The Latin Church (Latin: Ecclesia Latina), also known as the Roman Catholic Church (Latin: Ecclesia Catholica Romana) or the Western Church (Latin: Ecclesia Occidentalis)[N 1] is the largest particular church sui iuris of the Catholic Church, and employs the Latin liturgical rites. It is one of 24 such churches, the 23 others forming the Eastern Catholic Churches. It is headed by the bishop of Rome, the pope – traditionally also called the patriarch of the West – with his cathedra in this role at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran in Rome, Italy. The Latin Church traces its history to the earliest days of Christianity through its direct leadership under the Holy See that according to Catholic tradition was founded by Peter and Paul.
