Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church
| Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Classification | Catholic |
| Orientation | Eastern Catholic, Byzantine Rite |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Leader | Sviatoslav Shevchuk (Major Archbishop) |
| Liturgy | Church Slavonic (official),Ukrainian |
| Founder | Grand Prince Volodymyr the Great |
| Origin | 988 Kiev, Ruthenia |
| Separated from | Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople |
| Merger of | 1596 Union of Brest (Brest, Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth) |
| Separations | Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Canada |
| Members | 4,636,958 |
| Other name(s) | Ukrainian Catholic Church, Uniate Church |
| Official website | www |
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) (Ukrainian: Українська греко-католицька церква (УГКЦ), Ukrains'ka Hreko-Katolyts'ka Tserkva) is a Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See. It appeared in 1596 with signing of the Union of Brest between the Ruthenian Orthodox Church (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) and the Holy See. It is the second-largest particular church (sui juris) in the Catholic Church (after the Latin, or Roman, Church). It traces its origin to the Ruthenian Uniate Church (Latin: Ecclesia Ruthena unita) that existed before the partition of Poland.
The ordinary (or hierarch) of the church holds the title of Major archbishop of Kiev-Halych and All Ruthenia, though the hierarchs and faithful of the church have acclaimed their ordinary is a "Patriarch" and have requested Papal recognition of, and elevation to, this title. Major archbishop is a unique title within the Catholic Church that was introduced in 1963 as part of political compromise. Since March 2011 the head of the church is Major Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk.
The church is one of the successor churches to the acceptance of Christianity by Grand Prince Vladimir the Great of Kiev, in 988. The church has followed the spread of the Ukrainian diaspora and now has some 40 hierarchs in over a dozen countries on four continents, including three other metropolitan bishops in Poland, the United States, and Canada.
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