What is the difference between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox. Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? The main reasons for the division of the church into Catholic and Orthodox

Christians all over the world are arguing about which of the beliefs is more correct and more important. Regarding Catholics and Orthodox: what is the difference (and is there any) today are the most interesting questions.

It would seem that everything is so clear and simple that everyone can clearly answer briefly. But there are those who simply do not even know what the relationship between these confessions is.

The history of the existence of two currents

So, first you need to deal with Christianity in general. It is known that it is divided into three branches: Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants. Protestantism has several thousand churches and they are distributed in all corners of the planet.

Back in the 11th century, Christianity was divided into Orthodoxy and Catholicism. There were a number of reasons for this, from the conduct of church rites to the dates of the holidays. There are not so many differences between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox. First of all, the way of management. Orthodoxy consists of numerous churches ruled by archbishops, bishops, metropolitans. The Catholic Churches all over the world are subordinate to the Pope. They are considered the Universal Church. In all countries, the churches of Catholics are in close and simple relationship.

Similarities between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

Orthodoxy and Catholicism have similarities and differences in approximately equal proportions. It is worth noting that both religions have not only a number of differences. Both Orthodoxy and Catholicism are very similar to each other. Here are the main points:

In addition, both confessions are united in the veneration of icons, the Mother of God, the Holy Trinity, saints, their relics. Also, the churches are united by some saints of the first millennium, the Holy Letter, Church Sacraments.

Differences between faiths

Distinctive features between these confessions also exist. It was because of these factors that the church once split. Its useful to note:

• Cross sign. Today, probably, everyone is aware of how Catholics and Orthodox are baptized. Catholics are baptized from left to right, we are vice versa. According to the symbolism, when we are baptized first from the left, then to the right, then we are turned to God, if on the contrary, God is directed to his servants and blesses them.
• Unity of the Church. Catholics have one faith, sacraments and head - the Pope. In Orthodoxy there is no one leader of the Church, therefore there are several patriarchates (Moscow, Kyiv, Serbian, etc.).
• Features of the conclusion of a church marriage. Divorce is taboo in Catholicism. Our church, unlike Catholicism, allows divorce.
• Heaven and Hell. According to Catholic dogma, the soul of the deceased goes through purgatory. In Orthodoxy, they believe that the human soul goes through so-called ordeals.
• The Sinless Conception of the Mother of God. According to the accepted Catholic dogma, the Mother of God was immaculately conceived. Our clergy believe that the Mother of God had an ancestral sin, although her holiness is glorified in prayers.
• Decision making (number of councils). Orthodox Churches make decisions in 7 Ecumenical Councils, Catholic - 21.
• Disagreement in positions. Our clergy do not recognize the dogmas of Catholics that the Holy Spirit proceeds from both the Father and the Son, believing that only from the Father.
• The essence of love. The Holy Spirit among Catholics is signified as love between the Father and the Son, God, believers. Orthodox see love as triune: Father - Son - Holy Spirit.
• Infallibility of the Pope. Orthodoxy denies the primacy of the Pope over all Christianity and his infallibility.
• Mystery of Baptism. We must confess before the procedure. The child is immersed in the font, and after the Latin rite, water is poured over the head. Confession is considered a voluntary act.
• Priests. Catholic priests are called pastors, priests (among the Poles) and priests (a priest in everyday life) among the Orthodox. Pastors don't wear beards, but priests and monks wear beards.
• Fast. Catholic canons regarding fasting are less strict than those of the Orthodox. The minimum retention from food is 1 hour. In contrast, our minimum food retention is 6 hours.
• Prayers before icons. There is an opinion that Catholics do not pray in front of icons. Actually it is not. They have icons, but they have a number of features that differ from the Orthodox ones. For example, the left hand of the saint lies on the right (for the Orthodox, on the contrary), and all the words are written in Latin.
• Liturgy. According to traditions, church services are performed on Host (unleavened bread) in the Western rite and Prosphora (leavened bread) among the Orthodox.
• Celibacy. All Catholic ministers of the church take a vow of celibacy, but our priests get married.
• Holy water. Church ministers sanctify, and Catholics bless the water.
• Memorial Days. These denominations also have different days of commemoration of the dead. Catholics have the third, seventh and thirtieth day. For the Orthodox - the third, ninth, fortieth.

church hierarchy

It is also worth noting the difference in hierarchical categories. According to the grade table, the highest step among the Orthodox is occupied by the patriarch. Next step - metropolitan, archbishop, bishop. Next come the ranks of priests and deacons.

The Catholic Church has the following ranks:

• the Pope;
• archbishops,
• Cardinals;
• Bishops;
• priests;
• Deacons.

The Orthodox have two opinions about the Catholics. First, Catholics are heretics who have distorted the creed. Second: Catholics are schismatics, because it was precisely because of them that the split from the One Holy Apostolic Church occurred. Catholicism, however, considers us schismatics, without classifying us as heretics.

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 the holiness of the 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."

Orthodoxy differs from Catholicism, but not everyone will answer the question of what exactly these differences are. There are differences between the churches in symbolism, and in the ritual, and in the dogmatic part.

We have different crosses

The first external difference between Catholic and Orthodox symbols 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\u200bare different, in which the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. 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.

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.

Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? In this article - the answers to these questions in short simple words.

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

The separation of the Catholic and Orthodox churches took place in 1054, when Pope Leo IX drew up an act of excommunication of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the entire Eastern Church. Patriarch Michael, however, convened a council at which they excommunicated and stopped the commemoration of the popes in the Eastern churches.

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

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

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

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

Doctrine of the Catholic Church. Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

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

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

Doctrines of the Orthodox Church. Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

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

Other useful articles: ? ?

Who are Catholics, in what countries do they live?

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

What is the percentage of the population in all countries professing Catholicism, you can see in the table on Wikipedia: Catholicism by country >>>

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

Both Orthodox and Catholics are Christians!

Christ teaches us to love absolutely all people. And even more so, to our brothers in faith. Therefore, you should not argue about which faith is more correct, but it is better to show your neighbors, help those in need, a virtuous life, forgiveness, non-judgment, meekness, mercy and love for others.

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

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

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The Orthodox and the Catholic Church, as we know, are two branches of the same tree. Both of them revere Jesus, wear crosses around their necks and are baptized. How are they different? The division of the church occurred as early as 1054. Actually, the disagreements between the Pope and the Patriarch of Constantinople began long before that, but it was in 1054 that Pope Leo IX sent legates led by Cardinal Humbert to Constantinople to resolve the conflict, which began with the closure of the Latin churches in Constantinople in 1053 by order of Patriarch Michael Cirularia, during which his sacellarius Constantine threw out the Holy Gifts from the tabernacles, prepared according to Western custom from unleavened bread, and trampled them with his feet. However, it was not possible to find a way to reconciliation, and on July 16, 1054, in the Hagia Sophia, the papal legates announced the deposition of Cirularius and his excommunication from the Church. In response to this, on July 20, the patriarch anathematized the legates.

Although in 1965 mutual anathemas were lifted and Catholics and Orthodox no longer look askance at each other, proclaiming the idea of ​​​​common roots and principles, real disagreements still remain.

So what is the difference between Catholics and Orthodox. It turns out that the point is not at all that some are baptized from right to left, while others are vice versa (however, this is also the case). The essence of the contradictions is much deeper.

1. Catholics venerate the Virgin Mary precisely as a Virgin, while Orthodox see her primarily as the Mother of God. In addition, Catholics postulate the fact that the Virgin Mary was just as immaculately conceived as Christ. She, from the point of view of Catholics, was raised alive into heaven during her lifetime, while the Orthodox even have an apocryphal story about the Assumption of the Virgin. And this is not the Hicks Boson for you, in the existence of which you can believe or not, and this does not prevent you from conducting research and someday getting to the bottom of the truth. There is a fundamental question here - if you doubt the postulate of faith, then you cannot be considered a full-fledged believer.

2. For Catholics, all priests must be celibate - they are forbidden to have sex, and even more so to marry. The Orthodox clergy are divided into black and white. That is why deacons and priests can and even should marry, be fruitful and multiply, while black clergy (monks) are forbidden to have sex. At all. It is believed that the highest ranks and titles in Orthodoxy, while only monastics can achieve. Sometimes, in order to be promoted to a bishop, a local priest has to part with his wives. The best way to do this is to send your spouse to a monastery.

3. Catholics recognize the existence (except for hell and heaven) of purgatory - where the soul, recognized as not too sinful, but not righteous, is properly roasted and bleached before it manages to penetrate the gates of heaven. Orthodox Christians do not believe in purgatory. However, their ideas about heaven and hell are generally vague - it is believed that knowledge about them is closed to a person in earthly life. Catholics have long calculated the thickness of all nine heavenly crystal vaults, compiled a list of plants growing in paradise, and even measured the sweetness experienced by the tongue of the soul, which for the first time inhaled the aromas of paradise, in terms of honey.

4. An essential point - concerns the main prayer of Christians "The Symbol of Faith". Listing what exactly the adept believes in, he says "in the Holy Spirit, the Lord who gives life, who proceeds from the Father." Unlike the Orthodox, Catholics also add here “and from the Son.” A question on which many theologians broke their spears.

5. In communion, Catholics eat unleavened bread, while Orthodox people eat bread made from leavened dough. It would seem that here you can go to meet each other, but who will be the first to take a step?

6. During baptism, Catholics only pour water on children and adults, and in Orthodoxy it is supposed to plunge into the font with your head. Therefore, large babies who do not fit into the children's font completely, as a result of which the priest is forced to water the protruding parts of their bodies with a handful, are called "drenched" in Orthodoxy. It is believed, albeit unofficially, that demons have more power over oblivants than over normal baptized ones.

7. Catholics are baptized from left to right and with all five fingers connected in a pinch. At the same time, they do not reach for the stomach, but make a lower touch in the chest area. This gives the Orthodox, who are baptized with three fingers (in some cases two) from right to left, a reason to assert that Catholics do not draw on themselves a normal cross, but turned upside down, that is, a satanic sign.

8. Catholics are obsessed with fighting any kind of contraception, which looks especially appropriate during the AIDS pandemic. And Orthodoxy recognizes the possibility of using some contraceptives that do not have an abortive effect, such as condoms and female caps. Of course, legally married.

9. Well, Catholics revere the Pope as the infallible vicar of God on earth. In the Orthodox Church, a similar position is held by the Patriarch. Which, theoretically, can also stumble.