Orthodoxy and Catholicism: similarities and differences between the two faiths. How the Catholic Church differs from the Orthodox Church The First Catholics

Name: Catholicism (“universal, ecumenical”)

Catholicism is rightfully considered one of the largest movements within the church. Having emerged at the dawn of the Christian era, two thousand years later it spread its branches throughout the globe, gaining fame both due to its powerful organizational structure and due to the principles of its doctrine. The term “Catholicism” itself arose in the first century AD - even then, despite persecution by the Caesars, Christianity began to gradually spread throughout the Roman Empire. This doctrine was finally formed only in 1054 after the division of the Christian Church into Orthodox and Catholic. Since then, Catholicism began to be actively propagated in the countries of Europe and America. Despite the fact that many independent religious movements (Baptism, Lutheranism, Anglicanism) subsequently broke away from it, Catholicism subsequently became known as the most powerful branch of the Christian religion.

Since the 60s, a number of measures have been taken within the framework of Catholicism to modernize canonical dogmas, as well as Vatican centralized policies. Currently, the Vatican demonstrates by its example a striking combination of secular and ecclesiastical power: leading all the Catholic organizations of the world, the city-state has all the attributes of a “miniature power”: a flag, coat of arms, anthem and even telegraph and mail.

Catholicism of the present time has nothing to do with the Inquisition, witch hunts, and the fight against “heresies” - all this remains far in the past. It is not surprising that today the number of Catholics in the world reaches almost a billion people. Today, Catholics make up the majority of the faithful in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Australia - and their numbers continue to gradually increase.

Catholicism has a centralized administrative apparatus, characterized by a unified management system: all power is concentrated around the head of the church - she is the successor of the Apostle Peter, the Pope. He is infallible in matters of faith and is the direct vicar of Christ on earth. Together with the College of Cardinals and the Synod of Bishops, the Pope is the supreme governing body of the entire Catholic Church.

Catholic churches are richly decorated: the gaze of any believer is attracted by skillfully sculpted statues, colorfully painted images of saints... Divine services conducted according to the Latin rite are distinguished by staged theatricality: they are held to the accompaniment of organ music. Unlike Orthodox churches, you can sit in Catholic churches - parishioners sometimes joke that this is a sufficient reason to attend Sunday mass.

Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit comes from both God the Father and God the Son. In addition, they are characterized by a belief in purgatory - the interval between heaven and hell. The source of faith for Catholics is not only the Holy Scriptures, but also the Holy Tradition. As for the sacraments recognized by Catholics, there are only seven of them. Baptism is performed from left to right. Also within the framework of Catholicism, there is a doctrine of indulgences, in other words, the remission of sins from a penitent after obligatory communion, confession, and prayer.

Catholics are also characterized by ardent veneration of the Virgin Mary. Catholic priests are required to observe celibacy. Perhaps this is what determines the strict separation in this doctrine of the laity (ordinary parishioners) and the clergy (priests) - they receive communion separately from each other.

Also, this doctrine is characterized by an extensive cult of saints: they are awarded a special place in the church hierarchy. Catholicism is distinguished by the veneration of all kinds of holy relics - from the nails with which, according to legend, Jesus Christ was nailed to the cross, and ending with the shroud, on which the face of the Virgin Mary was once imprinted.

Today, Catholicism has gained the attention of European youth mainly due to its adaptation to the problems of our time. Catholic organizations are using the Internet and television to promote their faith. Thanks to this, they manage to collect numerous donations for missionary work, helping hopeless patients and children from low-income families. In a word, the Catholic Church of the present time is the continuer of the glorious Christian traditions of two thousand years ago.

The first external difference between Catholic and Orthodox symbols concerns the image of the cross and crucifixion. If in the early Christian tradition there were 16 types of cross shapes, today a four-sided cross is traditionally associated with Catholicism, and an eight-pointed or six-pointed cross with Orthodoxy.

The words on the sign on the crosses are the same, only the languages ​​in which the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” is written are different. In Catholicism it is Latin: INRI. Some Eastern churches use the Greek abbreviation INBI from the Greek text Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ Bασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.

The Romanian Orthodox Church uses the Latin version, and in the Russian and Church Slavonic versions the abbreviation looks like I.Н.Ц.I.

It is interesting that this spelling was approved in Russia only after Nikon’s reform; before that, “Tsar of Glory” was often written on the tablet. This spelling was preserved by the Old Believers.

The number of nails often also differs on Orthodox and Catholic crucifixes. Catholics have three, Orthodox have four.

The most fundamental difference between the symbolism of the cross in the two churches is that on the Catholic cross Christ is depicted in an extremely naturalistic way, with wounds and blood, wearing a crown of thorns, with his arms sagging under the weight of his body, while on the Orthodox crucifix there are no naturalistic traces of the suffering of Christ, the image of the Savior shows the victory of life over death, the Spirit over the body.

This article will focus on what Catholicism is and who Catholics are. This direction is considered one of the branches of Christianity, formed due to a large schism in this religion, which occurred in 1054.

Who they are is in many ways similar to Orthodoxy, but there are also differences. The Catholic religion differs from other movements in Christianity in its religious teachings and cult rituals. Catholicism added new dogmas to the Creed.

Spreading

Catholicism is widespread in Western European (France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy) and Eastern European (Poland, Hungary, partly Latvia and Lithuania) countries, as well as in the countries of South America, where the overwhelming majority of the population professes it. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence of the Catholic religion is insignificant here. compared to the Orthodox Christians are a minority. There are about 700 thousand of them. Catholics in Ukraine are more numerous. There are about 5 million people.

Name

The word "Catholicism" is of Greek origin and translated means universality or universality. In the modern understanding, this term refers to the Western branch of Christianity, which adheres to the apostolic traditions. Apparently, the church was understood as something universal and universal. Ignatius of Antioch spoke about this in 115. The term "Catholicism" was officially introduced at the first Council of Constantinople (381). The Christian Church was recognized as one, holy, catholic and apostolic.

Origin of Catholicism

The term “church” began to appear in written sources (letters of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna) from the second century. This is the word of the municipality. At the turn of the second and third centuries, Irenaeus of Lyons applied the word "church" to Christianity in general. For individual (regional, local) Christian communities it was used with the corresponding adjective (for example, the Church of Alexandria).

In the second century, Christian society was divided into laity and clergy. In turn, the latter were divided into bishops, priests and deacons. It remains unclear how governance was carried out in the communities - collegially or individually. Some experts believe that the government was initially democratic, but over time it became monarchical. The clergy was governed by a Spiritual Council headed by a bishop. This theory is supported by the letters of Ignatius of Antioch, in which he mentions bishops as leaders of Christian municipalities in Syria and Asia Minor. Over time, the Spiritual Council became merely an advisory body. But only the bishop had real power in a particular province.

In the second century, the desire to preserve apostolic traditions contributed to the emergence of a structure. The Church had to protect the faith, dogmas and canons of the Holy Scriptures. All this, as well as the influence of the syncretism of the Hellenistic religion, led to the formation of Catholicism in its ancient form.

The final formation of Catholicism

After the division of Christianity in 1054 into western and eastern branches, they began to be called Catholic and Orthodox. After the Reformation of the sixteenth century, the word “Roman” began to be added more and more often to the term “Catholic” in everyday use. From the point of view of religious studies, the concept of "Catholicism" covers many Christian communities that adhere to the same doctrine as the Catholic Church and are subject to the authority of the Pope. There are also Uniate and Eastern Catholic churches. As a rule, they left the authority of the Patriarch of Constantinople and became subordinate to the Pope, but retained their dogmas and rituals. Examples are the Greek Catholics, the Byzantine Catholic Church and others.

Basic tenets and postulates

To understand who Catholics are, you need to pay attention to the basic tenets of their faith. The main dogma of Catholicism, which distinguishes it from other areas of Christianity, is the thesis that the Pope is infallible. However, there are many known cases when Popes, in the struggle for power and influence, entered into dishonest alliances with large feudal lords and kings, were obsessed with the thirst for profit and constantly increased their wealth, and also interfered in politics.

The next postulate of Catholicism is the dogma of purgatory, approved in 1439 at the Council of Florence. This teaching is based on the fact that the human soul after death goes to purgatory, which is an intermediate level between hell and heaven. There she can be cleansed of her sins through various tests. Relatives and friends of the deceased can help his soul cope with trials through prayers and donations. It follows from this that a person’s fate in the afterlife depends not only on the righteousness of his life, but also on the financial well-being of his loved ones.

An important postulate of Catholicism is the thesis about the exclusive status of the clergy. According to him, without resorting to the services of the clergy, a person cannot independently earn God's mercy. A Catholic priest has serious advantages and privileges compared to the ordinary flock. According to the Catholic religion, only the clergy has the right to read the Bible - this is their exclusive right. This is prohibited for other believers. Only publications written in Latin are considered canonical.

Catholic dogmatics determines the need for systematic confession of believers before the clergy. Everyone is obliged to have his own confessor and constantly report to him about his own thoughts and actions. Without systematic confession, the salvation of the soul is impossible. This condition allows the Catholic clergy to penetrate deeply into the personal lives of their flock and control a person's every move. Constant confession allows the church to have a serious influence on society, and especially on women.

Catholic sacraments

The main task of the Catholic Church (the community of believers as a whole) is to preach Christ to the world. The sacraments are considered visible signs of God's invisible grace. Essentially, these are actions established by Jesus Christ that must be performed for the good and salvation of the soul. There are seven sacraments in Catholicism:

• baptism;
• anointing (confirmation);
• Eucharist, or communion (Catholics take their first communion at the age of 7-10 years);
• sacrament of repentance and reconciliation (confession);
• anointing;
• sacrament of the priesthood (ordination);
• sacrament of marriage.

According to some experts and researchers, the roots of the sacraments of Christianity go back to the pagan mysteries. However, this point of view is actively criticized by theologians. According to the latter, in the first centuries A.D. e. The pagans borrowed some rituals from Christianity.

What is the difference between Catholics and Orthodox Christians?

What Catholicism and Orthodoxy have in common is that in both of these branches of Christianity, the church is a mediator between man and God. Both churches agree that the Bible is the fundamental document and doctrine of Christianity. However, there are many differences and disagreements between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

Both directions agree that there is one God in three incarnations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (trinity). But the origin of the latter is interpreted differently (the Filioque problem). The Orthodox profess the “Creed,” which proclaims the procession of the Holy Spirit only “from the Father.” Catholics add “and the Son” to the text, which changes the dogmatic meaning. Greek Catholics and other Eastern Catholic denominations have retained the Orthodox version of the Creed.

Both Catholics and Orthodox understand that there is a difference between the Creator and the creation. However, according to Catholic canons, the world has a material nature. He was created by God out of nothing. There is nothing divine in the material world. While Orthodoxy assumes that the divine creation is the embodiment of God himself, it comes from God, and therefore he is invisibly present in his creations. Orthodoxy believes that you can touch God through contemplation, that is, approach the divine through consciousness. Catholicism does not accept this.

Another difference between Catholics and Orthodox Christians is that the former consider it possible to introduce new dogmas. There is also a teaching about the “good deeds and merits” of Catholic saints and the Church. On its basis, the Pope can forgive the sins of his flock and is the vicar of God on Earth. In matters of religion he is considered infallible. This dogma was adopted in 1870.

Differences in rituals. How Catholics are baptized

There are also differences in rituals, the design of churches, etc. Orthodox Christians even perform the prayer procedure not exactly the same way as Catholics pray. Although at first glance it seems that the difference is in some small details. To feel the spiritual difference, it is enough to compare two icons, Catholic and Orthodox. The first one looks more like a beautiful painting. In Orthodoxy, icons are more sacred. Many people are wondering, Catholics and Orthodox? In the first case, they are baptized with two fingers, and in Orthodoxy - with three. In many Eastern Catholic rites, the thumb, index and middle fingers are placed together. How else are Catholics baptized? A less common method is to use an open palm, with the fingers pressed tightly together and the thumb slightly tucked inward. This symbolizes the openness of the soul to the Lord.

Man's destiny

The Catholic Church teaches that people are burdened by original sin (with the exception of the Virgin Mary), that is, every person from birth has a grain of Satan. Therefore, people need the grace of salvation, which can be obtained by living by faith and doing good works. The knowledge of the existence of God is, despite human sinfulness, accessible to the human mind. This means that people are responsible for their actions. Every person is loved by God, but at the end the Last Judgment awaits him. Particularly righteous and godly people are ranked among the Saints (canonized). The church keeps a list of them. The process of canonization is preceded by beatification (beatification). Orthodoxy also has a cult of Saints, but most Protestant movements reject it.

Indulgences

In Catholicism, an indulgence is the complete or partial release of a person from punishment for his sins, as well as from the corresponding expiatory action imposed on him by the priest. Initially, the basis for receiving an indulgence was the performance of some good deed (for example, a pilgrimage to holy places). Then they became a donation of a certain amount to the church. During the Renaissance, serious and widespread abuses were observed, which consisted of the distribution of indulgences for money. As a result, this sparked the start of protests and a reform movement. In 1567, Pope Pius V banned the issuance of indulgences for money and material resources in general.

Celibacy in Catholicism

Another serious difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that all the clergy of the latter give Catholic clergy do not have the right to marry or even have sexual intercourse. All attempts to marry after receiving the diaconate are considered invalid. This rule was announced during the time of Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), and was finally approved only in the 11th century.

The Eastern churches rejected the Catholic version of celibacy at the Council of Trullo. In Catholicism, the vow of celibacy applies to all clergy. Initially, minor church ranks had the right to marry. Married men could be initiated into them. However, Pope Paul VI abolished them, replacing them with the positions of reader and acolyte, which were no longer associated with the status of cleric. He also introduced the institution of deacons for life (those who do not intend to advance further in their church career and become priests). These may include married men.

As an exception, married men who converted to Catholicism from various branches of Protestantism, where they held the ranks of pastors, clergy, etc., can be ordained to the priesthood. However, the Catholic Church does not recognize their priesthood.

Now the obligatory celibacy for all Catholic clergy is the subject of heated debate. In many European countries and the United States, some Catholics believe that mandatory celibacy should be abolished for non-monastic clergy. However, the Pope did not support such a reform.

Celibacy in Orthodoxy

In Orthodoxy, clergy can be married if the marriage took place before ordination to the priesthood or deaconship. However, only monks of the minor schema, widowed or celibate priests can become bishops. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop must be a monk. Only archimandrites can be ordained to this rank. Simply celibates and representatives of married white clergy (non-monastics) cannot become bishops. Sometimes, as an exception, episcopal ordination is possible for representatives of these categories. However, before this they must accept the minor monastic schema and receive the rank of archimandrite.

Inquisition

To the question of who the Catholics of the medieval period were, you can get an idea by familiarizing yourself with the activities of such a church body as the Inquisition. It was a judicial institution of the Catholic Church, which was intended to combat heresy and heretics. In the 12th century, Catholicism faced the growth of various opposition movements in Europe. One of the main ones was Albigensianism (Cathars). The popes assigned the responsibility of fighting them to the bishops. They were supposed to identify heretics, judge them, and hand them over to secular authorities for execution. The ultimate punishment was burning at the stake. But the episcopal activity was not very effective. Therefore, Pope Gregory IX created a special church body to investigate the crimes of heretics - the Inquisition. Initially directed against the Cathars, it soon turned against all heretical movements, as well as witches, sorcerers, blasphemers, infidels, etc.

Inquisitorial Tribunal

The inquisitors were recruited from various members, primarily from the Dominicans. The Inquisition reported directly to the Pope. Initially, the tribunal was headed by two judges, and from the 14th century - by one, but it consisted of legal consultants who determined the degree of “hereticism”. In addition, the number of court employees included a notary (certified testimony), witnesses, a doctor (monitored the condition of the defendant during executions), a prosecutor and an executioner. The inquisitors were given part of the confiscated property of heretics, so there is no need to talk about the honesty and fairness of their trial, since it was beneficial for them to find a person guilty of heresy.

Inquisition procedure

There were two types of inquisitorial investigation: general and individual. In the first, a large part of the population of a particular area was surveyed. In the second case, a specific person was called through the priest. In cases where the summoned person did not appear, he was excommunicated from the church. The man swore an oath to sincerely tell everything he knew about heretics and heresy. The progress of the investigation and proceedings were kept in the deepest secrecy. It is known that the inquisitors widely used torture, which was authorized by Pope Innocent IV. At times their cruelty was condemned even by secular authorities.

The accused were never given the names of the witnesses. Often they were excommunicated from the church, murderers, thieves, oathbreakers - people whose testimony was not taken into account even by the secular courts of that time. The defendant was deprived of the right to have a lawyer. The only possible form of defense was an appeal to the Holy See, although it was formally prohibited by Bull 1231. People once condemned by the Inquisition could be brought to justice again at any time. Even death did not save him from the investigation. If a person who had already died was found guilty, then his ashes were taken from the grave and burned.

Punishment system

The list of punishments for heretics was established by bulls 1213, 1231, as well as by the decrees of the Third Lateran Council. If a person confessed to heresy and repented during the trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Tribunal had the right to reduce the term. However, such sentences were rare. The prisoners were kept in extremely cramped cells, often shackled, and fed with water and bread. During the late Middle Ages, this sentence was replaced by hard labor in galleys. Obstinate heretics were sentenced to be burned at the stake. If a person confessed before the start of his trial, then various church punishments were imposed on him: excommunication, pilgrimage to holy places, donations to the church, interdict, various types of penances.

Fasting in Catholicism

Fasting for Catholics consists of abstaining from excesses, both physical and spiritual. In Catholicism, there are the following fasting periods and days:

• Lent for Catholics. It lasts 40 days before Easter.
• Advent For four Sundays before Christmas, believers should reflect on his upcoming coming and be spiritually focused.
• All Fridays.
• Dates of some major Christian holidays.
• Quatuor anni tempora. Translated as “four seasons.” These are special days of repentance and fasting. A believer must fast once every season on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
• Fasting before communion. The believer must abstain from food an hour before communion.

The requirements for fasting in Catholicism and Orthodoxy are mostly similar.

Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? This article answers these questions briefly in simple words.

Catholics belong to one of the 3 main denominations of Christianity. There are three Christian denominations in the world: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. The youngest is Protestantism, which arose in the 16th century as a result of Martin Luther's attempt to reform the Catholic Church.

Why and when did Christianity split into Catholicism and Orthodoxy?

The division of the Catholic and Orthodox churches occurred in 1054, when Pope Leo IX drew up an act of excommunication of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the entire Eastern Church. Patriarch Michael convened a council, at which he was excommunicated from the Church and the commemoration of popes in the Eastern churches was stopped.

The main reasons for the division of the church into Catholic and Orthodox:

• different languages ​​of worship ( Greek in the eastern and Latin in the western church)
• dogmatic, ritual differences between eastern(Constantinople) and western(Rome)churches ,
• the Pope's desire to become first, dominant among 4 equal Christian patriarchs (Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem).

IN 1965 Head of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI canceled mutual anathemas and signed Joint Declaration. However, many contradictions between the two churches have unfortunately not yet been overcome.

In the article you will find the main differences in the dogmas and beliefs of the 2 Christian churches - Catholic and Christian. But it is important to understand that all Christians: Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox, are in no way “enemies” of each other, but, on the contrary, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Dogmas of the Catholic Church. Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

These are the main dogmas of the Catholic Church, which differ from the Orthodox understanding of the Gospel truth.

• Filioque - dogma about the Holy Spirit. Claims that He comes from both God the Son and God the Father.
• Celibacy is the dogma of celibacy for all clergy, not just monks.
• For Catholics, Sacred Tradition includes only decisions made after the 7 Ecumenical Councils, as well as Papal Epistles.
• Purgatory is the dogma that between hell and heaven there is an intermediate place (purgatory) where atonement for sins is possible.
• Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and her bodily ascension.
• The dogma of the communion of the clergy with the Body and Blood of Christ, and the laity - only with the Body of Christ.

Dogmas of the Orthodox Church. Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

• Orthodox Christians, unlike Catholics, believe that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father. This is stated in the Creed.
• In Orthodoxy, celibacy is observed only by monks; the rest of the clergy marry.
• For the Orthodox, the Holy Tradition is the ancient oral tradition, the decrees of the first 7 Ecumenical Councils.
• There is no dogma of purgatory in Orthodox Christianity.
• In Orthodox Christianity there is no teaching about the overabundance of good deeds of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and the apostles (“treasury of grace”), which allows one to “draw” salvation from this treasury. This teaching allowed the emergence of indulgences * , which became a stumbling block between Protestants and Catholics. Indulgences deeply angered Martin Luther. He did not want to create a new denomination, he wanted to reform Catholicism.
• Laity and clergy in Orthodoxy Communicate with the Body and Blood of Christ: “Take, eat: this is My Body, and drink of it, all of you: this is My Blood.”

Who are Catholics and in what countries do they live?

The largest numbers of Catholics live in Mexico (about 91% of the population), Brazil (74% of the population), the United States (22% of the population) and Europe (ranging from 94% of the population in Spain to 0.41% in Greece).

You can see what percentage of the population in all countries professes Catholicism in the table on Wikipedia: Catholicism by country >>>

There are more than a billion Catholics in the world. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope (in Orthodoxy - the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople). There is a popular belief about the total infallibility of the Pope, but this is not true. In Catholicism, only the doctrinal decisions and statements of the Pope are considered infallible. The Catholic Church is now led by Pope Francis. He was elected on March 13, 2013.

Both Orthodox and Catholics are Christians!

Christ teaches us love for absolutely all people. And even more so, to our brothers in faith. Therefore, there is no need to argue about which faith is more correct, but it is better to show your neighbors, helping those in need, a virtuous life, forgiveness, non-judgment, meekness, mercy and love for neighbors.

I hope the article " Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? was useful for you and now you know what the main differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy are, what is the difference between Catholics and Orthodox.

I wish everyone to notice the good in life, enjoy everything, even bread and rain, and thank God for everything!

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Regardless of whether we believe in the Lord or not, we all believe in something higher. The world's population professes a large number of different religions. Which one to follow is only your decision. For example, among the population of our country, Orthodoxy and Catholicism are most often found. Increasingly, people are asking the question of how the Catholic faith differs from the Orthodox faith?

Christianity is divided into 3 movements:

• Catholicism,
• Orthodoxy,
• Protestantism.

There is no single Protestant Church, and the Orthodox Church may include several independent churches (Serbian, Georgian, Russian, Romanian, Greek and other Orthodox churches). At the head of each of them are: patriarchs, metropolitans and archbishops. What they have in common is communication with each other and prayers, as well as the sacraments. But it is also worth noting that world Orthodoxy does not have a single leadership.

Catholicism is the only Universal Church. It is headed by the Pope. Its parts, which are located all over the world, constantly communicate and share a single creed. It is divided into rituals. But although such Catholics belong to different rites, they are still part of the one Catholic Church.

Difference of churches

There are a number of factors that determine how the Catholic Church differs from the Orthodox Church:

• Different understandings of the unity of the church. The Orthodox share the sacraments and the same faith, while Catholics include in all this the one head of the church - the Pope.
• The difference is in the understanding of catholicity and universality. For the Orthodox, each local church, headed by a bishop, embodies the Universal Church, and Catholics add to this that it must also have a connection with the local Roman Catholic Church.
• Catholics note in the Creed that the Holy Spirit comes from the Son and the Father, while Orthodox Christians claim that he comes only from the Father.
• There is also a difference in the understanding of the sacrament of marriage. Catholics say that marriages are concluded once and for all, and the Orthodox Church can dissolve a marriage in some cases.
• In Catholicism there is such a concept as purgatory, which does not exist in Orthodoxy.
• Catholics have accepted the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. This suggests that she was not touched by original sin. Orthodox Christians revere the holiness of the Mother of God, but believe that she, like all people, was born with original sin.
• In Catholicism there is a dogma that Mary is in heaven body and soul. In Orthodoxy they also believe in this, but they have not backed it up with dogma.
• The dogma of Catholicism is also the primacy of the Pope over the Church in matters of morality and faith, government and discipline. In Orthodoxy, such supremacy is not supported.
• Orthodoxy carries within itself one ritual. It also exists in Catholicism and is called Byzantine, and is also one of several.
• Catholicism has a dogma about the infallibility of the Pope, while the Orthodox believe only in the infallibility of the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils.
• The Orthodox take decisions from only 7 Ecumenical Councils, while Catholics are guided by 21.

Split of the church into Catholic and Orthodox

It is impossible to describe in a nutshell the reasons for the division of the church into Catholic and Orthodox. But it is still possible to shed some light on this situation.

The main impetus for this incident was the long-term tense political situation between Constantinople and Rome. The main attention was directed to the peculiarities of doctrine, ritual and disciplinary customs, traditions and features of the hierarchical church structure, which were not characteristic of the East.

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The situation was further aggravated by the difference in mentalities, cultures, as well as national characteristics of the East and West. The reasons for the split between the Orthodox and Catholic churches include the lack of full communication and mutual interest, and the rooting of peculiar traditions. The culmination of the division of the united church occurred at the beginning of the 11th century. In 1054, the Pope and Patriarch of Constantinople were proclaimed viceroys. The final division occurred after 1024.

FAQ

There are a large number of questions that interest many people. Everyone’s level of spirituality is different and not everyone can answer questions correctly or solve assigned problems.

Is it possible for an Orthodox Christian to go to a Catholic church?

Priests say that an Orthodox Christian can go to a Catholic church, but he cannot take part in rituals. The same applies to Catholics regarding Orthodox churches. It happens that people want to change their faith and accept the rite of baptism. This issue must be resolved directly with the clergy.

Why do Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7?

Another question is why do Catholics celebrate Christmas on December 25, and Orthodox Christians on January 7? This difference arose due to the difference in the Gregorian and Julian calendars. Catholics who live according to the Gregorian calendar celebrate on the night of December 24-25. Among the Orthodox, the Julian calendar is in effect, the difference between them was initially 1 day, but over time it amounted to 13 days. Over time, a decision was made to change the Julian calendar, but the difference remained.

That is why Christmas is celebrated by Orthodox Christians on the night of January 6-7. But not all Orthodox churches accepted this attitude. Some local Orthodox churches still celebrate this holiday on December 25th. Many people still consider it correct to celebrate Christmas on December 25th. This is also related to fasting. After all, many Orthodox Christians, like Catholics, celebrate the New Year. How can you celebrate this holiday if the fast ends only on January 7?

The choice of faith is not always up to us. It happens that our parents make this decision for us. The most important thing is not to rush from one extreme to another. Before you decide to change your faith, you need to clearly understand all the subtleties, both positive and negative.

The Lord is always with you!