Catholicate of Rome-Ruthenia
Римско-Русский Католикосат
The Catholicate of Rome-Ruthenia is the universal patriarchal jurisdiction of H.A.H. the Prince-Bishop of Rome-Ruthenia. As part of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church, the Catholicate is derived from the church's diverse Apostolic heritage and authority, which is both eastern and western. The Catholicate and its members are Pontifical Orthodox, and the United Roman-Ruthenian Church is of both Orthodox and Catholic heritage. It has its own ancient liturgy, the Gallo-Russo-Byzantine Rite, which is a combination of the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom and the Tridentine rite.
Additionally, even though it is not formally a member of other ecclesial bodies, the Catholicate and entire United Roman-Ruthenian Church has historical communion and shared heritage with the Anglican Communion and the Philippine Independent Church (also known as the Philippine Independent Catholic Church) via the historic First Chair of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church (of the former Bishopric of the Southwest, which became the Diocese of Rome-Ruthenian in the United Roman-Ruthenian Church). The physical throne is located at St. Chad's Cathedral. See more here.
Saint Edwin Caudill (His Grace
H. Edwin Caudill, Bishop of the Southwest) was consecrated in orthodox and catholic Apostolic succession by Macario V. Ga, Supreme Bishop of the Philippine Independent Church, assisted by Bishops Frank Benning and John Hamers. This took place on 21 October 1993, Holy Cross Polish National Catholic Church, Brooklyn, New York. The remnants of his See, the Diocese of the Southwest, after suffering a schism, became part of the Apostolic Communion of Anglican Churches in 2008. This included the Very Rev. Dean John Mark Vornholt, who returned in 2009, recognizing it as the authentic continuation of the
Diocese of the Southwest in which he had previously served under Bishop Caudill. He was eventually succeeded by H.A.H. Bishop Rutherford I of Rome-Ruthenia (then Archbishop Johnson) as its Metropolitan. Thereafter its territorial boundaries changed as it became the See of St. Stephen and Coadjutorship of Rome.
The Old Roman Catholic Apostolic heritage of the Catholicate also historically enjoyed an intercommunion with the ancient Orthodox Patriarchal Sees of Antioch and Alexandria, the first See of the Apostle Peter and the second See of the Apostle Mark respectively. These agreements were achieved by Archbishop Arnold Harris Mathew. The intercommunion with Antioch was signed on 5 August 1911, and the intercommunion with Alexandria was signed the following year.
These agreements in practical terms have lapsed, but they have never been rescinded. They remain an important and valued part of the heritage of the Catholicate and the entire United Roman-Ruthenian Church. Combined with other historic agreements, they solidify the historic and current canonical status of the United Roman-Ruthenian Church. (See also
this page.)
United Roman-Ruthenian Church and the Pontifical Imperial State
The Gallican Rite
Pontifical Court
Patriarchal Curia
Pontifical Kingdom of Ruthenia
News Service - Il Nunzio Romano
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