Matthew 16:18 — "Upon This Rock"

Eastern Catholic Churches affirm the traditional Catholic interpretation of Matthew 16:18, understanding it as Jesus' establishment of Peter as the rock and foundation of the church. However, Eastern Catholics maintain the Eastern understanding of papal primacy as a 'first among equals' (primus inter pares) rather than the kind of absolute papal monarchy sometimes emphasized in Western Catholicism. The Eastern patristic tradition and the Eastern Catholic liturgical theology affirm Peter's primacy and apostolic succession through the papal office, but also emphasize the role of the whole episcopate in governing the church. Eastern Catholic ecclesiology balances papal jurisdiction with synodal participation and apostolic tradition.