Orientalium ecclesiarum

ORIENTALIUM ECCLESIARUM of the Eastern clergy so as to be able to preserve their uniqueness before Latins as well as non-Catholic Easterners. From this apostolic letter there emerges the pontiff’s scrupulous concern both to protect the faithful (Christifideles) in the East against the all-too-insistent efforts of missionaries to promote latinization and to foster the Church’s respect for the East. One cannot deny that such a programme met opposition, in one way or another, by some members of the Roman Curia, who identified the universal Church with the Church of Rome. OD found its way into the codification of the *CIC 1917, which ratified the principle of the equal dignity (par dignitas) of all rites, a principle upheld by all pontiffs since Leo XIII. One must likewise remember that until *Vatican II (1962–1965) there still prevailed a mentality which looked down upon Eastern Catholics, treating them as if they were ‘second-rate rites’ in spite of the express recognition on the pope’s part of the aequalitas rituum (the ‘equality of rites’) *Vatican II sought to discredit any shadow of praestantia of any one rite of a ‘particular Church’ (sui iuris) at the expense of another. texts: ‘Orientalium dignitas’, The Vatican and the Eastern Churches: Papal Encyclicals and Documents concerning the Eastern Churches, Fairfax VA 1996, 179–189. studies: P. Michel, L’Orient et les deux Lettres Apostoliques ‘Praeclara gratulationis’ et ‘Orientalium Dignitas’, Paris 1985; C. G.

Fürst, ‘La Lettera apostolica ‘Orientalium Dignitas’ di Leone XIII del 30.11.1894’, Orientalium dignitas: Atti del Simposio commemorativo del centenario della Lettera apostolica di Papa Leone XIII, 2–4 novembre 1994, L. Orosz (ed.), Nyíregyháza 1995, 35–43; A. Dragani, Adrian Fortescue and the Eastern Christian Churches, Piscataway NJ 2007, 120. N. Loda ORIENTALIUM ECCLESIARUM, decree on the *Eastern Catholic Churches promulgated by *Vatican II on 21 November 1964. It consists of thirty articles divided into six parts. The opening words, ‘On the Eastern Churches’, unwittingly gave rise to misunderstandings. The final schema, drawing on fifteen previous drafts of the decree, was initially meant to make an appeal to union to the non-Catholic Eastern Churches entitled Ut omnes unum sint. Yet with the council a switch in ecclesiology took place from the hitherto prevalent ‘return ecclesiology’, which considered reunion as a return of the dissidents to Rome, to the newly re-discovered ‘communion ecclesiology’, which envisaged that both parties would have to adjust in order to be able to live in communion with one another as equal partners, without denying, however, Rome’s prerogatives. It was thus felt that the schema had to be divided between an ecumenical decree to be handled by the newly established Secretariat to Promote Christian Unity (*Pontifical Council to Promote Christian Unity), which led to UR, and a decree dealing more directly with the Eastern Catholic Churches to be developed by the commission charged with the Christian East, which led to OE.

The title of OE shows clearly that it is addressed to the Eastern Catholic Churches, even though parts of the decree, e.g. OE 24–30, address issues of concern to both the Catholic and non-Catholic Eastern Churches. After an Introduction (OE 1), which expresses the high esteem in which the Catholic Church holds the Eastern Churches, the first part (OE 2–4) spells out the standing of these particular or individual Churches. Identified before Vatican I as the Eastern Rites they came to be known afterwards as sui iuris, or autonomous (*Sui iuris Church), Churches (CCEO c. 27) All of these individual Churches, both Eastern and Western, are equal in rank, for they form part of the Universal Church under the guidance of the Roman Pontiff. For this reason, those who join the Catholic Church should as much as possible retain their rite. The second part (OE 5–6) stresses that the spiritual heritage of the Eastern Churches should be preserved and promoted, both officially and at the base. These Churches are to govern themselves according to the dictates of tradition and see to it not only that its prescriptions are observed, but also that their rite should be purified of later accretions (OE 6) The decree next turns in its third part (OE 7–11) to Eastern rite patriarchs, in which the venerable character of this ancient institution, recognized by ecumenical councils, is extolled, whereas the difference between older and younger patriarchates is mentioned but relativized inasmuch as all are nonetheless equal in dignity (OE 8); their rights and privileges are to be restored and adapted to modern conditions (OE 9) What has been said of patriarchs applies also for ‘major archbishops’ (*Major Archbishop), who rule the whole of some individual Church or rite’ (OE 10)

Pending on the judgement of the pope or of an ecumenical council, new patriarchates are to be set up if necessary, since this is the traditional form of government in the East (OE 11) The fourth part deals with ‘Rules Concerning the Sacraments’ (OE 12–18) The council exhorts that the practices accompanying the sacraments should be restored if circumstances permit (OE 12); thus, priests can validly confer the sacrament of holy chrism (*Myron) so long as they use the chrism blessed ORIENTALIUM ECCLESIARUM by a patriarch or bishop (OE 13) The permanent diaconate ought to be restored if it has fallen into disuse (OE 17) Regulations concerning mixed marriages are eased (OE 18) The fifth part (OE 19–23) treats of divine worship. The hope of reaching a common day for celebrating Easter is expressed (OE 20) As for the language of celebration, it is up to the patriarch with his synod to decide. The sixth part (OE 24–29) speaks of the relations of these Catholic Churches to the separated brethren but the idea, expressed in OE 24 that these Uniate Churches were to promote unity came in for criticism from Orthodox side, since they considered them splinter Churches which arose by breaking away from an Orthodox mother (*Eastern Catholic Churches) Finally, the *communicatio in sacris, or the sharing of eucharistic hospitality and other sacraments among those not in full communion with one another, is not only allowed, but up to a point even encouraged, inasmuch as the Catholic Church recognizes Orthodox sacraments (OE 26) and recourse to them approved under the condition that access to sacraments in one’s own Church is impossible (OE 27)

The Conclusion (OE 30) disclaims that the council wants to legislate for the future of these Churches especially in the case of communion and so declares its injunctions to be provisional. What reveals the initial ecumenical intent in ecumenism is not only found in OE 24–30, but also in the fact that on the same day of its proclamation the ecumenical decree UR was emanated as well. N. *Edelby, on Eastern Catholic side, believed that the Catholic East had received as best a deal as possible under the circumstances. A. *Schmemann, on Orthodox side, while appreciating the recognition of the Eastern tradition as equal in dignity to the Western and the provisional character of its prescriptions until communion between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church is established, considers the decree to be ultimately a Latin text about the Eastern tradition and written in terms of a Western ecclesiology. he added that communicatio in sacris in special cases (OE 27) must be bilateral. texts: ‘OE’, AAS 57 (1965) 76–89; ‘OE’, Flannery 441–451. studies: V. J. Pospishil, Orientalium Ecclesiarum: The Decree ‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum’, and a Canonical-Pastoral Commentary, New York 1965; A. Schmemann, ‘A Response’, The Documents of Vatican II, W. M. Abbott (ed. in chief), London 1966, 387–388; J. M. hoeck, ‘Decree on Eastern Catholic Churches’, Commentary on the Documents of Vatican II, h. Vorgrimler (ed. in chief), Westminster 1967, 1:307–331; Les Eglises orientales catholiques: Décret ‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum’, N.

Edelby, I. Dick (trs., comm.) Paris 1970; E. C. Suttner, ‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum’, LThK3 7 (1998) 1130; E. G. Farrugia, ‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum alla luce dell’ecclesiologia del XX secolo: Una valutazione teologica del Decreto’, Folia Athanasiana 7 (2005) 7–26; B. J. hilberth, ‘Orientalium Ecclesiarum’, Herders Theologischer Kommentar zum Zweiten Vatikanischen Konzil, Freiburg i.Br. 2005 (repr. Freiburg i.Br. 2009), 3:1–68; R. R. Gaillardetz, ‘A Brief history of the Decree on the Catholic Churches of the Eastern Rite’, The Church in the Making: Lumen Gentium, Christus Dominus, Orientalium Ecclesiarum, New York 2006, 38–41; E. G. Farrugia, ‘Re-Reading Orientalium Ecclesiarum’, Gregorianum 88 (2007) 352–371; M. Jalakh, Ecclesiological Identity of the Eastern Catholic Churches: OE 30 and Beyond, Rome 2014. E. G. Farrugia.

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