Nika Kravchuk

How does the Orthodox Church differ from the Catholic Church?

Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church - two branches of Christianity. Both originate from the preaching of Christ and apostolic times, honor the Most Holy Trinity, worship the Mother of God and saints, and have the same sacraments. But there are many differences between these churches.

The most important dogmatic differences Perhaps we can single out three.

Symbol of faith. The Orthodox Church teaches that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father. The Catholic Church has the so-called “filioque” - the addition of “and the Son.” That is, Catholics claim that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father and the Son.

Veneration of the Mother of God. Catholics have a dogma about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, according to which the Mother of God did not inherit original sin. The Orthodox Church says that Mary was freed from original sin from the moment of Christ’s conception. Catholics also believe that the Mother of God ascended to heaven, so they do not know the feast of the Assumption, so revered in Orthodoxy. Holy Mother of God.

Dogma of the infallibility of the Pope. The Catholic Church believes that the teaching of the Pope ex cathedra (from the pulpit) on matters of faith and morals is infallible. The Pope is filled with the Holy Spirit, so he cannot make mistakes.

But there are many other differences.

Celibacy. In the Orthodox Church there are black and white clergy, the latter, accordingly, are supposed to have families. The Catholic clergy takes a vow of celibacy.

Marriage. The Catholic Church considers it a sacred union and does not recognize divorce. Orthodoxy allows for different circumstances.

Sign of the Cross. Orthodox Christians cross themselves with three fingers, from left to right. Catholics - five and from right to left.

Baptism. If in the Catholic Church it is only necessary to pour water over the person being baptized, then in the Orthodox Church it is necessary to immerse the person headlong. In Orthodoxy, the sacraments of baptism and confirmation are performed at the same moment, but among Catholics, confirmation is performed separately (possibly on the day of First Communion).

Communion. During this sacrament, Orthodox Christians eat bread made from leavened dough, while Catholics eat bread made from unleavened dough. In addition, the Orthodox Church blesses children to receive communion from a very early age, and in Catholicism this is preceded by catechesis (teaching the Christian faith), followed by a big holiday - First Communion, which falls somewhere in the 10-12th year of a child’s life.

Purgatory. The Catholic Church, in addition to hell and heaven, also recognizes a special intermediate place in which a person’s soul can still be purified for eternal bliss.

Construction of the temple. Catholic churches have an organ, relatively fewer icons, but still have sculptures and plenty of seating. There are many icons and paintings in Orthodox churches, and it is customary to pray while standing (there are benches and chairs for those who need to sit).

Universality. Each of the Churches has its own understanding of universality (catholicity). Orthodox believe that the Universal Church is embodied in each local Church, headed by a bishop. Catholics specify that this local Church must have communion with the local Roman Catholic Church.

Cathedrals. The Orthodox Church recognizes seven Ecumenical Councils, and the Catholic Church recognizes 21.

Many people are concerned about the question: can both churches unite? There is such a possibility, but what about the differences that have existed for many centuries? The question remains open.

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When people first come to church, the text of the services seems completely incomprehensible to them. “You catechumens, come forth,” the priest shouts. Who does he mean? Where to go? Where did this name even come from? Answers to these questions must be sought in the history of the Church.

How is Catholicism different from Orthodoxy? When did the division of the Churches occur and why did this happen? How should an Orthodox person react to all this correctly? We tell you the most important things.

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

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

The One Church consisted, as the Orthodox Church still does, 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 services; and even in how certain parts of the services are conducted), but they are united in 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 the head of the Church is Christ. This means that there cannot be several Churches on earth that would have different creed. And it was precisely because of disagreements in doctrinal issues that in the 11th century there was a division into Catholicism and Orthodoxy. As a consequence of this, Catholics cannot receive communion and confession 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. Doctrinal differences- because of which, in fact, the split occurred. For example, the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope among Catholics.
2. Ritual differences. For example, Catholics have a different form of Communion from us or the vow of celibacy (celibacy) that 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. But they were not the reason for the split and they are not the ones preventing us from reuniting again.
3. Conditional differences in traditions. For example - org A we are in temples; benches in the middle of the church; priests with or without beards; different forms of vestments for priests. In other words, external features that do not at all affect the unity of the Church - since some similar differences are found even within the Orthodox Church in different countries Oh. In general, if the difference between Orthodox and Catholics were only in them, the United Church would never have been divided.

The division between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which occurred in the 11th century, became for the Church, first of all, a tragedy, which was and is acutely experienced by both “us” and Catholics. Over the course of a thousand years, attempts at reunification were made several times. However, none of them turned out to be truly viable - and we will also talk about this below.

What is the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy - why did the Church actually divide?

Western and Eastern Christian Churches - such a 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, and Eastern Europe.

However, the division we are talking about was conditional for many centuries. Too much 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 3rd century that the phenomenon of monasticism arose, which then spread throughout the world. The Latin (Western) Church has always had an image of Christianity that is outwardly more active and “social.”

In the main doctrinal truths they remained common.

Venerable Anthony the Great, founder of monasticism

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

This is what the Orthodox 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 Creed
• doctrine of purgatory

Papal infallibility in Catholicism

Each church has its own primate - head. In Orthodox Churches this is the patriarch. The head of the Western Church (or the Latin Cathedra, as it is also called) was the pope, who now presides over 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 deep-rooted traditions - may well be deprived of his rank by decision of a council of bishops (as happened, for example, with Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century).

In addition to the infallibility of the pope, in Catholicism there is a doctrine of the primacy of the Roman throne (Church). Catholics base this teaching on an incorrect interpretation of the words of the Lord in a conversation with the apostles in Caesarea Philippi - about the alleged superiority of the Apostle Peter (who later “founded” the Latin Church) over the other apostles.

(Matthew 16:15–19) “He says to them: Who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Then Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is 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 whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”.

You can read more about the dogma of papal infallibility and the primacy of the Roman throne.

The difference between Orthodox and Catholics: the text of the Creed

The different text of the Creed is another reason for disagreement between Orthodox and Catholics - although the difference is only 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 disputes. It states everything that Christians believe.

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

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

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

The doctrine of purgatory is another difference between Catholics and Orthodox

Catholics believe in the existence of purgatory, and Orthodox Christians say that nowhere - not in any of the books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old or New Testaments, and even in none 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 arose among Catholics. However, 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 himself, but is not holy enough to find himself 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 than Catholics. There is Heaven, there is hell. There are ordeals after death in order to strengthen oneself 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 division of the Churches arose a thousand years ago.

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. Some concerns external rituals - and this may seem to be quite a serious difference - and some concerns external traditions that Christianity acquired here and there.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: differences that don't really separate us

Catholics receive communion differently from us - is that true?

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

Before we talk about why this 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 appear in Catholic churches - including the “familiar” one for us: Body and Blood from the Chalice.

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

1. Regarding the use of unleavened bread: Catholics proceed from the fact that in the time of Christ, Jews at Easter did not break leavened bread, but unleavened bread. (The Orthodox proceed from the Greek texts of the New Testament, where, when describing the Last Supper, which the Lord celebrated with his disciples, the word “artos” is used, meaning leavened bread)
2. Regarding parishioners receiving Communion only with the Body: Catholics proceed from the fact that Christ abides equally and fully in any of the parts of the Blessed Sacrament, and not only when they are united. (The Orthodox are guided by the text of the New Testament, where Christ directly speaks about His Body and Blood. Matthew 26:26–28: “ And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “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.”»).

They sit in Catholic churches

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

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 service, because if it were otherwise, there would be no choir, and the entire service would be read. Another thing is that we Orthodox Christians are now accustomed to just singing.

In many Latin countries, an organ was also installed in churches, because it was considered a divine instrument - its sound was 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. A supporter of this instrument was the famous church composer Alexander Grechaninov.)

Vow of celibacy among Catholic priests (Celibacy)

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

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

Catholic priests shave their beards

This is another example of different traditions, and not of any 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 the beard (most likely, this is the influence of the Latin culture of Ancient Rome).

Nowadays no one forbids Orthodox priests from shaving their beards. It’s just that a beard on a priest or monk is such an ingrained tradition among us that breaking it can become a “temptation” for others, and therefore few priests decide to do it or even think about it.

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

Duration of services and severity of fasts

It so happens that over the past 100 years, the Church life of Catholics has become significantly “simplified” - so to speak. The duration of services has been shortened, fasts have become simpler and shorter (for example, before communion it is enough not to eat food for only a few hours). Thus, the Catholic Church tried to reduce the gap between itself and the secular part of society - fearing that excessive strictness of the rules might scare away modern people. Whether this helped or not is difficult to say.

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

Of course, the world has changed a lot and it will now be impossible for most people to live as strictly as possible. However, the memory of the Rules and strict ascetic life is still important. “By mortifying the flesh, we free the spirit.” And we must not forget about this - at least as an ideal to which we must strive in the depths of our souls. And if this “measure” disappears, then how to maintain the required “bar”?

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

However, it is important to know what unites our Churches:

• presence of Church Sacraments (communion, confession, baptism, etc.)
• veneration of the Holy Trinity
• veneration of the Mother of God
• veneration of icons
• veneration of holy saints and their relics
• common saints for the first ten centuries of the Church's existence
• Scripture

In February 2016, the first ever meeting between the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Pope (Francis) took place in Cuba. An event of historical proportions, but there was no talk of the unification of the Churches.

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.

Several times over 1000 years, attempts were made to overcome the schism. The so-called Unions were concluded three times - between the Catholic Church and representatives of the Orthodox Church. They all had the following in common:

• They were concluded primarily for political rather than religious reasons.
• Each time these were “concessions” on the part of the Orthodox. As a rule, in the following form: the external form and language of the services remained familiar to the Orthodox, but in all dogmatic disagreements the Catholic interpretation was taken.
• Having been signed by some bishops, they were, as a rule, rejected by the rest of the Orthodox Church - the clergy and the people, and therefore turned out to be essentially unviable. The exception is the last Union of Brest-Litovsk.

These are the three Unions:

Union of Lyons (1274)

She was supported by the emperor of Orthodox Byzantium, since unification with the Catholics was supposed to help restore the shaky financial position of the empire. 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 (the Latin states - by the crusades, Byzantium - by the confrontation with the Turks, Rus' - 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...

Union of Brest (1596)

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

The only example where the union of Churches turned out to be viable - albeit within the framework of just one state. The rules are the same: all services, rituals and language remain familiar to the Orthodox, however, at the services it is not the patriarch who is commemorated, but the pope; The text of the Creed is changed and the doctrine of purgatory is accepted.

After the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, part of its territories was ceded to Russia - and along with it a number of Uniate parishes were ceded. Despite persecution, they continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century, until they were officially banned by the Soviet government.

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

The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism: how to deal with this?

We would like to give a short quote from the letters of Orthodox Bishop Hilarion (Troitsky), who died in the first half of the 20th century. Being 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 gradually become distorted in the West. The teaching has changed, life has changed, the very understanding of life has retreated from the Church. We [the Orthodox] have preserved the church's wealth. But instead of lending to others from this unexpendable wealth, we ourselves in some areas still fell under the influence of the West with its theology alien to the Church.” (Letter five. Orthodoxy in the West)

And here is what Saint Theophan the Recluse answered to one woman a century earlier when she asked: “Father, explain to me: none of the Catholics will be saved?”

The saint replied: “I don’t know whether Catholics will be saved, but I know one thing for sure: that without Orthodoxy I myself will not be saved.”

This answer and the quote from Hilarion (Troitsky) perhaps very accurately indicate the correct attitude of an Orthodox person towards such a misfortune as the division of the Churches.

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In all centuries, humanity has had different religions and accepted different beliefs. The science of religious studies divides faiths into religions, sects, denominations, movements and simply personal beliefs. Faith is not scientifically provable. In fact, every person has faith in something Higher, even atheists who are convinced that there is no God cannot prove this.

World religions - Christianity, Islam, Buddhism - these are the four religions that are most widespread on Earth, while Christianity is historically inherent in the Slavic lands of Rus'. However, it is also divided into confessions - movements within the religion. Orthodoxy and Catholicism are widespread in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova; many families historically profess different faiths, so today we will talk about their differences.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: Sister Churches

It must be said right away that the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are closest to each other among other faiths and denominations. Traditionally, Christianity is divided into three movements:

• Catholicism, that is, the United Roman Catholic Church with a single head - the Pope (at the same time, there is a special doctrinal dogma about the infallibility of the Pope, that is, he cannot do anything wrong and has absolute power). The Church is divided into "rites", that is, regional traditions, but they are all under one leadership.
• Orthodoxy, which is divided into independent, separate Patriarchate Churches (for example, Moscow, Constantinople) and within them - Exarchates and Autonomous Churches (Serbian, Greek, Georgian, Ukrainian - by region) with varying degrees of independence. At the same time, both Patriarchs and bishops of Churches can be removed from governance if they seriously sin. There is no single head of the Orthodox Church, although the Patriarch of Constantinople bears the historical title of Ecumenical. Orthodox Churches have commonality in prayers, the possibility of jointly celebrating the Sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion) and others.
• Protestantism is the most difficult, moving and falling apart confession. The churches here are also divided by region, there are bishops, but there are many sects - that is, those who consider themselves or are classified by religious scholars as Protestantism of individual teachings.

History of the schism of the Christian Church

Most historians agree that the main reason for the schism was the desire of the Roman Church - then called the Western - to have strong influence. This was confirmed later when the Catholic Church accepted the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope - today this is perhaps the main argument for the lack of unity of the Churches.

The Great Schism, or Great Schism, occurred in 1024. At that time, there was a tense political situation in relations between countries and Churches. In addition, over a thousand years, the Christian Church has acquired various regional traditions - rituals, features of the hierarchy, customs. Obviously, people belonging to different traditions did not accept each other, the difference in mentality and culture. The Roman Catholic Church in 1054 proclaimed the Pope the sole head of the Church on Earth, and then the Vicar of Christ. In turn, the Patriarch of Constantinople accepted the title of Ecumenical.

Doctrinal differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

There are a number of dogmatic - that is, not ritual, but specifically concerning teaching - points on which the Catholic and Orthodox Churches differ

• Different understandings of the structure of the Church. The Orthodox Churches maintain the unity of the Sacraments and dogmas, submitting to different Patriarchs by region, and Catholics consider one of the most important church dogmas to be the adoption of a single head of the Church - the Pope. Moreover, this is a dogma, not a ritual, that is, a moment of teaching.
• Also in Catholicism there is a dogma about the infallibility of the Pope - he, like an angel, cannot do anything sinful, since he is the vicar of Christ. Alas, it is known from history that in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, many people in the rank of Pope took advantage of this - just remember the corrupted Borgia family, from which came the murderous Popes and cardinals, as well as the Inquisition.
• In turn, the Orthodox Church accepts the infallibility only of the general decisions of the Ecumenical Councils - that is, the meetings of the Church. At the same time, the Orthodox Church preserves the decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils intact and honors many of their participants as saints, and the Catholic Church, after the division of the Churches, held 14 more Councils, considered Ecumenical, where it adopted many new dogmas.
• The most important doctrinal difference between the Churches is the Creed. Catholics profess that the Holy Spirit comes from the Son and the Father, and Orthodox Christians, in agreement with the first Ecumenical Councils, profess that only from the Father. Thus, Orthodoxy professes the dogma of the Indivisible and One Trinity, where the Three Hypostases of God are equal, but have different ministries. Catholicism belittles the importance of the Holy Spirit, considering Him only love (connection) between the Father and the Son, between God and people.
• Some understanding of the Sacraments differs. So, in Catholicism there is no divorce, it is not allowed to get married twice - the Orthodox Church is more lenient towards divorce. Confession in the Orthodox Church is personal, we see the priest in front of us, but in Catholicism the priest hides so as not to embarrass the confessor. In addition, in Orthodoxy there is no concept of indulgence - a material payment for the forgiveness of sins - which has also been used by many Catholics in history to harm (for example, the story is widely known when a robber bought an indulgence for any sin committed in the future, and immediately killed the priest) .
• In Catholicism there is the concept of purgatory - this is a state between hell and heaven, where, depending on the severity and number of sins, souls suffer torment. In Orthodoxy, there is only the concept of ordeal - this is a symbolic form of the Private Judgment of the soul after death, performed with the participation of angels and demons under the right hand of the Lord; at the same time, the soul undergoes tests for sinfulness and righteousness.
• Another important Catholic dogma adopted after the division of the Churches is the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, that is, that She was not touched by original sin, Her nature was not corrupted by sin, like everyone else. But the Orthodox consider this to belittle the feat of the Mother of God, who, like all people, struggled with sinful inclinations and temptations, but emerged from the struggle pure.

Differences in rituals

Since the Churches have centers in different regions, their services differ as radically as the traditions of different countries. Let us outline only the main points.

• In Orthodoxy, the service during which bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ is called Liturgy, in Catholicism it is called Mass, and Catholics partake only of the Body of Christ (bread, wafer).
• The Orthodox call the priest “father”, “father... (name)”, and Catholics call the priest “holy father”.
  When performing the Sacraments in Orthodoxy, little importance is attached to the personality of the priest: the Sacraments are performed by God, and the clergyman, as they say in the prayer before Confession, is “only a witness.” In Catholicism, the priest directly says: “I baptize,” “I perform the Sacrament,” etc. The Orthodox see this as a diminishment of the role of God’s grace.
• In Catholic churches, the altar is not separated by an iconostasis, but in Orthodox iconostasis according to tradition, it symbolically shows what happens in the altar - the service of the Heavenly Church.
• Also, in Catholic churches, believers pray sitting, while in Orthodox churches they pray standing. This is considered more reverent and promotes concentration.
  -Widespread differences in iconography. Since the beginning of the division of the Churches, Catholic icon painting has increasingly become “life-like,” pictorial, and portraiture. (In Russia, Catholic influence in icon painting was noticeable for a century and a half after the reforms of Peter the Great). Saints, the Mother of God, and Christ are often in a pronounced ecstatic state. An Orthodox icon is, first of all, a symbolic image of being in the Holy Spirit of God, his state in Heaven, in the Light of God (from where the golden or heavenly background is distributed - Light).
• In Orthodoxy, only monks take a vow of celibacy; in Catholicism, all priests take the vow of celibacy.
• There is no row in Catholicism Orthodox holidays— Provisions of the Venerable Robe of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Origin of the Venerable Trees Life-giving Cross etc., - and in Orthodoxy there are no Catholic ones - the Heart of Jesus, the Body and Blood of Christ, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, etc., and also there are no some cults, for example, the Holy Name and the Heart of Jesus.
• The Orthodox cross is traditionally eight-pointed - with four crossbars, that is, with a tablet at the top and a beveled crossbar-footstool for Christ's feet. There is also a Golgotha ​​Cross, with a number of symbolic inscriptions and additional images. Catholic cross - with only one or two crossbars. This is the very first form of the cross to appear in the Roman catacombs. However, the Orthodox East also reveres this form of the cross as equivalent to others, blessed. All Christians wear crosses of various shapes and from various materials.

Why do Orthodox and Catholics celebrate Easter and Christmas separately?

The church calendar is divided: the Orthodox Church celebrates holidays and days of remembrance of saints according to the old style (Julian calendar), the Catholic Church - according to the Gregorian calendar (this is due to astronomical phenomena).

Regarding the Nativity of Christ, the Gregorian calendar is more convenient: after all, the week of holidays begins on December 24-25 with Christmas and continues with the New Year, but the Orthodox should celebrate New Year modestly, calmly, to observe the fast. However, and Orthodox man can have fun on New Year's Eve, trying not to eat meat or any particularly tasty things (if he is visiting). Likewise, children in Orthodox families should not be deprived of the New Year holiday and the joy of Santa Claus. It’s just that many Orthodox families try to emphasize the significance of Christmas with more expensive gifts, more active joint visits to events, etc.

Let us note that Christmas is celebrated on December 25 by a number of Orthodox Local Churches, but all Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on the same day (this holiday shifts depending on the phases of the moon). The fact is that only on Orthodox Easter does the descent of the Holy Fire take place in Jerusalem.

This is truly a miracle that people expect every year with faith and hope. Its meaning is the self-ignition of the lamp on the Holy Sepulcher in the presence of the Patriarch of Constantinople. They prepare for the Holy Saturday service in advance, but no one knows at what hour the Holy Fire will descend. According to legend, in one year he will not appear, and this will mean the onset of the end times, the End of the World.

Every year, on Saturday morning, the Ecumenical Patriarch with a retinue of clergy enters the Church of the Resurrection of Christ and undresses himself down to his white cassock in its center, at the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher (Edicule), which stands above the very place where Christ was resurrected, above the Stone of His Sepulchre. All light sources in the temple are extinguished - from lamps to chandeliers. The Patriarch, according to the tradition that appeared after the Turkish rule in Jerusalem, is searched for the presence of anything that would contribute to the ignition of the Fire. The sacristan brings into the Edicule cave a lamp, which is placed in the middle of the Holy Sepulcher, and the same torch of 33 Jerusalem candles. As soon as the Orthodox Patriarch enters there, accompanied by the Primate of the Armenian Church, the cave with them is sealed with wax. Pilgrims fill the entire temple - the words of prayers are heard here, the confession of sins takes place in anticipation of the descent of the Fire. Typically this wait lasts from several minutes to several hours. As soon as flashes of lightning appear above Edicule, signifying the Convergence, a bell rings above the temple. Many millions of people over the centuries have witnessed this miracle, because even today scientists cannot explain with anything other than God’s power the flashes of lightning in the temple on Holy Saturday.

The patriarchs pass Jerusalem candles into the chapel window, and pilgrims and priests in the temple begin to light their torches from them. Again, from a few minutes to an hour the Holy Fire does not burn and pilgrims scoop it up with their hands and wash their faces. Fire does not ignite hair, eyebrows, or beards. All of Jerusalem is ablaze with thousands of candle torches. By air, representatives of Local Churches transport the Holy Fire in special lamps to all countries. They are revered by both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

Subsequently, traders burn pre-prepared torches in the Holy Fire, extinguish them and sell them all over the world as Jerusalem candles. It is necessary to store them carefully, like a shrine. You can light Jerusalem candles in front of any icon during any prayer. However, you can light a simple church candle this way, meanwhile Jerusalem candles are placed

• During the celebration of Easter (within 40 days before Easter);
• During difficulties, serious illnesses, in sadness, when special prayer is required.

Sign of the Cross - how Orthodox and Catholics are baptized

There are two main differences in how Catholics and Orthodox Christians are baptized:

• The most common version of the Catholic sign of the cross is to cross with five fingers, an open palm, from left to right.
• The correct sign of the cross among the Orthodox is made with the right hand, with the thumb, index and middle fingers clenched, from right to left. The clenched fingers are given a symbolic meaning - they mean the strength and omnipotence of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - the Indivisible Holy Trinity.

The meaning of the sign of the cross is the same:
— First, you need to press your fingers to your forehead, thereby sanctifying your mind and remembering heaven and your destiny to reach out to the spiritual, to God;

- then to the stomach (approximately at waist level), consecrating internal organs and remembering our earthly and mortal nature;
- to the right and then to the left shoulder (for a Catholic - vice versa), sanctifying the whole body and remembering the Holy Spirit as the One who brings about the unity of all things in God.

When entering the temple and kissing the icons in the temple and at home, people cross themselves three times. Usually they pray like this while making the sign of the cross:

• putting your fingers to your forehead, say: “In the name of the Father”;
• to the belly: “And the Son”;
• to the shoulders: “And the Holy Spirit. Amen".

After the sign of the cross, they usually bow at the waist (it’s quite easy to bend over).

When blessing a child or loved one, you need to baptize him as if he himself was making the sign of the cross - first on his right (in Catholicism - left) shoulder from his point of view. Such a blessing also protects a person from evil and vices, because you pray for him, making the sign of the cross. The history of the Church has witnessed many miracles when, through the prayer of mothers, wives, relatives and friends, people avoided danger or turned away from passions.

Whether to convert to Orthodoxy from Catholicism and vice versa is a choice of faith, family and national traditions. First of all, talk to the priests in both churches, pray, understand why you need this.
May the Lord Himself protect and admonish you!

Until 1054, the Christian Church was one and indivisible. The schism occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cyroularius. The conflict began due to the closing 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 yet been overcome. Christianity is divided into three main directions: 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 teaching, performance of sacraments, etc. We'll talk about which ones a little later. First, let's make a short overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, called the orthodox religion in the West, is currently practiced by about 200 million people. Approximately 5 thousand people are baptized every day. This direction of Christianity spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some CIS countries 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 Vasily II, Anna. But for this he needed to convert to Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was extremely necessary to strengthen the authority of Rus'. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kiev residents were baptized in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the schism in 1054, a separate denomination arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called her “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 dogmas of Christianity, but also in the history of development itself. 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 a lot of grief to the common population. The first of them was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades there 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 - a church court for 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 discussed briefly in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, in general terms, its traditions and basic concept can be understood in relation to the Church’s relationship with the population. The Western confession has always been considered more dynamic, but also 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 lies in the fact that the former has remained united and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the 14th 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 German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of free choice of religion for 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 movement is further divided into two branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is widespread mainly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, and 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 movement: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.

In our time, the World Council of Protestant Churches pursues an active peacekeeping policy. Representatives of this religion advocate easing international tension, support the efforts of states to defend 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. They did not touch upon the basic principle of Christianity - accepting Jesus as the Savior and Son of God. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testament There are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rituals and sacraments do not agree.

The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

	Orthodoxy		Catholicism	Protestantism
Control	Patriarch, Cathedral			World Council of Churches, councils of bishops
Organization	Bishops depend little on the Patriarch and 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. Sacred 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 comes from both the Father and 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	The Crucifixion atoned for all the sins of mankind. Only the firstborn remained. That is, when a person commits a new sin, he 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		Prohibited	Allowed, but frowned upon
Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary	It is believed that the Mother of God is not free 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. In relation to the original sin of the Mother of God, therefore, there are also quite significant differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism
Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven	It is unofficially believed that this event may have taken place, but it is not enshrined in dogma		The assumption of the Mother of God into 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 similar Orthodox Byzantine liturgy can be celebrated	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
Clergy marriage	Allowed		Allowed only in the Byzantine rite	Allowed
Ecumenical Councils	The decisions of the first seven		Guided by 21 decisions (the last one passed in 1962-1965)	Recognize the decisions of all Ecumenical Councils if they do not contradict each other and the Holy Scriptures
	Eight-pointed with crossbars at the bottom and top		A simple four-pointed Latin cross is used	Not used in religious services. Not worn by representatives of all faiths
	Used in large quantities and equated with Holy Scripture. 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	Both Hebrew and Greek are recognized		Greek only	Only Jewish canonical
Absolution	The ritual is performed by a priest			Not allowed
Science and religion	Based on the statements of scientists, 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 very significant, but still discrepancies. They arose a long time ago, and, apparently, none of the churches expresses any particular desire to resolve these contradictions.

There are also differences in the attributes of different directions of Christianity. For example, the Catholic cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight points. 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 crossbar, it contains two more. The top 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 Christ's feet - symbolizes the “righteous standard”.

Table of differences between 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 very noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.

As for 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) with regard to attributes is quite noticeable. There are even greater differences 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 Orthodox icon from the Catholic 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 subject and were 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 serving 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 subordinate only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. The monasteries are united into so-called Orders, each of which has its own head and its own charter. These associations may be scattered throughout the world, but nevertheless they always have a common leadership.

Protestants, unlike Orthodox and Catholics, completely reject monasticism. 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. Both of these Churches have 7 sacraments. The difference lies primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rituals. Catholics believe that the sacraments are valid whether a person is in the mood for them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, confirmation, etc. will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rites with some pagan magical ritual, acting regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. Representatives of this trend consider everything else superficial and reject it.

Baptism

This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. The only differences are in the methods of performing the ritual.

In Catholicism, it is customary for infants to be sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. Recently there has been some movement away from this rule. However, now the Russian Orthodox Church is again returning in this ritual to ancient traditions, established by Byzantine priests.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (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 is therefore not very significant, but it still exists.

Protestants usually perform baptism 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 refers to the descent of the Holy Spirit and the virginity of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant differences have emerged over centuries of schism. Of course, they also exist in the celebration of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests administer communion only with 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, but also anyone who wishes, are allowed to receive communion. Representatives of this direction of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Modern relations of the Churches

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

The relations between the two main faiths, Orthodox and Catholic, are also quite ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tension 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 a similar 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 directions still remains. 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 worthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov considers many saints of the Western Church to be almost crazy. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete subjugation. 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 faiths. 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.

In 1054, one of the most important events in the history of the Middle Ages took place - the Great Schism, or schism. And despite the fact that in the middle of the 20th century the Patriarchate of Constantinople and the Holy See lifted mutual anathemas, the world did not unite, and the reason for this was both dogmatic differences between both faiths and political contradictions that were closely associated with the Church throughout its existence.

This state of affairs persists even though most states where the population professes Christianity, and where it took root in antiquity, are secular and have a large proportion of atheists. The Church and its role in history became part of the national self-identification of many peoples, despite the fact that representatives of these peoples often did not even read the Scriptures.

Sources of conflict

The United Christian Church (hereinafter referred to as the UC) arose in the Roman Empire in the first centuries of our era. It was not something monolithic in the early period of its existence. The sermons of the apostles and then the apostolic men lay down on the consciousness of man in the ancient Mediterranean, and it was significantly different from that of the people of the East. The final unified dogma of the European Church was developed during the period of apologists, and its formation, in addition to Scripture itself, was strongly influenced by Greek philosophy, namely Plato, Aristotle, Zeno.

The first theologians to develop the foundations of Christian doctrine were people from various parts of the empire, often with personal spiritual and philosophical experience behind them. And in their works, if there is a common basis, we can see certain accents that will later become sources of contradictions. Those in power will cling to these contradictions in the interests of state, caring little about the spiritual side of the issue.

The unity of common Christian dogma was supported by the Ecumenical Councils; the formation of the clergy as a separate class of society followed the principle of continuity of ordinations from the Apostle Peter . But harbingers of a future split were already clearly visible, at least in such a matter as proselytism. During the early Middle Ages, new peoples began to enter the orbit of Christianity, and here the circumstance from whom the people received Baptism played a much greater role than the fact of it. And this, in turn, had a strong impact on how the relationship between the Church and the new flock would develop, because the community of converts did not so much accept the doctrine as enter into the orbit of a stronger political structure.

The difference in the role of the Church in the east and west of the former Roman Empire was due to the different fate of these parts. The western part of the empire fell under the pressure of internal conflicts and barbarian raids, and the Church there actually shaped society. States were formed, fell apart, and were created again, but the Roman center of gravity existed. In fact, the Church in the West rose above the state, which determined its further role in European politics until the era of the Reformation.

The Byzantine Empire, on the contrary, had its roots in the pre-Christian era, and Christianity became part of the culture and identity of the population of this territory, but did not replace this culture entirely. The organization of the Eastern churches followed a different principle - locality. The church was organized as if from below, it was a community of believers - in contrast to the power vertical in Rome. The Patriarch of Constantinople had the primacy of honor, but not legislative power (Constantinople did not shake the threat of excommunication as a stick to influence undesirable monarchs). The relationship with the latter was realized according to the principle of a symphony.

The further development of Christian theology in the East and West also followed different paths. Scholasticism became widespread in the West, which attempted to combine faith and logic, which ultimately led to the conflict between faith and reason during the Renaissance. In the East, these concepts were never mixed, which is well reflected by the Russian proverb “Trust in God, but don’t make a mistake yourself.” On the one hand, this gave greater freedom of thought, on the other hand, it did not provide the practice of scientific dispute.

Thus, political and theological contradictions led to the schism of 1054. How it happened is a big topic worthy of a separate presentation. And now we will tell you how modern Orthodoxy and Catholicism differ from each other. The differences will be discussed in the following order:

1. Dogmatic;
2. Ritual;
3. Mental.

Fundamental dogmatic differences

Usually little is said about them, which is not surprising: a simple believer, as a rule, does not care about this. But there are such differences, and some of them became the reason for the schism of 1054. Let's list them.

Views on the Holy Trinity

The stumbling block between Orthodox and Catholics. The notorious filioque.

The Catholic Church believes that Divine grace comes not only from the Father, but also from the Son. Orthodoxy confesses the procession of the Holy Spirit only from the Father and the existence of Three Persons in a single Divine essence.

Views on the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary

Catholics believe that the Mother of God is the fruit of the immaculate conception, that is, she was free from original sin from the beginning (remember that original sin considered disobedience to will God, and we still feel the consequences of Adam’s disobedience to this will (Gen. 3:19)).

The Orthodox do not recognize this dogma, since there is no indication of this in Scripture, and the conclusions of Catholic theologians are based only on a hypothesis.

Views on the unity of the Church

The Orthodox understand unity as faith and sacraments, while Catholics recognize the Pope as God's vicar on earth. Orthodoxy considers each local church to be completely self-sufficient (for it is a model of the Universal Church), Catholicism places at the forefront the recognition of the power of the Pope over it and all aspects of human life. The Pope is infallible in the views of Catholics.

Resolutions of the Ecumenical Councils

The Orthodox recognize 7 Ecumenical Councils, and the Catholics recognize 21, the last of which took place in the middle of the last century.

Dogma of Purgatory

Present among Catholics. Purgatory is a place where the souls of those who have died in unity with God, but who have not paid for their sins during life, are sent. It is believed that living people should pray for them. Orthodox Christians do not recognize the doctrine of purgatory, believing that the fate of a person’s soul is in the hands of God, but it is possible and necessary to pray for the dead. This dogma was finally approved only at the Ferraro-Florence Council.

Differences in views on dogma

The Catholic Church has adopted the theory of dogmatic development created by Cardinal John Newman, according to which the Church must clearly formulate its dogmas in words. The need for this arose to counter the influence of Protestant denominations. This problem is quite relevant and broad: Protestants honor the letter of Scripture, and often to the detriment of its spirit. Catholic theologians set a goal difficult task: formulate dogmas based on Scripture so as to eliminate these contradictions.

Orthodox hierarchs and theologians do not consider it necessary to clearly state the dogma of the doctrine and develop it. In the view of the Orthodox churches, the letter does not provide a complete understanding of the faith and even limits this understanding. Church Tradition is complete enough for a Christian, and every believer can have his own spiritual path.

External differences

This is what catches your eye first. Oddly enough, but it was they, despite their lack of principle, that became the source of not only small conflicts, but also major upheavals. Typically it was the same for Orthodox and catholic churches, differences within which, at least regarding the views of the hierarchs, provoked the emergence of heresies and new schisms.

The ritual was never something static - neither during the period of early Christianity, nor during the Great Schism, nor during the period of separate existence. Moreover: sometimes cardinal changes took place in the ritual, but they did not bring them any closer to the unity of the church. Rather, on the contrary, each innovation split off a part of the believers from one or another church.

For illustration, you can take church schism in Russia in the 17th century - but Nikon did not strive to split the Russian Church, but, on the contrary, to unite the Ecumenical Church (his ambition, of course, was off the charts).

It's also good to remember- when ordus novo (services in national languages) was introduced in the middle of the last century, some Catholics did not accept this, believing that the Mass should be celebrated according to the Tridentine rite. Currently, Catholics use the following types of rituals:

• ordus novo, standard service;
• the Tridentine Rite, according to which the priest is obliged to lead the Mass if the parish has a majority vote in favor;
• Greek Catholic and Armenian Catholic rites.

There are many myths surrounding the topic of ritual. One of them is the dictate of the Latin language among Catholics, and no one understands this language. Although the Latin rite was replaced by the national one relatively recently, many do not take into account, for example, the fact that the Uniate churches, subordinate to the Pope, retained their rite. They also do not take into account the fact that Catholics also began to publish national Bibles (Where did they go? Protestants often did this).

Another misconception is the primacy of ritual over consciousness. This is partly explained by the fact that human consciousness has largely remained pagan: he confuses ritual and sacrament, and uses them as a kind of magic, in which, as is known, following the instructions plays a decisive role.

In order for you to better see the ritual differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, a table to help you:

category	subcategory	Orthodoxy	Catholicism
sacraments	baptism	total immersion	sprinkling
	anointing	immediately after baptism	V adolescence confirmation
	communion	at any time, from 7 years old - after confession	after 7-8 years
	confession	at the lectern	in a specially designated room
	wedding	allowed three times	marriage is indissoluble
temple	orientation	altar to the east	the rule is not respected
	altar	fenced with an iconostasis	not fenced, maximum - altar barrier
	benches	absent, pray standing with bows	are present, although in the old days there were small benches for kneeling
	liturgy	on schedule	can be made to order
	musical accompaniment	only choir	maybe an organ
cross	difference between Orthodox and Catholic crosses	schematic	naturalistic
	sign	tripartite, top to bottom, right to left	open palm, top to bottom, left to right
clergy	hierarchy		there are cardinals
	monasteries	each with its own charter	organized into monastic orders
	celibacy	for monastics and officials	for everyone above the deacon
posts	eucharistic	6 hours	1 hour
	weekly	Wednesday and Friday	Friday
	calendar	strict	less strict
calendar	Saturday	complements Sunday	Sunday replaced Saturday
	calculus	Julian, New Julian	Gregorian
	Easter	Alexandrian	Gregorian

In addition, there are differences in the veneration of saints, the order of their canonization, and holidays. The vestments of priests are also different, although the cut of the latter has common roots among both Orthodox and Catholics.

Also during Catholic worship greater value has the personality of a priest; he pronounces the formulas of the sacraments in the first person, and in Orthodox worship - in the third, since the sacrament is performed not by a priest (unlike a rite), but by God. By the way, the number of sacraments for both Catholics and Orthodox is the same. The sacraments include:

• Baptism;
• Confirmation;
• Repentance;
• Eucharist;
• Wedding;
• Ordination;
• Blessing of Unction.

Catholics and Orthodox: what is the difference

If we talk about the Church, not as an organization, but as a community of believers, then there is still a difference in mentality. Moreover, both Catholic and orthodox church strongly influenced both the formation of civilizational models of modern states and the attitude of representatives of these nations to life, its goals, morality and other aspects of their existence.

Moreover, this is affecting us even now, when the number of people in the world who are not members of any denomination is growing, and the Church itself is losing its position in regulation different sides human life.

An ordinary church visitor rarely thinks about why he, for example, is a Catholic. For him, it is often a tribute to tradition, a formality, a habit. Often, belonging to a particular confession serves as an excuse for one’s irresponsibility or as a way to score political points.

Thus, representatives of the Sicilian mafia flaunted their affiliation with Catholicism, which did not prevent them from receiving income from drug trafficking and committing crimes. The Orthodox even have a saying about such hypocrisy: “either take off your cross or put on your panties.”

Among Orthodox Christians, such a model of behavior is often found, which is characterized by another proverb - “until the thunder strikes, a man will not cross himself.”

And yet, despite such differences in both dogma and ritual, we actually have more in common than differences. And dialogue between us is necessary to maintain peace and mutual understanding. In the end, both Orthodoxy and Catholicism are branches of the same Christian faith. And not only hierarchs, but also ordinary believers should remember this.