Page:Uniate Eastern Churches.pdf/214

184 Latin Ordinaries; but they have three ordaining bishops, auxiliaries of the Ordinaries, at Rome, in Calabria, and Sicily. In the past, since the early Middle Ages, their rites were considerably latinized. They used azyme bread for the holy Eucharist, Roman vestments, and many Roman feasts in their Calendar. Nor were their churches arranged according to Byzantine principles. Now there is a great movement in favour of a return to pure Byzantine use. I might have added before that they are all excellent Catholics. They think it better to be Byzantine than Roman; but they think it atrocious to be a schismatic. It would be a great pity if what is left of so ancient a tradition as the Byzantine rite in Italy were ever to disappear. The Roman rite, extended over vast continents in unquestioned predominance, cannot fear the rivalry of this little remnant; no Latin could possibly be jealous of any other rite. May the Byzantine rite remain ever in this ancient home, and may it flourish always as the memory of so great a past.