The
Eastern Catholic Churches are 23
self-governing particular churches in
full communion with the
Pope. Together with the
Latin Church, also known as the Western Church, they make up the
Catholic Church.
Liturgies of the 23 Eastern Catholic churches include the
Byzantine,
Alexandrian,
Armenian,
East Syrian, and
West Syrian Rites, traditions that are shared with other
Eastern Christian churches with which they were once associated, such as the
Eastern Orthodox and
Oriental Orthodox churches. Although some theological issues divide them from other Eastern churches, they admit members of the latter churches to the Eucharist and the other sacraments, as governed by canon law.