Rite

In Roman Catholicism, a rite is a tradition (a religious pattern in the ceremony) concerning the manner in which the sacraments are to be celebrated. They are different forms of liturgy, religious ceremonial practice.

There is debate within Catholicism on exactly what the rites are and how many there are. Nevertheless, the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) states that there are eight rites.

"The liturgical traditions or rites presently in use in the Church are the Latin (principally the Roman rite, but also the rites of certain local churches, such as the Ambrosian rite, or those of certain religious orders) and the Byzantine, Alexandrian or Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite and Chaldean rites. In "faithful obedience to tradition, the sacred Council declares that Holy Mother Church holds all lawfully recognized rites to be of equal right and dignity, and that she wishes to preserve them in the future and to foster them in every way," (CCC par. 1203).