The religion of the autonomous, self-governing churches that preserve ancient eastern Christian theological, liturgical, and devotional traditions that depend originally on the Eastern Empire at Constantinople, but today Eastern Catholic churches remain in full communion with the Pope and the western church centered in Rome. Differences include that the Eastern Catholic church allows married clergy and the immediate admission of baptized infants to the sacraments of the Eucharist and Confirmation, which happen later in childhood within the western church.
