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ABOUT
The UKRAINIAN GREEK CATHOLIC CHURCH (UGCC) is the largest of the Eastern
Catholic Churches sui juris.
The UGCC is a Church of the Byzantine rite which is in full ecclesial
communion with the Pope of Rome and acknowledges his spiritual and
jurisdictional authority. In this context "rite" means liturgical, theological,
spiritual and canonical tradition.
OTHER NAMES FOR THIS CHURCH: Uniate Church; Greek Catholic Church;
Greco-Catholic Church; Ukrainian Catholic Church; Ukrainian Catholic Church of
the Byzantine rite; Kyivan Catholic Church.
The name Greek Catholic Church was introduced by the Empress Maria-Teresa in
1774 to distinguish this Church from the Roman Catholic and Armenian Catholic
Churches.
In official church documents the term Ecclesia Ruthena unita was used. In 1960
the name Ukrainian Catholic Church started to be used in official documents to
refer to Ukrainian Catholics in the diaspora and the underground Church in
Soviet Ukraine. In the papal statistical annual Annuario Pontificio the name
Ukrainian Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite is used. At the Synod of
Bishops of the UGCC (September 1999) the name Kyivan Catholic Church was
proposed, to emphasize the identity of this Church.
(from http://www.ugcc.org.ua/eng)
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