Eastern Rite - Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church

Today is the Feasts of  Martyrs Sarbelus (Thathuil) and his sister Bebaia, of Edessa, Saint Barsimaeus the Confessor, Hieromartyr Bishop of Edessa, The Holy Seven Martyrs of Samosata: Martyrs Romanus, James, Philotheus, Hyperechius, Abibus, Julian, and Paregorius, and Hieromartyrs Silvanus, Bishop of Emesa, Luke the Deacon, and Mocius the Reader.

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The Ruthenian Greek Catholic Church (Rusyn: Русиньска ґрекокатолицька церьков; Latin: Ecclesia Graeco-Catholica Ruthenica), also known in the United States as the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic church that uses the Byzantine Rite for its liturgies, laws, and cultural identity. It is one of the 23 Eastern Catholic churches that are in full communion with the Holy See. There are two main communities within the church: American and European. In the United States, the Byzantine Catholic Metropolitan Church of Pittsburgh is self-governing (sui iuris). In Europe, Ruthenian Catholics are immediately subject to the Holy See. The European branch has an eparchy in Ukraine (the Eparchy of Mukacheve) and another in the Czech Republic (the Ruthenian Apostolic Exarchate of Czech Republic).

The Ruthenian Catholic Church is rooted among the Rusyn people who lived in Carpathian Ruthenia. This part of the Carpathian Mountains straddles the borders of the present-day states of Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Romania and Ukraine. Today, the church is multi-ethnic. Members of the metropolitan province of Pittsburgh are predominantly English-speaking. Most are descendants of Rusyns – including sub-groups like the Boikos, Hutsuls and Lemkos – but the descendants of other nationalities are also present such as Slovaks, Hungarians and Serbs as well as those of non-Slavic and non-Eastern European ancestry. The modern Eparchy of Mukacheve in Ukraine is mostly Ukrainian speaking and remains officially part of the greater Ruthenian Church.

Metropolia of Pittsburgh consists of:

• Ruthenian Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgh, with the Archbishop and 64 Priests (59 Diocesan, 5 Religious) serving 73 Parishes and 57,325 Catholics.
• Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Parma, with the Bishop and 33 Diocesan Priests serving 30 Parishes and 9,084 Catholics.
• Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Passaic, with the Bishop and 76 Priests (67 Diocesan, 9 Religious) serving 84 Parishes and 11,828 Catholics.
• Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of the Holy Protection of Mary of Phoenix, with the Bishop and 32 Priests (31 Diocesan, 1 Religious) serving 19 Parishes and 2,706 Catholics.

The Church in Europe, immediately subject to the Holy See consists of: 

• Ruthenian Catholic Eparchy of Mukachevо in Ukraine, with the Bishop and 320 Priests (289 Diocesan, 31 Religious) serving 442 Parishes and 320,000 Catholics.
• Ruthenian Apostolic Exarchate of Czech Republic, with the Apostolic Exarch and 44 Priests serving 21 Parishes and 17,000 Catholics.