Melkite Greek Catholic Church

The Melkite Greek Catholic Church is a sui iuris Eastern Catholic church that uses the Byzantine Rite. It is in full communion with the Holy See and under the jurisdiction of the pope. Youssef Absi is the patriarch of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Dormition in Damascus, Syria, is the seat of the patriarchate of the church.

The Melkite Church, back then Eastern Orthodox, formally became Eastern Catholic by entering communion with the Holy See and coming under the jurisdiction of the Pope in 1724. This was opposed by many Eastern Orthodox clergy and followers in the Middle East, who left the Melkite Church and established a separate Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch. The patriarchate shared communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and was therefore Eastern Orthodox.

Therefore, the Melkite Greek Catholic Church shares a lot of its Byzantine historical, liturgical, theological, spiritual, and religious heritage with both the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and Eastern Orthodoxy in general. Currently, most followers of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church live in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and parts of Turkey. Significant diaspora communities exist outside of these areas because of mass historical immigration, persecution, and intermarriage.

Currently, there are around 1.5 million followers of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church worldwide. The liturgical and theological languages of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church are both Arabic and Greek.