Ethiopian Catholic Church parallels the Ethiopian Tehwado Orthodox and the Eritrean Orthodox.
The Armenian Catholics and the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox have an unusual relationship; the Armenian Catholics are in full communion with the other Catholic Churches, but are, as a practical matter, still in communion with their parent Armenian Apostolic Orthodox. Deacons assisting across church boundaries are common; priestly concelebration happens with patriarchal tacit approval. Hierarchical concelebration doesn’t seem to happen…
The Maronite Catholics have no parallel church.
I get lost in all this terminology.
