The difference between Catholics and Orthodox. The difference between the religion of Christianity and the religion of Orthodoxy

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).

V 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!

I am sharing with you a useful video WHAT THE FILM “AREAS OF DARKNESS” LEARNED ME:

All three share the fundamental principles of Christianity: they accept the Nicene Creed adopted by the first Council of the Church in 325, they recognize the Holy Trinity, they believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in His divinity and coming coming, they accept the Bible as the Word of God, and they agree, that repentance and faith are necessary to have eternal life and avoid hell, do not recognize Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons as Christian churches. Well, still, among Catholics and Protestants, heretics were mercilessly burned at the stake.

And now in the table, see some of the differences that we managed to find and understand:

	Orthodoxy	Catholicism	Protestantism (and Lutheranism)
Source of Faith	Bible and Lives of the Saints		Only the Bible
Access to the Bible	The priest reads the Bible to the laity and interprets it in accordance with the decrees of church councils, in other words, according to sacred tradition		Each person reads the Bible for himself and can interpret the truth of his ideas and actions if he finds confirmation in the Bible. Bible translation allowed
Where does it come from Holy Spirit	Only from the Father	From Father and Son
Priest	Not elected by the people. Can only be men		Elected by the people. Maybe even a woman
Head of the Church	the patriarch has right to make a mistake	Infallibility and dictate of the pope	No chapter
Wearing a cassock	Wear rich clothes		Plain modest clothing
Appeal to a priest	"Father"	"Father"	No "father"
Celibacy	Not	There is	Not
Hierarchy	There is		Not
Monastery	As the highest manifestation of faith		They do not exist, people themselves are born to learn, multiply and strive for success
worship	With cathedrals, temples and churches		In any building. The main thing is the presence of Christ in the heart
The openness of the throne during worship	Closed by an iconostasis with royal doors	Relative openness	openness
The Saints	There is. A man can be judged by his deeds		No. Everyone is equal, but a person can be judged by his thoughts, and this is the right of only God
sign of the cross (gesture depicting a cross with a movement of the hand)	Up down- right left	Up down- left-right	Up-down-left-right but the gesture is not considered mandatory
Attitude to the Virgin Mary	The virgin birth is rejected. They pray to her. They do not recognize the appearance of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes and Fatima as true	Her Immaculate Conception. She is sinless and pray to her. Recognize the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes and Fatima as true	She is not sinless and they do not pray to her, like other saints
Adoption of decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils	Follow holy		They believe that there were errors in the decisions and follow only those that correspond to the Bible
Church, society and state	The concept of a symphony of spiritual and secular authorities	Historical desire for supremacy over the state	The state is secondary to society
Relation to relics	Pray and honor		They don't think they have power
sins	released by the priest		Released only by God
Icons	There is		Not
Church interior or cathedral	rich decoration		Simplicity, no statues, bells, candles, organ, altar and crucifix (Lutheranism left this)
Believer's salvation	"Faith without works is dead"	Acquired by both faith and deeds, especially if a person cares about the enrichment of the church	Acquired by personal faith
Sacraments	Communion from infancy. Liturgy on leavened bread (Prosphora). Confirmation - immediately after baptism	Communion from 7-8 years. Liturgy on unleavened bread(Guest). Confirmation - after reaching a conscious age	Only baptism (and communion in Lutheranism). What makes a person a believer is his adherence to the 10 commandments and sinless thoughts.
Baptism	As a child by immersion	In childhood by sprinkling	It should go only with repentance, therefore children are not baptized, and if they are baptized, then in adulthood one should be baptized again, but with repentance
Fate	Believe in God, but don't make a mistake yourself. There is a life path	Depends on a person	Everyone is predestined before birth, thereby justifying inequality and enrichment of individuals
Divorce	It is forbidden	It is impossible, but if you argue that the intentions of the groom / bride were false, then you can	Can
Country (in % of the total population of the country)	Greece 99.9%, Transnistria 96%, Armenia 94%, Moldova 93%, Serbia 88%, South Ossetia 86% , Bulgaria 86%, Romania 82%, Georgia 78%, Montenegro 76% , Belarus 75%, Russia 73%, Cyprus 69%, Macedonia 65%, Ethiopia 61%, Ukraine 59%, Abkhazia 52%, Albania 45%, Kazakhstan 34%, Bosnia and Herzegovina 30%, Latvia 24%, Estonia 24%	Italy, Spain, France, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Czech, Lithuania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Ireland, Malta, 21 states Lat. America, Mexico, Cuba 50% of residents Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland	Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, USA, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand. 50% of residents Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland

Which faith is best? For the development of the state and life in pleasure - Protestantism is more acceptable. If a person is driven by the thought of suffering and redemption, then Orthodoxy and Catholicism. To each his own.

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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 Cirularius. The conflict began due to the last closing of several Latin churches in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Cirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965 mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not yet been overcome. Christianity is divided 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 differences in doctrine, the performance of the sacraments, etc. About which ones, we'll talk a little later. First, let's make a small overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, called in the West an orthodox religion, is currently practiced by about 200 million people. Approximately 5,000 people are baptized every day. This direction of Christianity was spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some countries of the CIS and Eastern Europe.

The Baptism of Russia 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 essential to strengthen the authority of Russia. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kievans were christened in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the split in 1054, a separate confession arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called her "Catholicos". In 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 confession, compared to the Eastern one, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.

One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the Crusades, which brought much 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 the liberation of the "holy land" of Palestine and the "Holy Sepulcher" from the infidels. The actual one is the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.

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

Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be briefly discussed in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, with regard to the attitude of the Church towards 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 one.

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 also lies in the fact that the former has remained united and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the XIV century. a split occurred. This was connected with the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of the German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of free choice of religion by citizens. In 1529, however, it was abolished. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word “Protestantism” comes from. This Christian direction is subdivided into two more branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is spread mostly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands. In 1948 the World Council of Churches was created. The total number of Protestants is about 470 million people. There are several denominations of this Christian direction: 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 detente of international tension, support the efforts of states in defense of peace, etc.

The difference between Orthodoxy from Catholicism and Protestantism

Of course, during the centuries of schism, significant differences arose in the traditions of the churches. The basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as the Savior and the 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 rites and sacraments do not converge.

The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

	Orthodoxy		Catholicism	Protestantism
Control	Patriarch, Cathedral			World Council of Churches, Councils of Bishops
Organization	Bishops do not depend much on the Patriarch, they are mainly subordinate to the Council		There is a rigid hierarchy with subordination to the Pope, hence the name "Universal Church"	There are many denominations that have created the World Council of Churches. Holy Scripture is placed above the authority of the Pope
Holy Spirit	It is believed that it comes only from the Father		There is a dogma that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and from the Son. This is the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism.
	The statement is accepted that man himself is responsible for his sins, and God the Father is a completely impassive and abstract being.		It is believed that God suffers because of human sins.
Dogma of Salvation	By crucifixion, all the sins of mankind were atoned for. Only the original remains. That is, when committing a new sin, a person again becomes the object of God's wrath.		The man was, as it were, “ransomed” by Christ through the crucifixion. As a result, God the Father changed his anger to mercy regarding original sin. That is, a person is holy by the holiness of Christ himself.
	Sometimes allowed		Forbidden	Allowed but frowned upon
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin	It is believed that the Mother of God is not spared from original sin, but her holiness is recognized		The complete sinlessness of the Virgin Mary is preached. Catholics believe that she was conceived immaculately, like Christ himself. With regard to the original sin of the Mother of God, therefore, there are also quite significant differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Taking the Virgin to Heaven	It is unofficially believed that this event may have taken place, but it is not enshrined in dogmas.		The taking of the Mother of God to heaven in a physical body is a dogma	The cult of the Virgin Mary is denied
	Only liturgy is held		Both a mass and a Byzantine-like Orthodox liturgy can be held	The Mass was rejected. Divine services are held in modest churches or even in stadiums, concert halls, etc. Only two rites are practiced: baptism and communion
Marriage of clergy	Allowed		Only allowed in the Byzantine Rite	Allowed
Ecumenical Councils	Based on the decisions of the first seven		Guided by decisions 21 (last passed in 1962-1965)	Recognize the decisions of all Ecumenical Councils, if they do not contradict each other and Holy Scripture
	Eight-pointed with crossbeams at the bottom and at the top		A simple four-pointed Latin cross is used	Not used in worship. Worn by representatives of not all faiths
	Used in large quantities and are equated with the Holy Scriptures. Created in strict accordance with church canons		They are considered only decoration of the temple. They are ordinary paintings on a religious theme.	Not used
Old Testament	Recognized as Hebrew and Greek		Greek only	Only Jewish canonical
Absolution	The ceremony is performed by a priest			Not allowed
Science and religion	Based on scientists' assertion, dogmas never change.	Dogmas can be adjusted in accordance with the point of view of official science

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 too significant, but still discrepancies. They arose long ago, and, apparently, none of the churches expresses a special desire to resolve these contradictions.

There are differences in the attributes of different areas of Christianity. For example, the Catholic cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight-pointed. The orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifix most accurately conveys the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal bar, it contains two more. The upper one personifies a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription "Jesus of Nazarene, King of the Jews." The lower slanting crossbar - a prop for the feet of Christ - symbolizes the "righteous measure".

Table of differences of crosses

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

As you can see, with regard 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 they 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 paraphernalia is quite noticeable. There are even greater discrepancies in these directions in icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.

Below are the main differences.

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

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

Monasticism

With regard to leaving worldly life and devoting oneself to the service of God, there is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism. The comparison table above shows only the main differences. But there are other differences, also quite noticeable.

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

Protestants, unlike 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 the sacraments are valid whether a person is in tune with 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 rites with some kind of pagan magical ritual that operates regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. Everything else is considered superficial and rejected by representatives of this trend.

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, it is customary for babies to be sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. Recently, there has been some deviation from this rule. However, now the ROC is again returning in this rite to the ancient traditions established by the Byzantine priests.

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

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 performed exclusively for adults.

Differences in the sacrament of the Eucharist

We have considered the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This is an attitude to the descent of the Holy Spirit and to the virginity 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 celebration of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests take communion only with bread, and unleavened. 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, but also anyone who wishes is allowed to receive communion. Representatives of this branch of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Contemporary Church Relations

The split of Christianity occurred almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, the churches of different directions failed to agree on unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, paraphernalia and rituals, as you see, have survived to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.

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

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

Orthodox priests did not officially establish such an attitude towards Catholicism. But the completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian denominations still persists. For example, our Russian theologian A. I. Osipov does not have a very good attitude towards Catholicism.

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

Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these denominations. 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.

God is one, God is love - these statements are familiar to us from childhood. Why then is the Church of God divided into Catholic and Orthodox? And within each direction there are many more confessions? All questions have their historical and religious answers. We will get to know some of them now.

History of Catholicism

It is clear that a Catholic is a person who professes Christianity in its offshoot called Catholicism. The name goes back to Latin and ancient Roman roots and is translated as “corresponding to everything”, “consistent with everything”, “cathedral”. That is, universal. The meaning of the name emphasizes that a Catholic is a believer belonging to that religious movement, the founder of which was Jesus Christ himself. When it originated and spread across the Earth, its followers considered each other to be spiritual brothers and sisters. Then there was one opposition: a Christian - a non-Christian (pagan, orthodox, etc.).

The western part of the Ancient Roman Empire is considered the birthplace of confessions. It was there that the words themselves appeared: This direction was formed during the entire first millennium. During this period, both spiritual texts, chants and services were the same for everyone who venerates Christ and the Trinity. And only around 1054 was the Eastern one, with its center in Constantinople, and the Catholic proper, the Western one, whose center was Rome. Since then, it has been considered that a Catholic is not just a Christian, but an adherent of precisely the Western religious tradition.

Reasons for the split

How to explain the causes of discord, which has become so deep and irreconcilable? After all, what is interesting: for a long time after the schism, both Churches continued to call themselves catholic (the same as “Catholic”), that is, universal, ecumenical. The Greek-Byzantine branch as a spiritual platform relies on the "Revelations" of John the Theologian, the Roman - "On the Epistle to the Hebrews." The first is characterized by asceticism, moral quest, "the life of the soul." For the second - the formation of iron discipline, a strict hierarchy, the concentration of power in the hands of priests of the highest ranks. Differences in the interpretation of many dogmas, rituals, church administration and other important areas of church life became the watershed that separated Catholicism and Orthodoxy on different sides. Thus, if before the schism the meaning of the word Catholic was equal to the concept of "Christian", then after it it began to indicate the Western direction of religion.

Catholicism and the Reformation

Over time, the Catholic clergy so departed from the norms that the Bible affirmed and preached that this served as the basis for the organization within the Church of such a direction as Protestantism. The spiritual and ideological basis of it was the teaching and its supporters. The Reformation gave birth to Calvinism, Anbaptism, Anglicanism and other Protestant denominations. Thus, Lutherans are Catholics, or, in other words, evangelical Christians who were against the church actively interfering in worldly affairs, so that papal prelates would go hand in hand with secular power. The trade in indulgences, the advantages of the Roman Church over the Eastern one, the abolition of monasticism - this is not a complete list of those phenomena that the followers of the Great Reformer actively criticized. In their faith, the Lutherans rely on the Holy Trinity, especially worshiping Jesus, recognizing his divine-human nature. Their main criterion of faith is the Bible. A distinctive feature of Lutheranism, as well as others, is a critical approach to various theological books and authorities.

On the question of the unity of the Church

However, in the light of the materials under consideration, it is not completely clear: are Catholics Orthodox or not? This question is asked by many who are not too deeply versed in theology and all sorts of religious subtleties. The answer is both simple and difficult at the same time. As already mentioned above, initially - yes. While the Church was One Christian, all those who were part of it prayed the same way, and worshiped God according to the same rules, and used common rituals. But even after the separation, each - both Catholic and Orthodox - consider themselves the main successors of the heritage of Christ.

Interchurch relations

At the same time, they treat each other with sufficient respect. Thus, the Decree of the Second Vatican Council notes that those people who accept Christ as their God, believe in him and were baptized, are considered by Catholics as brothers in faith. It also has its own documents, also confirming that Catholicism is a phenomenon whose nature is related to the nature of Orthodoxy. And the differences in dogmatic postulates are not so fundamental that both Churches are at enmity with each other. On the contrary, relations between them should be built in such a way as to serve the common cause together.

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, therefore, deacons and priests can and even should marry, be fruitful and multiply, while sex is forbidden to black clergy (monks). 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.