Patriarchs of the east
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The Roman Catholic patriarchs of the east are generally speaking the head bishops of some of the autonomous Eastern Rite Catholic Churches. Each patriarch of the east has authority over all bishops of a particular eastern rite church. These patriarchs are elected by their synods, and must extend communion to and receive it from the other patriarchs, including the pope, before officially taking their office. In matters not considered infallible dogma, they are generally not subject to the same rules as Western Catholics, but make their own rules. Perhaps the most striking example is that in most eastern-rite Catholic churches, ordination of married men to the priesthood is routine (although no priest may marry after ordination, and bishops must be permanently celibate). The heads of the other Eastern Rite churches are titled major archbishops or metropolitan archbishops.
The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem is also considered one of the patriarchs of the east. However, his church follows the Latin Rite and his patriarchal title derives from the historical importance of the see rather than the autonomy of his church. The Patriarch of the East Indies is a Latin Rite archbishop whose patriarchal title derives from the importance of his see in the evangelization of south and east Asia but, despite the title of the patriarchate, is not considered a patriarch of the east.
The patriarchs of the Eastern Rite churches are:
- The Coptic Catholic Patriarch of Alexandria
- The Syrian Catholic Patriarch of Antioch
- The Melkite Catholic Patriarchs of Antioch
- The Maronite Patriarch of Antioch
- The Chaldean Patriarch of Babylon
- The Armenian Catholic Patriarch of Cilicia
