First outward difference Catholic and Orthodox symbolism concerns the image of the cross and the crucifix. If in the early Christian tradition there were 16 types of cross shapes, today the traditionally four-sided cross is associated with Catholicism, and the eight-pointed or six-pointed cross with Orthodoxy.
The words on the tablet on the crosses are the same, only the languages \u200b\u200bin which the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jews is made are different. In Catholicism, this is Latin: INRI. In some Eastern churches, the Greek abbreviation INBI is used from the Greek text Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ Bασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων. The Romanian Orthodox Church uses the Latin version, and in 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, "King 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 catholic cross Christ is depicted extremely naturalistically, with wounds and blood, in a crown of thorns, with arms sagging under the weight of the body, while on Orthodox crucifixion 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.
Why are they baptized differently?
Catholics and Orthodox have many differences in the ritual part. Thus, there are obvious differences in making the sign of the cross. Orthodox are baptized from right to left, Catholics from left to right. The norm of the Catholic cross blessing was approved in 1570 by Pope Pius V "He who blesses himself ... makes a cross from his forehead to his chest and from his left shoulder to his right." V Orthodox tradition the norm for performing the sign of the cross changed in terms of two-fingered and three-fingered, but church leaders wrote about the need to be baptized from right to left before and after Nikon's reform.
Catholics usually cross themselves with all five fingers as a sign of "ulcers on the body of the Lord Jesus Christ" - two on the hands, two on the legs, one from the spear. In Orthodoxy, after the reform of Nikon, three fingers are accepted: three fingers are folded together (symbolism of the Trinity), two fingers are pressed against the palm (the two natures of Christ - divine and human. In the Romanian Church, these two fingers are interpreted as a symbol of Adam and Eve falling to the Trinity).
The overdue merits of the saints
In addition to the obvious differences in the ceremonial part, in the monastic system of the two churches, in the traditions of iconography, Orthodox and Catholics have a lot of differences in terms of dogma. Thus, the Orthodox Church does not recognize the Catholic doctrine of the supernatural merits of saints, according to which the great Catholic saints,
The teachers of the church have left an inexhaustible treasury of "excessive good deeds" so that sinners can then use the riches from it for their salvation. The manager of the wealth from this treasury is the Catholic Church and personally the Pontifex. Depending on the zeal of the sinner, the Pontiff can take riches from the treasury and provide them to the sinful person, since a person does not have enough of his own good deeds to save him.
The concept of "excessive merit" is directly related to the concept of "indulgence", when a person is freed from punishment for his sins for the amount paid.
Pope Infallibility
At the end of the 19th century, the Roman Catholic Church proclaimed the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope. According to him, when the pope (as the head of the Church) determines her doctrine concerning faith or morality, he has infallibility (infallibility) and is protected from the very possibility of error. This doctrinal inerrancy is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to the Pope as the successor of the Apostle Peter by virtue of apostolic succession, and is not based on his personal sinlessness.
The dogma was officially proclaimed in the dogmatic constitution of Pastor Aeternus on July 18, 1870, along with the assertion of the "ordinary and immediate" authority of the jurisdiction of the pontiff in the universal Church. The Pope used his right to proclaim a new doctrine ex cathedra only once: in 1950, Pope Pius XII proclaimed the dogma of the Ascension. of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The dogma of infallibility was confirmed at the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965) in the dogmatic constitution of the Church Lumen Gentium. Neither the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope nor the dogma of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary was accepted by the Orthodox Church. Also, the Orthodox Church does not recognize the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary.
Purgatory and ordeal
The understanding of what the soul of a person goes through after death also differs in Orthodoxy and Catholicism. In Catholicism, there is a dogma about purgatory - a special state in which the soul of the deceased is located. Orthodoxy denies the existence of purgatory, although it recognizes the need for prayers for the dead. In Orthodoxy, unlike Catholicism, there is a doctrine of air ordeals, obstacles through which the soul of every Christian must pass on the way to the throne of God for a private trial.
Two angels guide the soul along this path. Each of the ordeals, the number of which is 20, is controlled by demons - unclean spirits trying to take the soul going through the ordeals to hell. In the words of St. Theophan the Recluse: “No matter how wild the thought of ordeals seems to smart people, they cannot be avoided.” The Catholic Church does not recognize the doctrine of ordeals.
"Filioque"
The key dogmatic difference between the Orthodox and Catholic Churches is the “filioque” (lat. filioque - “and the Son”) - an addition to the Latin translation of the Creed, adopted by the Western (Roman) Church in the 11th century in the dogma of the Trinity: about the procession of the Holy Spirit not only from God the Father, but "from the Father and the Son." Pope Benedict VIII included the term "filioque" in the Creed in 1014, which caused a storm of indignation on the part of Orthodox theologians. It was the filioque that became the “stumbling block” and caused the final division of the churches in 1054. It was finally approved at the so-called "unifying" councils - Lyon (1274) and Ferrara-Florentine (1431-1439).
In modern Catholic theology, the attitude towards the filioque, oddly enough, has changed a lot. So, on August 6, 2000, the Catholic Church published the declaration “Dominus Iesus” (“Lord Jesus”). The author of this declaration was Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI). In this document, in the second paragraph of the first part, the text of the Creed is given in the wording without the filioque: "Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, qui ex Patre procedit, qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per prophetas" . (“And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father, who, together with the Father and the Son, is to be worshiped and glorified, who spoke through the prophets.”)
No official, conciliar decisions followed this declaration, so the situation with the filioque remains the same. The main difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that the head of the Orthodox Church is Jesus Christ, in Catholicism the church is headed by the vicar of Jesus Christ, its visible head (Vicarius Christi), the Pope of Rome.
Both in Orthodoxy and in Catholicism, the sacred scripture - the Bible - is recognized as the basis of dogma. In the Creed of Catholicism and Orthodoxy, the foundations of the doctrine are formulated in 12 parts or members:
The first member speaks of God as the creator of the world - the first hypostasis of the Holy Trinity;
In the second - about faith in the Son of God Jesus Christ;
The third is the dogma of the incarnation, according to which Jesus Christ, while remaining God, at the same time became a man, having been born of the virgin Mary;
The fourth is about the suffering and death of Jesus Christ, this is the dogma of redemption;
The fifth is about the resurrection of Jesus Christ;
The sixth refers to the bodily ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven;
In the seventh - about the second, coming coming of Jesus Christ to the earth;
The eighth member is about faith in the Holy Spirit;
The ninth is about the attitude towards the church;
The tenth is about the sacrament of Baptism;
Eleventh - about the future general resurrection of the dead;
The twelfth is about eternal life.
An important place in Orthodoxy and Catholicism is occupied by rites - sacraments. Seven sacraments are recognized: Baptism, chrismation, communion, repentance or confession, the sacrament of the priesthood, wedding, anointing (unction).
Orthodox and Catholic churches attach great importance to holidays and fasts. Lent, as a rule, precedes major church holidays. The essence of fasting is "purification and renewal of the human soul", preparation for important event religious life. There are four large fasts of many days in Orthodoxy and Catholicism: before Easter, before the day of Peter and Paul, before the Assumption of the Virgin and before Christmas.
Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism
The beginning of the division of the Christian Church into Catholic and Orthodox was laid by the rivalry between the popes of Rome and the patriarchs of Constantinople for supremacy in the Christian world. About 867. there was a gap between Pope Nicholas I and Patriarch of Constantinople Photius. Catholicism and Orthodoxy are often referred to as the Western and Eastern Churches, respectively.
The basis of the Catholic faith, as well as of all Christianity, is the Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition. However, unlike the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church considers the sacred tradition of the decrees not only of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, but also of all subsequent councils, and in addition - papal messages and decrees.
The organization of the Catholic Church is marked by strict centralization. The Pope is the head of this church. It defines doctrines on matters of faith and morality. His power is higher than the power of the Ecumenical Councils. The centralization of the Catholic Church gave rise to the principle of dogmatic development, expressed, in particular, in the right of non-traditional interpretation of the dogma. Thus, in the Creed, recognized by the Orthodox Church, in the dogma of the Trinity it is said that the Holy Spirit proceeds from God the Father. Catholic dogma proclaims that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son.
A peculiar doctrine about the role of the church in the work of salvation was also formed. It is believed that the basis of salvation is faith and good deeds. The Church, according to the teachings of Catholicism (this is not the case in Orthodoxy), has a treasury of "super-due" deeds - a "reserve" of good deeds created by Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, holy, pious Christians. The Church has the right to dispose of this treasury, to give a part of it to those who need it, that is, to forgive sins, to grant forgiveness to the penitent. Hence the doctrine of indulgences - the remission of sins for money or for any merits before the church. Hence - the rules of prayers for the dead and the right to shorten the period of stay of the soul in purgatory.
Ecumenical Orthodoxy is a collection of local Churches that have the same dogmas and a similar canonical structure, recognize each other's sacraments and are in communion. Orthodoxy consists of 15 autocephalous and several autonomous churches. Unlike Orthodox churches, Roman Catholicism is distinguished primarily by its solidity. The principle of organization of this church is more monarchical: it has a visible center of its unity - the Pope. The apostolic authority and teaching authority of the Roman Catholic Church is concentrated in the image of the Pope.
Orthodoxy refers to Holy Scriptures, the writings and deeds of the Church Fathers as a sacred word that came from the Lord and was transmitted to people. Orthodoxy claims that God-given texts cannot be changed or supplemented and must be read in the language in which they were first given to people. Thus, Orthodoxy seeks to preserve the spirit of the Christian faith such as Christ brought it, the spirit in which the apostles, the first Christians and the fathers of the Church lived. Therefore, Orthodoxy appeals not so much to logic as to the conscience of a person. In Orthodoxy, the system of cult actions is closely connected with dogmatic doctrine. The foundations of these cult actions are seven main sacramental rites: baptism, communion, repentance, chrismation, marriage, unction, priesthood. In addition to performing the sacraments, the Orthodox cult system includes prayers, worship of the cross, icons, relics, relics and saints.
Catholicism regards Christian tradition rather as "seeds" that Christ, the apostles, etc. planted in the souls and minds of people so that they could find their way to God.
The pope is elected by the cardinals, that is, the highest layer of the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church, who immediately follows the pope. The pope is elected by a two-thirds vote of the cardinals. The Pope directs the Roman Catholic Church through a central state apparatus called the Roman Curia. It is a kind of government that has divisions called congregations. They exercise leadership in certain areas of church life. In a secular government, this would correspond to ministries.
Mass (liturgy) is the main worship service in the Catholic Church, which until recently was held in Latin. To increase the influence on the masses, it is currently permissible to use national languages and introduce national melodies into the liturgy.
The Pope of Rome leads the Catholic Church as an absolute monarch, while congregations are only deliberative and administrative bodies under him.
Officially, the division of the Christian Church into Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Roman Catholic) happened in 1054, with the participation of Pope Leo IX and Patriarch Michael Cerularius. It became the finale in the contradictions long overdue between the two religious centers of the Roman Empire, which had collapsed by the 5th century - Rome and Constantinople.
There were serious disagreements between them both in the field of dogma and in terms of the organization of church life.
After the transfer of the capital from Rome to Constantinople in 330, the clergy began to come to the fore in the socio-political life of Rome. In 395, when the empire actually collapsed, Rome became the official capital of its western part. But political instability soon led to the fact that the actual administration of these territories was in the hands of the bishops and the pope.
In many ways, this was the reason for the claims of the papal throne to the primacy of the entire Christian Church. These claims were rejected by the East, although from the first centuries of Christianity, the authority of the Roman pope in the West and in the East was very great: without his approval, not a single ecumenical council could open and close.
Cultural background
Church historians note that in the western and eastern regions of the empire, Christianity developed differently, under the powerful influence of two cultural traditions - Hellenic and Roman. The "Hellenic world" perceived the Christian doctrine as a certain philosophy, opening the way for the unity of man with God.
This explains the abundance of theological works of the Fathers of the Eastern Church, aimed at comprehending this unity, achieving "deification". They often show the influence of Greek philosophy. Such "theological curiosity" sometimes led to heretical deviations, which were rejected by the Councils.
The world of Roman Christianity, in the words of the historian Bolotov, experienced "the influence of the Romanesque on the Christian." The "Roman world" perceived Christianity in a more "juridical-legal" manner, methodically building the Church as a kind of social and legal institution. Professor Bolotov writes that Roman theologians "understood Christianity as a God-revealed program of social organization."
Roman theology was characterized by "jurisprudence", including the relation of God to man. It was expressed in the fact that good deeds were understood here as a person's merits before God, and repentance was not enough to forgive sins.
Later, the concept of redemption was formed, following the example of Roman law, which based the relationship between God and man on the categories of guilt, redemption and merit. These nuances gave rise to differences in dogmatics. But, in addition to these differences, the banal struggle for power and the personal claims of the hierarchs on both sides eventually became the cause of division.
Main differences
Today, Catholicism has many ritual and dogmatic differences from Orthodoxy, but we will consider the most important ones.
The first difference consists in a different understanding of the principle of the unity of the Church. In the Orthodox Church there is no single earthly head (Christ is considered its head). It has "primates" - patriarchs of local, independent from each other Churches - Russian, Greek, etc.
The Catholic Church (from the Greek "katholikos" - "universal") is one, and considers the presence of a visible head, which is the Pope, to be the basis of its unity. This dogma is called "primacy (primacy) of the Pope". The opinion of the Pope on matters of faith is recognized by Catholics as "infallible" - that is, infallible.
Symbol of faith
Also, the Catholic Church added to the text of the Creed, adopted at the Nicene Ecumenical Council, the phrase about the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son (“filioque”). The Orthodox Church recognizes the procession only from the Father. Although individual holy fathers of the East recognized the "filioque" (for example, Maximus the Confessor).
Life after death
In addition, Catholicism has adopted the dogma of purgatory: a temporary state in which souls remain after death, not ready for paradise.
the Virgin Mary
An important discrepancy is also that in the Catholic Church there is a dogma about the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, which affirms the original absence of original sin in the Mother of God. Orthodox, glorifying holiness Mother of God, believe that he was inherent in Her, like all people. Also, this Catholic dogma is in conflict with the fact that Christ was half a man.
Indulgence
In the Middle Ages, in Catholicism, the doctrine of the “super-due merits of the saints” took shape: the “stock of good deeds” that the saints performed. The Church manages this "reserve" in order to make up for the lack of "good deeds" of repentant sinners.
From here grew the doctrine of indulgences - liberation from temporal punishment for sins in which a person repented. In the Renaissance, there was a misunderstanding of indulgence as the possibility of remission of sins for money and without confession.
Celibacy
Catholicism forbids marriage of clergy (celibate priesthood). In the Orthodox Church, marriage is prohibited only for monastic priests and hierarchs.
outer part
As for the rites, Catholicism recognizes both the worship of the Latin rite (Mass) and the Byzantine (Greek Catholics).
Liturgy in the Orthodox Church is served on prosphora (leavened bread), Catholic worship - on unleavened bread (unleavened bread).
Catholics practice Communion under two types: only the Body of Christ (for the laity), and the Body and Blood (for the clergy).
Catholics make the sign of the cross from left to right, Orthodox - vice versa.
There are fewer fasts in Catholicism, and they are softer than in Orthodoxy.
An organ is used in Catholic worship.
Despite these and other differences that have accumulated over the centuries, Orthodox and Catholics have a lot in common. Moreover, something was borrowed by Catholics from the East (for example, the doctrine of the ascension of the Virgin).
Almost all local Orthodox churches (except Russian) live, like Catholics, according to the Gregorian calendar. Both denominations recognize each other's Sacraments.
The division of the Church is a historical and unresolved tragedy of Christianity. After all, Christ prayed for the unity of His disciples, who are all who strive to fulfill His commandments and confess Him to be the Son of God: “May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so may they be one in Us - May the world believe that You have sent Me."
The difference between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church lies primarily in the recognition of the infallibility and supremacy of the Pope. The disciples and followers of Jesus Christ after His Resurrection and Ascension began to call themselves Christians. This is how Christianity arose, which gradually spread to the west and east.
The history of the split of the Christian church
As a result of reformist views over the course of 2000 years, different currents of Christianity have arisen:
- orthodoxy;
- Catholicism;
- Protestantism, which arose as an offshoot of the Catholic faith.
Each religion subsequently breaks up into new confessions.
In Orthodoxy, Greek, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Ukrainian and other patriarchates arise, which have their own branches. Catholics are divided into Roman and Greek Catholics. It is difficult to list all confessions in Protestantism.
All these religions are united by one root - Christ and faith in the Holy Trinity.
Read about other religions:
The Holy Trinity
The Roman Church was founded by the Apostle Peter, who spent his last days in Rome. Even then, the Pope headed the church, in translation meaning "Our Father." At that time, few priests were ready to take over the leadership of Christianity because of the fear of persecution.
Eastern Rite Christianity was led by four oldest Churches:
- Constantinople, whose patriarch headed the eastern branch;
- Alexandria;
- Jerusalem, whose first patriarch was the earthly brother of Jesus, James;
- Antioch.
Thanks to the educational mission of the Eastern priesthood, Christians from Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania joined them in the 4th-5th centuries. Subsequently, these countries declared themselves autocephalous, independent of the Orthodox movement.
On a purely human level, the newly formed churches began to develop their own visions of development, rivalries arose that intensified after Constantine the Great named Constantinople the capital of the empire in the fourth century.
After the fall of the power of Rome, all supremacy passed to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which caused dissatisfaction with the Western Rite, headed by the Pope.
Western Christians justified their right to supremacy by the fact that it was in Rome that the Apostle Peter lived and was executed, to whom the Savior handed over the keys to paradise.
St. Peter
Filioque
The differences between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox also relate to the filioque, the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit, which became the root cause of the split of the Christian united Church.
Christian theologians more than a thousand years ago did not come to a general conclusion about the procession of the Holy Spirit. The question is who sends the Spirit - God the Father or God the Son.
The Apostle John conveys (John 15:26) that Jesus will send the Comforter in the form of the Spirit of truth, proceeding from God the Father. In the epistle to the Galatians, the apostle Paul directly confirms the procession of the Spirit from Jesus, who blows the Holy Spirit into the hearts of Christians.
According to the Nicene formula, belief in the Holy Spirit sounds like an appeal to one of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity.
The Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council expanded this appeal “I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father”, emphasizing the role of the Son, which was not accepted by the Constantinopolitan priests.
The naming of Photius as the Ecumenical Patriarch was perceived by the Roman rite as a belittling of their significance. Eastern worshipers pointed to the ugliness of Western priests, who shaved their beards and observed fasts on Saturday, themselves at that time began to surround themselves with special luxury.
All these disagreements gathered drop by drop to express themselves in a huge explosion of the schema.
The Patriarchy, headed by Nikita Stifat, openly calls the Latins heretics. The final straw that led to the break was the humiliation of the delegation of legates at the negotiations in 1054 in Constantinople.
Interesting! Not found general concept in matters of government, the priests were divided into the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Initially christian churches called orthodox. After the partition, the eastern Christian movement retained the name of orthodoxy or Orthodoxy, while the western movement became known as Catholicism or the universal Church.
Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism
- In recognition of the infallibility and supremacy of the Pope and in relation to the filioque.
- Orthodox canons deny purgatory, where, having sinned not very grave sin soul is cleansed and goes to heaven. In Orthodoxy there are no major or minor sins, sin is sin, and it can be cleansed only by the sacrament of confession during the life of a sinner.
- Catholics came up with indulgences that give a "pass" to Heaven for good deeds, but the Bible says that salvation is grace from God, and without true faith alone good deeds You can't earn a place in heaven. (Eph. 8:2-9)
Orthodoxy and Catholicism: similarities and differences
Differences in rituals
The two religions differ in the calendar of worship services. Catholics live according to the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox - Julian. According to Gregorian chronology Jewish and Orthodox Easter may coincide, which is prohibited. By julian calendar the Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Serbian and Jerusalem Orthodox Churches conduct divine services.
There are also differences when writing icons. V Orthodox ministry- this is a two-dimensional image, Catholicism practices naturalistic dimensions.
Eastern Christians have the opportunity to divorce and get married a second time; in the Western rite, divorces are prohibited.
The Byzantine rite of Great Lent begins on Monday, while the Latin rite begins on Wednesday.
Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross from right to left, folding their fingers in a certain way, while Catholics do it the other way around, not focusing on the hands.
An interesting interpretation of this action. Both religions agree that a demon sits on the left shoulder, and an angel sits on the right.
Important! Catholics explain the direction of baptism by the fact that when the cross is applied, there is a cleansing from sin to salvation. According to Orthodoxy, at baptism, a Christian proclaims the victory of God over the devil.
How do Christians who were once in unity treat each other? Orthodoxy does not have liturgical communion with Catholics, joint prayers.
Orthodox churches do not rule over secular authorities; Catholicism affirms the supremacy of God and the subordination of authorities to the Pope.
According to the Latin rite, any sin offends God, Orthodoxy claims that God cannot be offended. He is not mortal; by sin, a person harms only himself.
Daily life: rituals and services
Sayings of the Saints on Division and Unity
There are many differences between Christians of both rites, but the main thing that unites them is the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, faith in the One God and the Holy Trinity.
St. Luke of Crimea quite sharply condemned the negative attitude towards Catholics, while separating the Vatican, the Pope and the cardinals from ordinary people who have true, saving faith.
St. Philaret of Moscow compared the division between Christians with partitions, while emphasizing that they could not reach the sky. According to Filaret, Christians cannot be called heretics if they believe in Jesus as the Savior. The saint constantly prayed for the union of all. He recognized Orthodoxy as the true teaching, but pointed out that God also accepts other Christian movements with longsuffering.
Saint Mark of Ephesus calls Catholics heretics, since they have deviated from the true faith, and urged them not to make peace.
The Monk Ambrose of Optina also condemns the Latin rite for violating the decrees of the apostles.
Righteous John of Kronstadt claims that Catholics, along with reformers, Protestants and Lutherans, have fallen away from Christ, based on the words of the Gospel. (Matthew 12:30)
How to measure the value of faith in this or that rite, the truth of accepting God the Father and walking under the power of the Holy Spirit in love for God the Son, Jesus Christ? God will show all this in the future.
Video about the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? Andrey Kuraev
Catholicism is one of the three main Christian denominations. In total there are three confessions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. The youngest of the three is Protestantism. It arose from an attempt to reform the Catholic Church by Martin Luther in the 16th century.
The division into Orthodoxy and Catholicism has a rich history. The beginning was the events that took place in 1054. It was then that the legates of the then-reigning Pope Leo IX drew up an act of excommunication against Patriarch Michael Ceroullarius of Constantinople and the entire Eastern Church. During the liturgy in the Hagia Sophia, they put him on the throne and left. Patriarch Michael responded by convening a council, at which, in turn, he excommunicated the papal ambassadors. The pope took their side, and since then the commemoration of popes at divine services has ceased in the Orthodox Churches, and the Latins have been considered schismatics.
We have collected the main differences and similarities between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, information about the tenets of Catholicism and features of the confession. It is important to remember that all Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, so neither Catholics nor Protestants can be considered “enemies” Orthodox Church. However, there are controversial issues in which each denomination is closer or further from the Truth.
Features of Catholicism
Catholicism has over a billion followers worldwide. In charge of Catholic Church stands the Pope, not the Patriarch, as in Orthodoxy. The Pope is the supreme ruler of the Holy See. Previously, in the Catholic Church, all bishops were called that. Contrary to popular belief about the total infallibility of the Pope, Catholics consider only doctrinal statements and decisions of the Pope to be infallible. Pope Francis is currently the head of the Catholic Church. He was elected on March 13, 2013, and this is the first Pope in many years who. In 2016, Pope Francis met with Patriarch Kirill to discuss critical issues for Catholicism and Orthodoxy. In particular, the problem of persecution of Christians, which exists in some regions even today.
Doctrine of the Catholic Church
A number of dogmas of the Catholic Church differ from the corresponding understanding of the Gospel truth in Orthodoxy.
- Filioque is the Dogma that the Holy Spirit comes from both God the Father and God the Son.
- Celibacy is the dogma of the celibacy of the clergy.
- The Holy Tradition of Catholics includes the decisions taken after the seven Ecumenical Councils and the Papal Epistles.
- Purgatory is a dogma about an intermediate “station” between hell and heaven, where you can atone for your sins.
- Dogma about immaculate conception Virgin Mary and her bodily ascension.
- Communion of the laity only with the Body of Christ, the clergy with the Body and Blood.
Of course, these are not all differences from Orthodoxy, but Catholicism recognizes those dogmas that are not considered true in Orthodoxy.
Who are Catholics
The largest number of Catholics, people who practice Catholicism, live in Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Interestingly, in each country, Catholicism has its own cultural characteristics.
Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy
- Unlike Catholicism, Orthodoxy believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father, as stated in the Creed.
- In Orthodoxy, only monastics observe celibacy, the rest of the clergy can marry.
- The sacred tradition of the Orthodox does not include, in addition to the ancient oral tradition, the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, and the decisions of subsequent church councils, papal letters.
- In Orthodoxy there is no dogma about purgatory.
- Orthodoxy does not recognize the doctrine of the "treasury of grace" - an overabundance of the good deeds of Christ, the apostles, the Virgin Mary, which allow you to "draw" salvation from this treasury. It was this doctrine that allowed for the possibility of indulgences, which at one time became a stumbling block between Catholics and future Protestants. Indulgence was one of those phenomena in Catholicism that deeply revolted Martin Luther. His plans included not the creation of a new confession, but the reformation of Catholicism.
- In Orthodoxy, the laity Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ: “Take, eat: this is my body, and drink all of you from it: this is my blood.”
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