All about the Catholic faith. How the Orthodox Church differs from the Catholic

How is Catholicism different from Orthodoxy? When did the division of the Churches take place, and why did it happen? What is the right Orthodox attitude to all this? We will tell you the most important thing.

The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism is a great tragedy in the history of the Church

The division of the One Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism happened almost a thousand years ago - in 1054.

The One Church consisted, as the Orthodox Church is now, of many local Churches. This means that the Churches - for example, the Russian Orthodox or the Greek Orthodox - have some external differences in themselves (in the architecture of churches; singing; the language of worship; and even in how certain parts of the services are conducted), but they are united on the main doctrinal issues, and there is Eucharistic communion between them. That is, a Russian Orthodox can receive communion and confess in a Greek Orthodox church and vice versa.

According to the Creed, the Church is one, because Christ is at the head of the Church. This means that there cannot be several Churches on earth that have different creed... And precisely because of the differences in doctrinal issues in the 11th century, there was a division into Catholicism and Orthodoxy. As a consequence of this, Catholics cannot receive communion and confess in Orthodox churches and vice versa.

Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow. Photo: catedra.ru

What are the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism?

Today there are a lot of them. And they are conventionally divided into three types.

1. Differences are doctrinal- because of which, in fact, there was a split. For example, the doctrine of the Pope's infallibility among Catholics.
2. Ritual differences... For example - the form of Communion, which is different from us in Catholics, or the vow of celibacy (celibacy), which is obligatory for Catholic priests. That is, we have fundamentally different approaches to some aspects of the Sacraments and Church life, and they can complicate the hypothetical reunification of Catholics and Orthodox Christians. But they did not become the reason for the split and they did not prevent the reunification again.
3. Conditional differences in traditions. For example - org a us in temples; benches in the middle of the church; priests with or without beards; various forms of vestments for priests. In other words, external features that do not affect the unity of the Church at all - since some similar differences are found even within the Orthodox Church in different countries. In general, if the difference between Orthodox and Catholics lay only in them, the One Church would never be divided.

The division into Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which happened in the 11th century, became for the Church, first of all, a tragedy, which was acutely experienced and is being experienced by both “us” and Catholics. Reunification attempts have been made several times over a thousand years. However, none of them turned out to be truly viable - and we will talk about this below too.

What is the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy - because of what is the Church actually divided?

Western and Eastern Christian Churches - this division has always existed. The Western Church is conditionally the territory of modern Western Europe, and later - all the colonized countries of Latin America. The Eastern Church is the territory of modern Greece, Palestine, Syria, Eastern Europe.

However, the division we are talking about has been conditional for many centuries. Too different peoples and civilizations inhabit the Earth, therefore it is natural that the same teaching in different parts of the Earth and countries could have some characteristic external forms and traditions. For example, the Eastern Church (the one that became Orthodox) has always practiced a more contemplative and mystical lifestyle. It was in the East in the III century that such a phenomenon as monasticism arose, which then spread to the whole world. The Latin (Western) Church has always had the image of Christianity outwardly more active and “social”.

In the main doctrinal truths, they remained common.

Venerable Anthony the Great, founder of monasticism

Perhaps the disagreements, which later became insurmountable, could have been noticed much earlier and "agreed". But in those days there was no Internet, there were no trains or cars. Churches (not only Western and Eastern, but simply separate dioceses) sometimes existed in themselves for decades and rooted certain views. Therefore, the differences that became the reason for the division of the Church into Catholicism and Orthodoxy turned out to be too deeply rooted at the time of the “decision-making”.

This is what Orthodox Christians cannot accept in Catholic teaching.

• the infallibility of the Pope and the doctrine of the primacy of the Roman throne
• changing the text of the Symbol of Faith
• doctrine of purgatory

Pope's infallibility in Catholicism

Each church has its own primate - the head. In Orthodox Churches, this is the patriarch. The Pope was the Primate of the Western Church (or the Latin Chair, as it is also called); he is now the head of the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church believes that the Pope is infallible. This means that any judgment, decision or opinion that he voices before the flock is the truth and law for the entire Church.

The current Pope is Francis

According to Orthodox teaching, no person can be higher than the Church. For example, an Orthodox patriarch, if his decisions go against the teachings of the Church or rooted traditions, may well be deprived of his dignity by the decision of a bishops' council (as happened, for example, with Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century).

In addition to the infallibility of the Pope in Catholicism, there is a teaching about the primacy of the Roman See (Church). This teaching is based on the misinterpretation of the Lord's words in a conversation with the apostles in Cessaria Filipova - about the alleged superiority of the Apostle Peter (who later “founded” the Latin Church) over other apostles.

(Matt 16: 15-19) “He says to them: and who do you think I am? Simon Peter, answering, said: You are Christ, the Son of the Living God. Then Jesus answered him: Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonah, for it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but My Father who art in heaven; and I say to you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; and I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven: and what you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what you will permit on earth will be permitted in heaven ”.

You can read more about the pope's dogma of infallibility and the primacy of the Roman throne.

The Difference Between Orthodox and Catholics: The Text of the Creed

The different text of the Symbol of Faith is another reason for the differences between Orthodox and Catholics - although the difference lies in just one word.

The Creed is a prayer that was formulated in the 4th century at the first and second Ecumenical Councils, and it put an end to many doctrinal controversies. It articulates everything that Christians believe in.

What is the difference between the texts of Catholics and Orthodox? We say that we believe "And in the Holy Spirit, who is like the outgoing Father", and the Catholics add: "... from the" Father and the outgoing Son ... ".

In fact, the addition of just this one word "And the Son ..." (Filioque) significantly distorts the image of all Christian teaching.

The topic is theological, difficult, it’s better to read about it at least on Wikipedia.

Purgatory doctrine - another difference between Catholics and Orthodox

Catholics believe in the existence of purgatory, and the Orthodox say that nowhere - not in any of the books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old or New Testaments, and not even in any of the books of the Holy Fathers of the first centuries - is there any mention of purgatory.

It is difficult to say how this teaching originated among the Catholics. Nevertheless, now the Catholic Church fundamentally proceeds from the fact that after death there is not only the Kingdom of Heaven and hell, but also a place (or rather, a state) in which the soul of a person who died in peace with God finds itself in Paradise. These souls, apparently, will definitely come to the Kingdom of Heaven, but first they need to undergo purification.

Orthodox Christians view the afterlife differently from Catholics. There is Heaven, there is hell. There are ordeals after death in order to be strengthened in peace with God (or to fall away from Him). There is a need to pray for the dead. But there is no purgatory.

These are the three reasons why the difference between Catholics and Orthodox is so fundamental that a thousand years ago there was a division of the Churches.

At the same time, over 1000 years of separate existence, a number of other differences arose (or took root), which are also considered to be what distinguishes us from each other. Something about the outer rites - and it may seem like a rather serious difference - and something about the outer traditions that Christianity has acquired here and there.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: Differences That Do Not Really Divide Us

Catholics do not receive communion the way we do - is that so?

The Orthodox partake of the Body and Blood of Christ from the cup. Until recently, Catholics received communion not with leavened bread, but with unleavened bread - that is, with unleavened bread. Moreover, ordinary parishioners, unlike priests, received communion only with the Body of Christ.

Before talking about why it so happened, it should be noted that this form of Catholic Communion has recently ceased to be the only one. Now other forms of this Sacrament are appearing in Catholic churches, including the “familiar” one for us: by the Body and Blood from the chalice.

And the tradition of the Communion, different from us, arose in Catholicism for two reasons:

1. Regarding the use of unleavened bread: Catholics proceed from the fact that at the time of Christ, the Jews at Easter did not break leavened bread, but unleavened bread. (The Orthodox are based on the Greek texts of the New Testament, where the word "artos", meaning leavened bread, is used to describe the Last Supper, which the Lord performed with his disciples)
2. Regarding the communion of parishioners only by the Body: Catholics proceed from the fact that Christ dwells equally and fully in any of the parts of the Holy Gifts, and not only when they are united together. (The Orthodox are guided by the text of the New Testament, where Christ directly speaks of His Body and Blood. Matt 26: 26-28: “ And when they were eating, Jesus took the bread and, having blessed it, broke it and, distributing it to the disciples, said: take, eat: this is my body. And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.»).

In Catholic churches they sit

Generally speaking, this is not even the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, because in some Orthodox countries - for example, in Bulgaria - it is also customary to sit, and in many churches you can also see many benches and chairs there.

There are many benches, but this is not a Catholic, but an Orthodox church - in New York.

There is an org in Catholic churches a n

The organ is part of the musical accompaniment of the service. Music is one of the integral parts of the divine service, because if it were otherwise, there would be no choir, but the whole service would be read. It's another matter that we, the Orthodox, are now accustomed to only singing.

In many Latin countries, an organ was also installed in temples, since they considered it a divine instrument - they found its sound so sublime and unearthly.

(At the same time, the possibility of using the organ in Orthodox worship was also discussed in Russia at the Local Council of 1917-1918. The well-known church composer Alexander Grechaninov was a supporter of this instrument.)

Celibacy Vow of Catholic Priests (Celibacy)

In Orthodoxy, a priest can be a monk or a married priest. We are detailed enough.

In Catholicism, any priest is bound by a vow of celibacy.

Catholic priests shave their beards

This is another example of different traditions, and not some fundamental differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Whether a person has a beard or not does not in any way affect his holiness and does not say anything about him as a good or bad Christian. It's just that in Western countries it has been customary for some time to shave a beard (most likely, this is the influence of the Latin culture of Ancient Rome).

Now no one forbids orthodox priests to shave their beards. It's just that a priest's or monk's beard is a tradition so deeply rooted in our country that breaking it can become a “temptation” for those around you, and therefore few priests decide to do this or even think about it.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh is one of the most famous Orthodox pastors of the 20th century. For a time he served without a beard.

Length of services and severity of fasting

It so happened that over the past 100 years, the Church life of Catholics has become much "simplified" - if I may say so. The duration of the divine services has decreased, the fasts have become simpler and shorter (for example, before communion it is enough not to eat for only a few hours). Thus, the Catholic Church tried to reduce the gap between herself and the secular part of society - fearing that excessive strictness of the rules could scare off modern people. Whether it helped or not is hard to say.

The Orthodox Church, in her views on the severity of fasting and external rituals, proceeds from the following:

Of course, the world has changed a lot and it will be impossible for most people to live to the fullest extent now. However, the memory of the Rules and a strict ascetic life is still important. "By mortifying the flesh, we liberate the spirit." And we must not forget about it - at least, as about the ideal, to which one must strive deep down in the soul. And if this “measure” disappears, then how to keep the required “bar”?

This is just a small part of the external traditional differences that have developed between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

However, it is important to know what our Churches have in common:

• the presence of Church Sacraments (communion, confession, baptism, etc.)
• veneration of the Holy Trinity
• veneration of the Mother of God
• veneration of icons
• veneration of saints and their relics
• common saints in the first ten centuries of the Church
• Holy Bible

In February 2016, Cuba hosted the first ever meeting between the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Pope of Rome (Francis). An event of historical scale, but there was no talk of uniting the Churches at it.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism - attempts to unite (Union)

The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism is a great tragedy in the history of the Church, which is acutely experienced by both Orthodox and Catholics.

Attempts have been made several times in 1000 years to overcome the schism. The so-called Unions were concluded three times - between the Catholic Church and representatives of the Orthodox Church. All of them were united by the following:

• They were concluded primarily for political rather than religious calculations.
• Each time these were "concessions" from the Orthodox side. As a rule, in the following form: the external form and language of divine services remained familiar to the Orthodox, however, in all dogmatic disagreements, a Catholic interpretation was taken.
• Having been signed by some bishops, they, as a rule, were rejected by the rest of the Orthodox Church - clergymen and people and therefore turned out to be in fact unviable. The last Brest Union is an exception.

These are the three Unias:

Union of Lyons (1274)

It was supported by the emperor of Orthodox Byzantium, since the union with the Catholics was supposed to help restore the empire's shaky financial position. The union was signed, but the people of Byzantium and the rest of the Orthodox clergy did not support it.

Ferraro-Florentine Union (1439)

Both sides were equally politically interested in this Union, since the Christian states were weakened by wars and enemies (Latin states - by the crusades, Byzantium - by confrontation with the Turks, Russia - by the Tatar-Mongols) and the unification of states on religious grounds would probably help , everyone.

The situation repeated itself: the Union was signed (although not by all representatives of the Orthodox Church who were present at the council), but it remained, in fact, on paper - the people did not support the unification on such conditions.

Suffice it to say that the first "Uniate" service was performed in the capital of Byzantium in Constantinople only in 1452. And less than a year later it was captured by the Turks ...

Brest Union (1596)

This Union was concluded between the Catholics and the Orthodox Church of the Commonwealth (the state that then united the Lithuanian and Polish principality).

This is the only example when the union of the Churches proved to be viable - albeit within the framework of only one state. The rules are the same: all divine services, rituals and language remain familiar to the Orthodox, however, it is not the patriarch who is commemorated at the services, but the pope; the text of the Symbol of Faith is changed and the doctrine of purgatory is adopted.

After the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, part of its territories ceded to Russia - and with it a number of Uniate parishes departed. Despite the persecution, they continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century, when they were not officially banned by the Soviet government.

Today there are Uniate parishes on the territory of Western Ukraine, the Baltic States and Belarus.

The division of Orthodoxy and Catholicism: how to relate to this?

We would like to cite a short quote from the letters of the Orthodox Bishop Hilarion (Troitsky), who died in the first half of the 20th century. A zealous defender of Orthodox dogmas, he nevertheless writes:

“Unfortunate historical circumstances tore the West away from the Church. Over the centuries, the Church's perception of Christianity has been gradually distorted in the West. The teaching has changed, life has changed, the very understanding of life has departed from the Church. We [Orthodox] have preserved the church wealth. But instead of lending to others from this inexhaustible wealth, in some areas we ourselves fell under the influence of the West with its theology alien to the Church. " (Letter five. Orthodoxy in the West)

And here is what St. Theophan the Recluse answered a century earlier when she asked: "Father, explain to me: none of the Catholics will be saved?"

The saint replied: "I do not know if Catholics will be saved, but I know one thing for sure: that I myself will not be saved without Orthodoxy."

This answer and the quote by Hilarion (Troitsky), perhaps very accurately indicate the correct attitude of an Orthodox person to such a misfortune as the separation of the Churches.

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Until 1054, the Christian church was one and indivisible. The split occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Kirularius. Conflict broke out over the closure of several Latin churches by the latter in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Kirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965, the mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not been overcome to this day. Christianity is subdivided into three main areas: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

Eastern Church

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since both of these religions are Christian, is not very significant. However, there are still some discrepancies in teaching, the performance of the sacraments, etc. We'll talk about which ones a little later. First, let's make a small overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, which is called the orthodox religion in the West, is currently professed by about 200 million people. Every day, baptism is accepted by about 5 thousand. Those who wish. This trend of Christianity was spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some countries of the CIS and Eastern Europe.

The baptism of Rus took place at the end of the 9th century on the initiative of Prince Vladimir. The ruler of a huge pagan state expressed a desire to marry the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, Anna. But for this he had to accept Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was extremely necessary to strengthen the authority of Russia. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kievites were christened in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the split in 1054, a separate denomination arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called it “Catholicos”. Translated from Greek, it means "universal". The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies not only in the approach of these two Churches to some of the dogmas of Christianity, but also in the very history of development. The Western denomination, in comparison with the Eastern, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.

One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the crusades that brought a lot of grief to the common population. The first of these was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades was to free the "holy land" of Palestine and the "Holy Sepulcher" from the infidels. In fact, it was the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.

In 1229, Pope George IX issued a decree establishing the Inquisition - a church court for apostates. Torture and burning at the stake - this is how extreme Catholic fanaticism was expressed in the Middle Ages. In total, over 500 thousand people were tortured during the existence of the Inquisition.

Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be briefly discussed in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, in relation to the Church's attitude to the population, in general terms, its traditions and basic concept can be understood. The Western denomination has always been considered more dynamic, but at the same time aggressive, in contrast to the "calm" orthodox.

Currently, Catholicism is the state religion in most European and Latin American countries. More than half of all (1.2 billion people) modern Christians profess this particular religion.

Protestantism

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies in the fact that the former has remained one and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the XIV century. there was a split. This was due to the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of citizens to freely choose their religion. In 1529, however, it was canceled. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word "Protestantism" comes from. This Christian trend is further subdivided into two branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is widespread mainly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands. In 1948 the World Council of Churches was established. The total number of Protestants is about 470 million. There are several denominations of this Christian trend: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.

In our time, the World Council of Protestant Churches is pursuing an active peacemaking policy. Representatives of this religion advocate the relaxation of international tension, support the efforts of states in defense of peace, etc.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

Of course, over the centuries of schism, significant differences have arisen in the traditions of the churches. The basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as Savior and Son of God - they did not touch. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testaments, there are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rituals and sacraments do not agree.

Christian cross: differences

Disagreements regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit are the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table also shows many other, albeit not very significant, but still discrepancies. They arose a long time ago, and apparently not one of the churches expresses a special desire to resolve these contradictions.

There are differences in the attributes of different directions of Christianity. For example, the Catholics' cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight-pointed. The Orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifixion most accurately reflects the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal bar, it contains two more. The upper one represents a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The lower oblique crossbar - a support for the feet of Christ - symbolizes the "righteous measure."

Cross Difference Chart

The image of the Savior on the crucifix used in the Sacraments is also something that can be attributed to the theme "the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism." The western cross is a little different from the eastern one.

As you can see, in relation to the cross, there is also a quite noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.

As for the Protestants, they consider the cross to be a symbol of the Pope, and therefore practically do not use it.

Icons in different Christian directions

So, the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism (the table of comparisons of crosses confirms this) in relation to attributes is quite noticeable. There are even greater discrepancies in these directions in the icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.

The main discrepancies are presented below.

The main difference between the Orthodox icon and the Catholic one is that it is written in strict accordance with the canons established in Byzantium. Western images of saints, Christ, etc., strictly speaking, have nothing to do with the icon. Typically, such paintings have a very broad plot and are painted by ordinary, non-church artists.

Protestants consider icons a pagan attribute and do not use them at all.

Monasticism

There is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism with regard to leaving worldly life and dedicating oneself to serving God. The comparison table above shows only the main differences. But there are other differences that are also quite noticeable.

For example, in our country, each monastery is practically autonomous and is subject only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. Monasteries are united into the so-called Orders, each of which has its own chapter and its own charter. These associations may be scattered all over the world, but nevertheless, they always have a common leadership.

Protestants, in contrast to the Orthodox and Catholics, reject monasticism altogether. One of the inspirers of this teaching - Luther - even married a nun.

Church Sacraments

There is a difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in relation to the rules for conducting various kinds of rituals. In both of these Churches 7 sacraments are accepted. The difference is primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rites. Catholics believe that sacraments are effective whether a person is attuned to them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, chrismation, etc. will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rituals with some kind of pagan magic ritual that operates regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. All the rest of the representatives of this trend are considered superficial and rejected.

Baptism

This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. Differences are only in the ways of performing the ceremony.

In Catholicism, babies are usually sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. Recently, there has been some departure from this rule. However, now the ROC again returns in this rite to the ancient traditions established by the Byzantine priests.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (crosses worn on the body, like large crosses, may contain an image of "orthodox" or "Western" Christ) in relation to the performance of this sacrament, thus, is not very significant, but it is still there.

Protestants usually perform the rite of baptism also with water. But in some denominations it is not used. The main difference between Protestant baptism and Orthodox and Catholic baptism is that it is carried out exclusively for adults.

Differences in the sacrament of the Eucharist

We have examined the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This is an attitude towards the descent of the Holy Spirit and the innocence of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant divergences have emerged over the centuries of schism. Of course, they are also present in the conduct of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests administer communion only with bread, and unleavened bread. This church product is called wafers. In Orthodoxy, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated with wine and ordinary yeast bread.

In Protestantism, not only members of the Church are allowed to receive communion, but also anyone who wishes. Representatives of this trend of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Contemporary Church Relations

The split of Christianity took place almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, the churches of different directions did not manage to agree on the unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, paraphernalia and rituals, as you can see, have survived to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.

Relations between the two main confessions, Orthodox and Catholic, are also quite ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tensions remained between the two churches. The key word in the relationship was heresy.

Recently, this situation has changed slightly. If earlier the Catholic Church considered Orthodox Christians to be almost a bunch of heretics and schismatics, then after the Second Vatican Council it recognized the Orthodox Sacraments as valid.

The Orthodox priests did not officially formalize the same attitude towards Catholicism. But a completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian trends persists to this day. For example, our Russian theologian A.I. Osipov is not very good at Catholicism.

In his opinion, there is a more than noteworthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov considers many of the saints of the Western Church to be almost insane. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete submission. However, he also repeatedly mentioned that there are wonderful people among Western Christians.

Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these confessions. However, in any case, both churches are Christian and accept Jesus as the Savior of mankind, whose coming, and therefore eternal life for the righteous, is inevitable.

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 split 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 the rest of the currents in Christianity by the peculiarities of doctrine, cult rites. Catholicism has replenished the "Symbol of Faith" with new dogmas.

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 states of South America, where the vast majority of the population professes it. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence of the Catholic religion is insignificant here. in comparison with the Orthodox, they constitute a minority. There are about 700 thousand of them. Catholics in Ukraine are more numerous. There are about 5 million of them.

Name

The word "Catholicism" is of Greek origin and in translation means universality or universality. In the modern sense, 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.

The origin of Catholicism

The term "church" began to be found in written sources (letters from Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna) from the second century. This word was synonymous with 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 appropriate adjective (for example, the Alexandrian Church).

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 the community was governed - collegially or individually. Some experts believe that the government was at first democratic, but eventually 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 just an advisory body. And only the bishop possessed real power in a given province.

In the second century, the desire to preserve the apostolic traditions contributed to the emergence and structure. The church was supposed to protect the faith, dogmas and canons of Holy Scripture. 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, more and more in everyday life, the word "Roman" began to be added to the term "Catholic". From the point of view of religious studies, the concept of "Catholicism" encompasses 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 power of the Patriarch of Constantinople and became subordinate to the Pope, but retained their dogmas and rituals. Examples are Greek Catholics, the Byzantine Catholic Church, and others.

Basic dogmas and postulates

To understand who Catholics are, you need to pay attention to the basic tenets of their doctrine. The main dogma of Catholicism, which distinguishes it from other directions of Christianity, is the thesis that the Pope is infallible. However, there are many cases when the 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 multiplied their wealth, and also intervened in politics.

The next postulate of Catholicism is the dogma of purgatory, approved in 1439 at the Florence Cathedral. 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, with the help of various tests, be cleansed from sins. Relatives and friends of the deceased can help their soul cope with trials through prayers and donations. It follows from this that the fate of a person 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 of 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. The priest among the Catholics has serious advantages and privileges in comparison with the ordinary flock. According to the Catholic religion, only the clergy have the right to read the Bible - this is their exclusive right. The rest of the believers are prohibited from doing this. Only editions written in Latin are considered canonical.

Catholic dogma stipulates the need for systematic confession of believers before clergy. Everyone is obliged to have his own confessor and constantly report to him about his own thoughts and actions. Soul salvation is impossible without systematic confession. This condition allows the Catholic clergy to penetrate deeply into the personal life of their flock and control every step of the person. Constant confession allows the church to have a serious impact on society, and especially on women.

Catholic ordinances

The main task of the Catholic Church (the community of believers in general) is to preach Christ to the world. The sacraments are considered to be visible signs of the invisible grace of God. In fact, 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;
• chrismation (confirmation);
• the eucharist, or communion (the first communion with Catholics is taken at the age of 7-10);
• the sacrament of repentance and reconciliation (confession);
• blessing of oil;
• the ordinance of the priesthood (ordination);
• the 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. NS. some rituals were borrowed from Christianity by the pagans.

How do Catholics differ from Orthodox Christians?

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

Both directions agree on the fact that there is one God in three incarnations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (trinity). But the origin of the latter is interpreted in different ways (the Filioque problem). Orthodox Christians profess the "Symbol of Faith", which proclaims the procession of the Holy Spirit only "from the Father." Catholics, however, 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 Symbol of Faith.

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

Another difference between Catholics and Orthodox is that the former consider it possible to introduce new dogmas. There is also the doctrine of "good deeds and merit" of Catholic saints and the church. On its basis, the Pope can forgive the sins of his flock and is the deputy 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. Even the Orthodox prayer procedure is not performed exactly as the Catholics pray. Although at first glance it seems that the difference is in some little things. To feel the spiritual difference, it is enough to compare two icons, Catholic and Orthodox. The first is more like a beautiful painting. In Orthodoxy, icons are more sacred. Many are interested in the question, 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, forefinger, and middle finger are put together. How are Catholics baptized yet? A less common method is to use an open palm, the fingers of which are tightly pressed, and the large one is slightly bent towards the inside. This symbolizes the openness of the soul to the Lord.

The fate of man

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

Indulgences

In Catholicism, indulgence is the complete or partial release of a person from the punishment for his sins, as well as from the corresponding redemptive action imposed on him by the priest. Initially, the basis for obtaining an indulgence was the performance of some kind of good deed (for example, a pilgrimage to holy places). Then they donated 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, it provoked the outbreak of protests and a reformation movement. In 1567, Pope Pius V banned the issuance of indulgences for money and material resources in general.

Celibacy in Catholicism

Another major difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that all the clergy of the latter gives Catholic clergymen have no right to marry and generally have sexual intercourse. All attempts to marry after receiving the deacon's dignity are considered invalid. This rule was announced at the time of Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), and was finally approved only in the 11th century.

Eastern churches rejected the Catholic version of celibacy at Trull Cathedral. In Catholicism, the vow of celibacy applies to all clergy. Initially, minor church officials had the right to marry. Married men could be initiated into them. However, Pope Paul VI abolished them, replacing them with the posts of reader and acolyte, which were no longer associated with the status of a cleric. He also introduced the institution of deacons for life (not going to advance further in the 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 had 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 the obligatory vow of celibacy should be canceled for non-monastic clergy. However, the Pope did not support such a reform.

Celibacy in Orthodoxy

In Orthodoxy, clergymen can be married if the marriage was concluded before ordination to the priestly or deacon dignity. However, only monks of the lesser schema, widower priests or celibate priests can become bishops. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop must be a monk. Only archimandrites can be ordained to this dignity. Bishops cannot be simply celibates and representatives of the married white clergy (non-monastic). Sometimes, as an exception, for representatives of these categories, bishop ordination is possible. However, before that, they must accept the minor monastic schema and receive the rank of archimandrite.

Inquisition

When asked who the Catholics of the medieval period are, you can get an idea by familiarizing yourself with the activities of such an ecclesiastical body as the Inquisition. She was the 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. Albigensianism (Cathars) was one of the main ones. The popes entrusted the bishops with the responsibility to fight them. They were to identify heretics, try them, and hand them over to secular authorities to carry out the sentence. The capital 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, gentiles, and so on.

Inquisition Tribunal

Inquisitors were recruited from various members, primarily from the Dominicans. The Inquisition was directly subordinate to the Pope. Initially, the tribunal was headed by two judges, and since the 14th century - one, but it consisted of legal consultants who determined the degree of "heretical". In addition, the number of court officials included a notary (certified the testimony), attesting witnesses, a doctor (controlled the condition of the defendant during the executions), a prosecutor and an executioner. The inquisitors were given a 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 profitable for them to find a person guilty of heresy.

Inquisitional procedure

The inquisitorial investigation was of two types: general and individual. At the first, a large part of the population of any locality was interviewed. Under the second, a certain person was called through the priest. In those cases when the summoned did not appear, he was excommunicated from the church. The man took an oath to tell sincerely everything he knew about heretics and heresy. The course of the investigation and proceedings was kept in the deepest secrecy. It is known that the inquisitors widely used torture, which was authorized by Pope Innocent IV. Sometimes their cruelty was condemned even by the secular authorities.

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

Punishment system

The list of punishments for heretics was established by bulls 1213, 1231, as well as by decrees of the Third Lateran Council. If a person confessed to heresy and repented during the process, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The tribunal had the right to shorten the term. However, such sentences were rare. At the same time, the prisoners were kept in extremely cramped cells, were often shackled, fed on water and bread. In the late Middle Ages, this sentence was commuted to hard labor in galleys. Persistent heretics were sentenced to be burned at the stake. If a person confessed before the start of the 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 is to abstain from excesses, both physical and spiritual. In Catholicism, there are the following periods of fasting and days:

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

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

Until 1054, the Christian church was one and indivisible. The split occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Kirularius. Conflict broke out over the closure of several Latin churches by the latter in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Kirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965, the mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not been overcome to this day. Christianity is subdivided into three main areas: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, and Protestantism.

Eastern Church

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since both of these religions are Christian, is not very significant. However, there are still some discrepancies in teaching, the performance of the sacraments, etc. We'll talk about which ones a little later. First, let's make a small overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, which is called the orthodox religion in the West, is currently professed by about 200 million people. Every day, baptism is accepted by about 5 thousand. Those who wish. This trend of Christianity was spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some countries of the CIS and Eastern Europe.

The baptism of Rus took place at the end of the 9th century on the initiative of Prince Vladimir. The ruler of a huge pagan state expressed a desire to marry the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, Anna. But for this he had to accept Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was extremely necessary to strengthen the authority of Russia. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kievites were christened in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the split in 1054, a separate denomination arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called it “Catholicos”. Translated from Greek, it means "universal". The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies not only in the approach of these two Churches to some of the dogmas of Christianity, but also in the very history of development. The Western denomination, in comparison with the Eastern, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.

One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the crusades that brought a lot of grief to the common population. The first of these was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades was to free the "holy land" of Palestine and the "Holy Sepulcher" from the infidels. In fact, it was the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.

In 1229, Pope George IX issued a decree establishing the Inquisition - a church court for apostates. Torture and burning at the stake - this is how extreme Catholic fanaticism was expressed in the Middle Ages. In total, over 500 thousand people were tortured during the existence of the Inquisition.

Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be briefly discussed in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, in relation to the Church's attitude to the population, in general terms, its traditions and basic concept can be understood. The Western denomination has always been considered more dynamic, but at the same time aggressive, in contrast to the "calm" orthodox.

Currently, Catholicism is the state religion in most European and Latin American countries. More than half of all (1.2 billion people) modern Christians profess this particular religion.

Protestantism

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies in the fact that the former has remained one and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the XIV century. there was a split. This was due to the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of citizens to freely choose their religion. In 1529, however, it was canceled. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word "Protestantism" comes from. This Christian trend is further subdivided into two branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is widespread mainly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands. In 1948 the World Council of Churches was established. The total number of Protestants is about 470 million. There are several denominations of this Christian trend: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.

In our time, the World Council of Protestant Churches is pursuing an active peacemaking policy. Representatives of this religion advocate the relaxation of international tension, support the efforts of states in defense of peace, etc.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

Of course, over the centuries of schism, significant differences have arisen in the traditions of the churches. The basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as Savior and Son of God - they did not touch. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testaments, there are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rituals and sacraments do not agree.

Christian cross: differences

Disagreements regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit are the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table also shows many other, albeit not very significant, but still discrepancies. They arose a long time ago, and apparently not one of the churches expresses a special desire to resolve these contradictions.

There are differences in the attributes of different directions of Christianity. For example, the Catholics' cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight-pointed. The Orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifixion most accurately reflects the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal bar, it contains two more. The upper one represents a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The lower oblique crossbar - a support for the feet of Christ - symbolizes the "righteous measure."

Cross Difference Chart

The image of the Savior on the crucifix used in the Sacraments is also something that can be attributed to the theme "the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism." The western cross is a little different from the eastern one.

As you can see, in relation to the cross, there is also a quite noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.

As for the Protestants, they consider the cross to be a symbol of the Pope, and therefore practically do not use it.

Icons in different Christian directions

So, the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism (the table of comparisons of crosses confirms this) in relation to attributes is quite noticeable. There are even greater discrepancies in these directions in the icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.

The main discrepancies are presented below.

The main difference between the Orthodox icon and the Catholic one is that it is written in strict accordance with the canons established in Byzantium. Western images of saints, Christ, etc., strictly speaking, have nothing to do with the icon. Typically, such paintings have a very broad plot and are painted by ordinary, non-church artists.

Protestants consider icons a pagan attribute and do not use them at all.

Monasticism

There is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism with regard to leaving worldly life and dedicating oneself to serving God. The comparison table above shows only the main differences. But there are other differences that are also quite noticeable.

For example, in our country, each monastery is practically autonomous and is subject only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. Monasteries are united into the so-called Orders, each of which has its own chapter and its own charter. These associations may be scattered all over the world, but nevertheless, they always have a common leadership.

Protestants, in contrast to the Orthodox and Catholics, reject monasticism altogether. One of the inspirers of this teaching - Luther - even married a nun.

Church Sacraments

There is a difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in relation to the rules for conducting various kinds of rituals. In both of these Churches 7 sacraments are accepted. The difference is primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rites. Catholics believe that sacraments are effective whether a person is attuned to them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, chrismation, etc. will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rituals with some kind of pagan magic ritual that operates regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. All the rest of the representatives of this trend are considered superficial and rejected.

Baptism

This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. Differences are only in the ways of performing the ceremony.

In Catholicism, babies are usually sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. Recently, there has been some departure from this rule. However, now the ROC again returns in this rite to the ancient traditions established by the Byzantine priests.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (crosses worn on the body, like large crosses, may contain an image of "orthodox" or "Western" Christ) in relation to the performance of this sacrament, thus, is not very significant, but it is still there.

Protestants usually perform the rite of baptism also with water. But in some denominations it is not used. The main difference between Protestant baptism and Orthodox and Catholic baptism is that it is carried out exclusively for adults.

Differences in the sacrament of the Eucharist

We have examined the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This is an attitude towards the descent of the Holy Spirit and the innocence of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant divergences have emerged over the centuries of schism. Of course, they are also present in the conduct of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests administer communion only with bread, and unleavened bread. This church product is called wafers. In Orthodoxy, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated with wine and ordinary yeast bread.

In Protestantism, not only members of the Church are allowed to receive communion, but also anyone who wishes. Representatives of this trend of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Contemporary Church Relations

The split of Christianity took place almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, the churches of different directions did not manage to agree on the unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, paraphernalia and rituals, as you can see, have survived to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.

Relations between the two main confessions, Orthodox and Catholic, are also quite ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tensions remained between the two churches. The key word in the relationship was heresy.

Recently, this situation has changed slightly. If earlier the Catholic Church considered Orthodox Christians to be almost a bunch of heretics and schismatics, then after the Second Vatican Council it recognized the Orthodox Sacraments as valid.

The Orthodox priests did not officially formalize the same attitude towards Catholicism. But a completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian trends persists to this day. For example, our Russian theologian A.I. Osipov is not very good at Catholicism.

In his opinion, there is a more than noteworthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov considers many of the saints of the Western Church to be almost insane. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete submission. However, he also repeatedly mentioned that there are wonderful people among Western Christians.

Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these confessions. However, in any case, both churches are Christian and accept Jesus as the Savior of mankind, whose coming, and therefore eternal life for the righteous, is inevitable.

The difference between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church primarily lies in the recognition of the infallibility and supremacy of the Pope. After His Resurrection and Ascension, the disciples and followers of Jesus Christ began to call themselves Christians. This is how Christianity arose, which gradually spread to the west and east.

The history of the schism in the Christian church

As a result of the reformist views over 2000 years, various streams of Christianity have arisen:

• orthodoxy;
• Catholicism;
• Protestantism, which arose as an offshoot of the Catholic faith.

Each denomination subsequently splits into new denominations.

In Orthodoxy, the 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 the denominations 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 was the head of the church, which means "Our Father" in translation. At that time, few priests were ready to assume the leadership of Christianity due to fear of persecution.

The Eastern rite of Christianity was led by the four oldest Churches:

• Constantinople, whose patriarch headed the eastern branch;
• Alexandria;
• Jerusalem, the first patriarch of which was Jesus' earthly brother 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 have their own visions of development, rivalries arose, which 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 the supremacy passed to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which caused dissatisfaction with the Western rite, headed by the Pope.

Western Christians justified their right to rule by the fact that it was in Rome that the apostle Peter lived and was executed, to whom the Savior handed the keys to paradise.

St. Peter

Filioque

The differences between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox also concern the filioque, the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit, which became the primary reason for 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 is sending the Spirit - God the Father or God the Son.

The Apostle John reports (John 15:26) that Jesus will send the Comforter in the form of the Spirit of truth, coming from God the Father. In the Epistle to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul directly confirms the procession of the Spirit from Jesus, who by breath sends 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 Life-giving Lord, coming from the Father", while emphasizing the role of the Son, which was not accepted by the priests of Constantinople.

The naming of Photius as the Ecumenical Patriarch was perceived by the Roman rite as a belittling of their importance. Eastern worshipers pointed to the ugliness of Western priests who shaved their beards and observed fasting on Saturday, while they themselves began to surround themselves with special luxury.

All these disagreements were collected drop by drop to express themselves in a huge explosion of schema.

The Patriarchy, headed by Nikita Stifat, openly calls the Latins heretics. The final straw that led to the rupture was the humiliation of the legate delegation at the 1054 negotiations in Constantinople.

Interesting! The priests, who did not find a common concept in matters of government, were divided into the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Initially, Christian churches were called orthodox. After the division, the eastern Christian trend retained the name of orthodoxy or Orthodoxy, and the western trend began to be called Catholicism or the universal Church.

Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

1. In recognition of the infallibility and supremacy of the Pope and in relation to the filioque.
2. Orthodox canons deny purgatory, where a soul that has sinned with a not very serious sin is purified and sent to heaven. In Orthodoxy there are no big and small sins, sin is sin, and it can only be purified by the Sacrament of Confession during the life of a sinner.
3. Catholics invented indulgences that give a "pass" to Heaven for good deeds, but the Bible writes that salvation is grace from God, and without true faith, good deeds alone will not earn a place in paradise. (Ephesians 8: 2-9)

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: Similarities and Differences

Differences in rituals

There are two religions and a calendar for the calculation of services. Catholics live according to the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox Christians according to the Julian calendar. According to the Gregorian chronology, Jewish and Orthodox Easter can coincide, which is prohibited. According to the Julian calendar, services are conducted by the Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Serbian and Jerusalem Orthodox Churches.

There are also differences when writing icons. In the 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, divorce is prohibited.

The Byzantine rite of Great Lent begins on Monday, and the Latin one begins on Wednesday.

Orthodox Christians impose the sign of the cross on themselves from right to left, folding their fingers in a certain way, and Catholics do it the other way around, without focusing on the hands.

The interpretation of this action is interesting. Both religions agree that a demon sits on the left shoulder, an angel on the right.

Important! Catholics explain the direction of baptism by the fact that when the cross is imposed, 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 formerly united Christians relate to each other? Orthodoxy does not have liturgical communion with Catholics, joint prayers.

Orthodox churches do not rule over secular authorities, Catholicism asserts the supremacy of God and the subordination of the authorities to the Pope.

According to the Latin rite, any sin offends God, Orthodoxy claims that one cannot offend God. He is not mortal; by sin, a person harms only himself.

Everyday life: rites and services

Saints Saying About Separation and Unity

There are many differences between Christians of both rituals, but the main thing that unites them is the Holy Blood of Jesus Christ, faith in One God and the Holy Trinity.

St. Luke of Crimea rather harshly condemned the negative attitude towards Catholics, while separating the Vatican, the Pope and the cardinals from ordinary people who have a true, saving faith.

Saint Philaret of Moscow compared the division between Christians to partitions, while emphasizing that they could not reach heaven. According to Filaret, Christians cannot be called heretics if they believe in Jesus as Savior. The saint constantly prayed for the unification of all. He recognized Orthodoxy as a true teaching, but pointed out that God accepts other Christian movements with longsuffering.

Saint Mark of Ephesus calls Catholics heretics, since they deviated from the true faith, and urged them not to mute.

The Monk Ambrose of Optina also condemns the Latin rite for violating the ordinances of the apostles.

Righteous John of Kronstadt claims that Catholics, along with reformers, Protestants and Lutherans, fell away from Christ, based on the words of the Gospel. (Matv. 12:30)

How to measure the size of the faith of a particular ceremony, the truthfulness 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