The Catholic Church originated in Palestine, whence it spread to other regions of the world where certain places became key centres of Christian life with great influence on the local churches in their respective areas. Such centres were Jerusalem, Alexandria, Antioch and Constantinople in the East, and Rome in the West. The eastern Mother Churches, with rites bearing their names, were Alexandrian, Antiochene, Armenian, Byzantine and Chaldean. The usages of these churches expressed the one faith in different ways in theology, liturgy, hierarchy and governance, tradition and culture. Hence, the different rites.

The main lines of Eastern Church patriarchal organization and usages were drawn before the Roman Empire became two empires, East (Byzantine) and West (Roman), in 292. Eastern Church members, originally within the boundaries of the Eastern Empire, eventually spread to other parts of the world where they have continued to maintain their distinctive religious identity and heritage on a par with the faithful of Roman (Latin) rite.

Most the Eastern Churches now in communion with the Holy See were at some time in the past separated form it because of developments and events connected with the Schism of 1054.

(Source: Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic Almanac 1998)

The Alexandrian Rite

The Antiochene (West Syrian) Rite

The Armenian Rite

The Byzantine Rite

The Chaldean (East Syrian) Rite