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Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years...
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Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (19 May 2025) | Viewed by 5648

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ines Angeli Murzaku

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Religion, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ 07079, USA
Interests: theology and history of the Eastern Catholic Churches; ecumenism; inter-faith dialogue
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ana Victoria Sima

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of History and Philosophy, Universitatea Babeș-Bolyai, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, România
Interests: Romanian modern history; history of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church; history of Transylvania in the modern era

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The proclamation of the Decree on the Catholic Eastern Churches, Orientalium Ecclesiarum (OE), on November 21, 1964, marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Catholic Church. This Special Issue seeks contributions that re-evaluate the relationship between the Roman Church and its Eastern Catholic sister churches. Since OE, significant pastoral and theological efforts have been made yet much remains to be accomplished. We are interested in your insights on this ongoing dialogue.

We invite scholarly contributions focusing on a specific Eastern Catholic Church to critically evaluate the impact of OE on its theology, history, and mission. Submissions should address themes such as the implementation of OE in the post-conciliar period, how OE has translated into actual practice, especially through canon law, and the churches’ responses to the Vatican II mandate to preserve and rejuvenate their spiritual heritage, including Eastern liturgies, spirituality, and iconography.

We invite scholarly contributions that critically evaluate the impact of OE within a specific Eastern Catholic Church, focusing on various themes:

  • Conciliar Mandates and Rights Preservation: How has the conciliar mandate for the continued assertion of Eastern Catholic rights and freedoms within the fullness of the Catholic Church been preserved or neglected in the sixty years since the promulgation of OE? What efforts are required to overcome the Latinized ecclesiology that fails to comprehend patriarchates as viable and autonomous institutions within the Church?
  • Synodality in Eastern Catholic Churches: How does synodality within the Eastern Catholic Churches compare to the synod on synodality of the Roman-Latin Church? Are there instances of micromanagement by curial officials in Rome over Eastern Patriarchates?
  • Papal Titles and Responsibilities: Following Pope Francis' reinstatement of the title “Patriarch of the West”, how can Rome authentically act in accordance with this role?
  • Development of Collegiality: How has Vatican II’s doctrine of “collegiality” (developed in Lumen Gentium) manifested within the Eastern Church?
  • Ecumenical Mandates: How have Eastern Catholic Churches applied the ecumenical mandate of OE to foster bridges with the Eastern Orthodox Churches? In what ways can their experience of remaining in communion with the Bishop of Rome while preserving their Eastern traditions serve as a model for discussions on church unity and theological reconciliation?
  • Impact of Current Conflicts: Have recent wars exacerbated tensions between Eastern Catholic Churches and the Orthodox Church?

We welcome interdisciplinary approaches which might include theological, historical, religious, canonical, and pastoral perspectives on the subject matter. These inquiries aim to deepen understanding and foster a nuanced discussion of the challenges and opportunities faced by Eastern Catholic Churches in a contemporary ecclesiastical context.

Prior to submitting a manuscript, we request that interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the Guest Editors Prof. Dr. Ines Angeli Murzaku (Ines.Murzaku@shu.edu) and Assoc. Prof. dr. Ana Victoria Sima (ana.sima@ubbcluj.ro). Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purposes of ensuring a proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

Deadline for abstract submission: August 30, 2024

Deadline for full manuscript submission: March 31, 2025

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Ines Angeli Murzaku
Dr. Ana Victoria Sima
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Eastern Catholic Church
  • latinized ecclesiology
  • patriarchates
  • synodality in Eastern Catholic Churches
  • Roman-Latin Church synodality
  • Pope Francis
  • Patriarch of the West
  • development of collegiality
  • Vatican II
  • Eastern Orthodox Churches
  • church unity and theological reconciliation

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 185 KiB  
Article
The near Elimination and Subsequent Restoration of the Married Presbyterate in the Ruthenian Byzantine Catholic Church in America
by Thomas P. Shubeck
Religions 2025, 16(6), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16060752 - 11 Jun 2025
Viewed by 142
Abstract
This paper chronicles the evolution of the presbyterate of the Ruthenian Byzantine Metropolitan Catholic Church in the United States of America from the time of the first wave of immigrants to the United States to the present day. It looks at critical junctures [...] Read more.
This paper chronicles the evolution of the presbyterate of the Ruthenian Byzantine Metropolitan Catholic Church in the United States of America from the time of the first wave of immigrants to the United States to the present day. It looks at critical junctures in the history of this sui iuris Church regarding (1) the importation of married priests from Europe serving in the Metropolia during the first wave of immigration; (2) the restriction of consideration for priestly formation and ordination to celibate men; (3) the more recent importation of married priests from Europe in response to the critical shortage of clergy; and (4) most recently, the admission of American-born married men to priestly formation and ordination. This paper will examine in more detail the changing face of the presbyterate across the Metropolia, beyond the boundaries of the Passaic Eparchy. This paper also discusses how the Metropolia has adapted to forming married men alongside single men for the presbyterate as well as developed a policy for the formation of married deacons for the married presbyterate. The Byzantine Catholic Seminary adapted from having a student body of celibate men to one that includes celibate men, men who are dating, and others who are married. This paper also discusses the reception of married priests and their families by the lay faithful as well as the reception and acceptance of married priests and their families by celibate clergy. Finally, this paper discusses how the restoration of the married presbyterate to the Metropolia has been a positive development for the Church. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
14 pages, 235 KiB  
Article
The Eastern Catholic Churches and the Restoration of Unity Theology
by Buzalic Alexandru
Religions 2025, 16(6), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16060691 - 28 May 2025
Viewed by 229
Abstract
The Church of Christ is unity in diversity. Around the great centers of diffusion, the rites have been gradually defined as “the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony, culture and circumstances of the history of a distinct people, by which its own manner [...] Read more.
The Church of Christ is unity in diversity. Around the great centers of diffusion, the rites have been gradually defined as “the liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony, culture and circumstances of the history of a distinct people, by which its own manner of living the faith is manifested” (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches can. 28 § 1). At the same time, the necessity of the existence of the sacred ministry for the celebration of the Eucharist and the Sacraments is the basis for the establishment of the hierarchy of bishoprics that are formed ontogenetically and diachronically around the primary diffusion center, recognized as the Mother Church or, starting from the IVth–Vth centuries, as the Patriarchates. The tensions between dissident factions culminated in the Ecclesiastical Schism of 1054, which separated Eastern Christianity from the Roman Church. The restoration of the unity of the Constantinopolitan Churches of Central and Eastern Europe began with the Union of Brest–Litovsk (1595–1596), which generated a process of gradual entry of the territories of the Eastern Churches into unity, in 1700 reaching Transylvania. The Greek Catholic Churches fought a pioneering struggle in asserting their own traditions in order to restore the unity of the Church. The Eastern churches that re-entered the unity of the Catholic Church faced a change of ecclesiological paradigm, being in a permanent struggle to preserve their own specificity and to affirm the unity. The signatories of the Union Acts rejected “the Uniatism” from the beginning, a fact accepted today within the theological dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Churches, the canonical evolution and the treatises of Greek–Catholic theology being the result of a process of experimentation “from within” of unity and catholicity in the context of the modern and contemporary era. The United Churches have paved the way for the restoration of unity between East and West, being obligated to grasp different forms of canonical manifestation of unity in the absence of a Patriarchate in communion with the Church of Rome, during which they offer a reflection that fully grows through a theology of restoring the unity of the Church, benefiting today from the ecclesiological paradigm shift of Vatican II and by the conceptual tools provided by the traditions and the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
15 pages, 234 KiB  
Article
The Synodality of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church After Vatican II: A Need of the Faithful and Challenge for the Roman Curia
by Maria Ivaniv Lonchyna
Religions 2025, 16(6), 673; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16060673 - 26 May 2025
Viewed by 304
Abstract
The Second Vatican Council and its Decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum played a significant role in the life of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Vatican II became a moment of unity as all the Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishops, including the newly released from exile Josyf [...] Read more.
The Second Vatican Council and its Decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum played a significant role in the life of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. Vatican II became a moment of unity as all the Ukrainian Greek Catholic bishops, including the newly released from exile Josyf Slipyj, gathered in Rome. The bishops had the unique opportunity to form a synod of bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. This synod would help to unite the UGCC faithful scattered around the world into one ecclesial structure and preserve their Eastern Catholic identity in the diaspora. The laity, theologians, and most bishops were in favor of convening the UGCC synod of bishops. However, many challenges arose after the council, as the Vatican Curia did not allow the Ukrainian bishops to form a synod. The decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum brought a new perspective to the understanding of the Eastern Catholic Churches and their ecclesiology. The decree was actively used in UGCC discussions to support the convocation of a UGCC synod. Unfortunately, the Vatican did not confirm the legal character of the document, and its canonical power with respect to the UGCC synod was questioned. This paper will analyze the discussions and argumentation of the Ukrainian patriarchal lay movement, theologian Victor Pospishil, bishops, the Roman Curia, and their role in the convocation of the UGCC synod in 1980. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
19 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
The Activities of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church Under the Soviet Totalitarian Regime and the Second Vatican Council
by Taras Bublyk
Religions 2025, 16(5), 580; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16050580 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 320
Abstract
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was officially liquidated by the Soviet authorities at the L’viv Pseudo-Council of 1946. However, the clergy and faithful who remained loyal to their Church formed an underground church structure. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the underground [...] Read more.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church was officially liquidated by the Soviet authorities at the L’viv Pseudo-Council of 1946. However, the clergy and faithful who remained loyal to their Church formed an underground church structure. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the underground Greek Catholics had special hopes for the revival of the UGCC. This was due to the easing of repression in the USSR after Stalin’s death and the preparation and convening of the Second Vatican Council. It was at this time that Pope John XXIII managed to secure the release of the head of the UGCC, Metropolitan Josyf Slipyj, who had spent 18 years in the Soviet labor camps and exile. At that time, many suspicions and accusations arose among the clergy and faithful of the underground UGCC due to insufficient information about the actions and decisions of the Council. In those years, a movement emerged that later grew into an apocalyptic sect (“Pokutnyky”). Ecumenical talks between the Vatican and the Russian Orthodox Church, the issue of patriarchal status for the UGCC, ritual disputes, and so on also caused a lot of discussion among the Greek Catholics in Ukraine. This paper is an attempt to provide a better understanding of the perception of the Vatican II decisions by underground Greek Catholics within their struggle for the existence and revival of their Church. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
18 pages, 311 KiB  
Article
Synodality of the Romanian Greek-Catholic Church (1964–2024): Evolution, Institutional Forms, and Identity Significance
by Cristian Barta
Religions 2025, 16(5), 579; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16050579 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 324
Abstract
The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, boasts a long and rich synodal tradition, with roots tracing back to the Metropolitanate of the Orthodox Romanians of Alba Iulia, which, at the close of the seventeenth century (1697–1700), re-established communion with the Church of [...] Read more.
The Romanian Church United with Rome, Greek-Catholic, boasts a long and rich synodal tradition, with roots tracing back to the Metropolitanate of the Orthodox Romanians of Alba Iulia, which, at the close of the seventeenth century (1697–1700), re-established communion with the Church of Rome. The aim of the study I put forward is to analyse the evolution of synodality in the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania between the years 1964 and 2024, employing a methodology that will systematically relate historical, ecclesiological, and canonical aspects, thereby highlighting their identity implications. The structure of the article is determined by the principal stages through which the Greek-Catholic Church has traversed during the specified period: 1964–1989; 1989–2005; 2005–2024. These stages have witnessed profound transformations within the Greek-Catholic Church, including modifications to its canonical status that have also impacted its synodal life. In the year 1964, as the Second Vatican Council concluded and the decree Orientalium Ecclesiarum was approved, the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania was in the midst of severe communist persecution, having been outlawed since 1948. Its canonical status as a metropolitan province extra Patriarchatus was regulated by the Motu Proprio Cleri Sanctitati (2 June 1957), which recognised the institution of the provincial metropolitan synod, yet not that of the diocesan synod. Due to the persecution, the celebration of the metropolitan synod was not possible; however, privy conferences of bishops and diocesan ordinaries were held, which had significant effects on the life of the Church. The fall of communism, in December 1989, and the legalisation of the Greek-Catholic Church were followed by the publication, on 18 October 1990, of the Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium. According to the new legislation, the Greek-Catholic Church regained the status of a Metropolitan Church sui iuris, a status unsuitable to its dignity and tradition since it lacked the institution of the synod. Indeed, the Council of Hierarchs, which under the presidency of the metropolitan archbishop governed the Church, did not constitute a synod but merely a form of exercising episcopal collegiality. Nevertheless, with the approval of the Holy See, the Fourth Provincial Council was held in Blaj (1997–2000). On 14 December 2005, Pope Benedict XVI elevated the Greek-Catholic Church of Romania to the dignity of a Major Archbishopric. Thus, the full attainment of synodality was achieved, with the supreme governing authority being the Major Archbishop and the Synod of Bishops. The proceedings of the Synod of Bishops of the Greek-Catholic Church have prompted institutional development, to be detailed in the article. This research will also illustrate the limitations of the current Codex Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium concerning the synodality of the Greek-Catholic Church. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
18 pages, 291 KiB  
Article
The Quest for Unity and Autonomy: The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in the Diaspora
by Anatolii Babynskyi
Religions 2025, 16(4), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16040518 - 16 Apr 2025
Viewed by 458
Abstract
This article examines the complex process of establishing a unified structure for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) within the post-World War II diaspora, focusing on the formation of the Bishops’ Conference and the concurrent pursuit of the recognition of patriarchal status. Building [...] Read more.
This article examines the complex process of establishing a unified structure for the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) within the post-World War II diaspora, focusing on the formation of the Bishops’ Conference and the concurrent pursuit of the recognition of patriarchal status. Building on earlier inter-diocesan meetings, efforts to create a coordinating body for the dispersed UGCC episcopate gained momentum in the 1950s, culminating in the establishment of the Episcopal Conference. However, these conferences progressively revealed significant internal disagreements, particularly concerning the scope of the Conference’s authority and its relationship with the Roman Curia. The release of Josyf Slipyj from Soviet imprisonment and his subsequent exile in Rome, coupled with the proclamation of the Decree on the Eastern Catholic Churches, dramatically altered this dynamic. Slipyj’s advocacy for ritual jurisdiction clashed with the Roman Curia’s desire for centralized control and the divergent views of individual bishops. Significantly, the growing activity of the laity, characterized by persistent demands for autonomy and patriarchal status, and fueled by disillusionment with Vatican policies, played a crucial role in shaping the UGCC’s trajectory. This analysis underscores the intricate interplay of canonical, political, and personal factors that influenced the UGCC’s attempts to forge a coherent identity and assert its rights in the post-war diaspora. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
16 pages, 338 KiB  
Article
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and Its Communion with the Bishop of Rome: Nurturing Its Ecumenical Engagement
by Roman Fihas
Religions 2025, 16(4), 457; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16040457 - 2 Apr 2025
Viewed by 645
Abstract
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is an Eastern Catholic Church that lives according to the Ukrainian–Byzantine Christian theological, liturgical, canonical and spiritual tradition and is in full and visible communion with the successor of Peter. Unity with the Roman Apostolic See has [...] Read more.
The Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) is an Eastern Catholic Church that lives according to the Ukrainian–Byzantine Christian theological, liturgical, canonical and spiritual tradition and is in full and visible communion with the successor of Peter. Unity with the Roman Apostolic See has become one of the most important foundations of the UGCC’s identity, enriching its church life and strengthening its ecumenical ministry. As a sui iuris Church in the “family” of Catholic communion, the UGCC actively develops its ecumenical commitments with the Orthodox Churches and Protestant ecclesial communities. In this article, we will briefly examine how the UGCC developed its communion with the Bishop of Rome and how communion with the Apostolic See was a blessing for this Church, but at the same time sometimes became a threat to its existence in times of persecution by totalitarian regimes. We will also present the current religious context in which the UGCC operates, analyze some of its most important ecumenical initiatives and examine its participation in the development of interfaith dialogue in Ukraine. We will consider the challenges that the Russian invasion has brought to the UGCC and other religions in Ukraine, and how the UGCC, by developing communion with Rome, manages to witness the Gospel of life in the difficult circumstances of war and death. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
11 pages, 247 KiB  
Article
Restoration of the Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia During the Prague Spring
by Ľuboslav Hromják
Religions 2025, 16(1), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16010026 - 30 Dec 2024
Viewed by 891
Abstract
The Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia found itself outlawed after its violent liquidation by the brachial communist power in 1950, and the members of this church were forced to convert to the Orthodox faith. This study explains the difficult process of renewal of [...] Read more.
The Greek Catholic Church in Czechoslovakia found itself outlawed after its violent liquidation by the brachial communist power in 1950, and the members of this church were forced to convert to the Orthodox faith. This study explains the difficult process of renewal of the Greek Catholic Church and its structures in the context of the Ostpolitik of the Holy See, represented by the Vatican diplomat and later secretary of state Agostino Casaroli, and in the context of the political relaxation in Czechoslovakia in 1968, during the so-called Prague Spring. In addition to the scientific literature, this study is based on historical research carried out in the historical archive of the Secretariat of State in the Vatican within the Agostino Casaroli fund, which has so far been processed little. In the study, the author describes the most significant steps which lead to the official legalization of the Greek Catholic Church on June 13, 1968, as well as the difficult process of negotiating the terms of the restored church with the state-enforced Orthodox Church. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Light from the East: The Catholic Eastern Churches Sixty Years After Vatican II)
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