What is the difference between the Catholic faith and Christianity. Principal and ritual differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

Catholicism is part of Christianity, and Christianity itself is one of the main religions of the world. Its directions include: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism, with many types and branches. Most often, people want to understand what difference does Orthodoxy have from Catholicism, how does one differ from the other? Do such similar religions and churches that have the same root as Catholicism and Orthodoxy have serious differences? Catholicism in Russia and other Slavic states is much less widespread than in the West. Catholicism (translated from the Greek "katholikos" - "universal") is a religious direction, numbering about 15% of the population of the entire globe (that is, about a billion people profess Catholicism). Of the three respected Christian denominations (Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism), Catholicism is rightfully considered the largest branch. Most adherents of this religious movement live in Europe, Africa, as well as in Latin America and the USA. The religious trend arose as early as the first century AD - at the dawn of Christianity, during times of persecution and religious disputes. Now, after 2 thousand years, the Catholic Church has taken pride of place among the world's religious denominations. Establish a connection with God!

Christianity and Catholicism. Story

In the first thousand years of Christianity, the word "Catholicism" did not exist, simply because there were no branches of Christianity, the faith was one. The history of Catholicism began in the Western Roman Empire, where in 1054 the Christian Church was divided into two main directions: Catholicism and Orthodoxy. Constantinople became the heart of Orthodoxy, and Rome was declared the center of Catholicism, the reason for this division was the split between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Since then, the religious movement began to actively spread to the countries of Europe and America. Despite the subsequent multiple split of Catholicism (for example, Catholicism and Protestantism, Anglicanism, Baptism, etc.), it has become one of the largest denominations of the present time.
In the XI-XIII centuries, Catholicism in Europe gained the strongest power. Religious thinkers of the Middle Ages believed that God created the world, and it is unchanging, harmonious, reasonable.
In the XVI-XVII there was a collapse of the Catholic Church, during which a new religious direction appeared - Protestantism. What is the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism? First of all, in the organizational issue of the church and in the authority of the Pope.
The clergy belonged to the most important estate in connection with the mediation of the church between God and people. The religion of Catholicism insisted on the fulfillment of the commandments of the Bible. The church considered the ascetic a role model - a holy man who renounced worldly goods and riches that humiliate the state of the soul. The contempt of earthly riches was replaced by heavenly riches.
The church considered it a virtue to support low-income people. Kings, nobles close to them, merchants and even poor people tried to participate in charitable deeds as often as possible. At that time, a title appeared for special churches in Catholicism, which is assigned by the pope.
social doctrine
The Catholic doctrine was based not only on religious, but also on humanistic ideas. It was based on Augustinism, and later Thomism, accompanied by personalism and solidarism. The philosophy of the teaching was that, in addition to the soul and body, God gave people equal rights and freedoms that remain with a person all his life. Sociological as well as theological knowledge has helped build a developed social doctrine of the Catholic Church, which believes that its teachings were created by the apostles and still retain their original origins.
There are several doctrinal issues on which the Catholic Church has a distinct position. The reason for this was the split of Christianity into Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Devotion to the mother of Christ, the Virgin Mary, who, according to Catholics, gave birth to Jesus without sin, and her soul and body were taken up to heaven, where she has a special place between God and His people.
The unshakable belief that when the priest repeats the words of Christ from the Last Supper, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus, although there is no outward change.
Catholic teaching has a negative attitude towards artificial methods of contraception, which, according to the church, interfere with the birth of a new life.
Recognition of abortion as the destruction of human life, which, according to the Catholic Church, begins at the moment of conception.

Control
The idea of Catholicism is closely connected with the apostles, especially with the apostle Peter. Saint Peter is considered the first pope, and each subsequent pope is considered his spiritual successor. This gives the leader of the church strong spiritual authority and authority to resolve disputes that could disrupt governance. The notion that church leadership is an unbroken lineage from the apostles and their teachings (“apostolic succession”) helped Christianity survive through times of trial, persecution, and reformation.
The advisory bodies are:
Synod of Bishops;
College of Cardinals.
The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in the organs of church administration. The hierarchy of the Catholic Church consists of its bishops, priests and deacons. In the Catholic Church, power rests primarily with the bishops, with priests and deacons serving as their co-workers and assistants.
All clergy, including deacons, priests, and bishops, may preach, teach, baptize, perform sacred marriages, and conduct funerals.
Only priests and bishops may administer the sacraments of the Eucharist (although others may be ministers of Holy Communion), Penance (Reconciliation, Confession) and the Anointing of the Sick.
Only bishops can administer the sacrament of the Priesthood by which people become priests or deacons.
Catholicism: Churches and their meaning in religion
The church is considered "the body of Jesus Christ". The scripture says that Christ chose 12 apostles for God's temple, but it is the apostle Peter who is considered the first bishop. In order to become a full member of the Catholic Church Society, it is necessary to preach Christianity or undergo the sacred sacrament of baptism.

Catholicism: the essence of the 7 sacraments
The liturgical life of the Catholic Church revolves around 7 sacraments:
baptism;
chrismation (confirmation);
Eucharist (communion);
repentance (confession);
unction (unction);
marriage;
priesthood.
The purpose of the sacraments of the faith of Catholicism is to bring people closer to God, to feel grace, to feel unity with Jesus Christ.
1. Baptism
The first and main sacrament. Cleanses the soul from sins, gives grace. For Catholics, the sacrament of Baptism is the first step in their spiritual journey.
2. Confirmation (confirmation)
In the rite of the Catholic Church, Chrismation is allowed only after 13-14 years. It is believed that it is from this age that a person will be able to become a full member of church society. Confirmation is given through the anointing with holy Chrism and the laying on of hands.
3. Eucharist (Communion)
Sacrament in memory of the death and resurrection of the Lord. The incarnation of the flesh and blood of Christ is presented to believers through the tasting of wine and bread during worship.
4. Repentance
Through repentance, believers free their souls, receive forgiveness for their sins, and become closer to God and the church. The confession, or disclosure, of sins frees the soul and facilitates our reconciliation with others. In this sacred sacrament, Catholics find God's unconditional forgiveness and learn to forgive others.
5. Unction
Through the sacrament of anointing with oil (sacred oil), Christ heals believers who suffer from illness, giving them support and grace. Jesus showed great concern for the physical and spiritual well-being of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity to deepen the faith of the community.
6. Marriage
The sacrament of marriage is to some extent a comparison of the union of Christ and the church. The marriage union is sanctified by God, filled with grace and joy, blessed for the future family life, the upbringing of children. Such a marriage is inviolable and ends only after the death of one of the spouses.
7. Priesthood
The sacrament, by which bishops, priests and deacons are ordained, receive power and grace for the performance of their sacred duties. The rite by which orders are conferred is called ordination. The apostles were ordained by Jesus at the Last Supper so that others could share in his priesthood.
The difference between Orthodoxy from Catholicism and Protestantism and their similarities
Catholic beliefs do not really differ significantly from the other major branches of Christianity, Greek Orthodoxy and Protestantism. All three main branches hold the doctrine of the Trinity, the deity of Jesus Christ, the inspiration of the Bible, and so on. But as far as certain doctrinal points are concerned, there are some differences. Catholicism differs in several beliefs, which include the special authority of the pope, the concept of purgatory, and the doctrine that the bread used in the Eucharist becomes the true body of Christ during the blessing of the priest.

Catholicism and Orthodoxy: differences

Being types of one religion, Catholicism and Orthodoxy did not find a common language for a long time, namely from the 13th century to the middle of the 20th century. Due to this fact, these two religions have received many differences. How is Orthodoxy different from Catholicism?

The first difference between Catholicism can be found in the structure of the organization of churches. So, in Orthodoxy there are many churches, separate and independent of each other: Russian, Georgian, Romanian, Greek, Serbian, etc. Catholic churches located in different countries around the world have a single mechanism and are subject to one ruler - the Pope.

It should also be noted that the Orthodox Church does not accept changes, believing that it is necessary to follow all the canons and honor all the knowledge that was transmitted by Jesus Christ to his apostles. That is, the Orthodox in the 21st century observe the same rules and customs as the Orthodox in the 15th, 10th, 5th and 1st centuries.

Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that in Orthodox Christianity the main divine service is the Divine Liturgy, in Catholicism it is the Mass. The parishioners of the Orthodox Church conduct the service standing, while Catholics often sit, but there are services that they conduct on their knees. The Orthodox endow only the Father with the symbol of faith and holiness, the Catholics give both the Father and the son.

Differs Catholicism and knowledge of life after death. In the Orthodox faith, there is no such thing as purgatory, unlike Catholicism, although such an intermediate stay of the soul after leaving the body and before entering the judgment of God is not denied.

The Orthodox call the Mother of God the Mother of God, they consider her born in sin, like ordinary people. Catholics refer to her as the Virgin Mary, conceived immaculately and ascended to heaven in human form. On Orthodox icons, saints are depicted in two dimensions to convey the presence of another dimension - the world of spirits. Catholic icons have an ordinary, simple perspective and the saints are depicted in a naturalistic way.

Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is in the shape and form of the cross. For Catholics, it is presented in the form of two crossbars, it can be either with the image of Jesus Christ, or without it. If Jesus is present on the cross, then he is depicted with a martyr's look and his feet are chained to the cross with one nail. The Orthodox have a cross of four crossbars: a small horizontal one is added to the two main ones at the top and a crossbar at an angle below, symbolizing the direction to heaven and hell.

Faith Catholicism differs in the commemoration of the dead. Orthodox commemorate on days 3, 9 and 40, Catholics - on days 3, 7 and 30. Also in Catholicism there is a special day of the year - November 1, when all the dead are commemorated. In many states, this day is a holiday.
Another difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is that, unlike their counterparts in Protestant and Orthodox churches, Catholic priests take vows of celibacy. This practice is rooted in the early associations of the papacy with monasticism. There are several Catholic monastic orders, the most famous being the Jesuits, Dominicans and Augustinians. Catholic monks and nuns take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and dedicate themselves to a simple, worship-oriented life.

And finally, we can single out the process of the sign of the cross. In the Orthodox Church, they are baptized with three fingers and from right to left. Catholics, on the contrary, from left to right, the number of fingers does not matter.

Christianity is the dominant religious denomination on the planet. The number of its followers is estimated in billions of people, and the geography covers most of the developed countries of the world. Today it is represented by many branches, the most significant of which are Catholics and Orthodox. What is the difference between them? To find out, you need to plunge into the depths of centuries.

Historical roots of schism

The great schism of the Christian church or schism took place in 1054. The key points that formed the basis of the fatal gap:

Nuances of worship. First of all, the most acute question was whether to celebrate the liturgy on unleavened or leavened bread;
Non-recognition of the concept of Pentarchy by the See of Rome. It assumed equal participation in the solution of questions of theology of five departments located in Rome, Antioch, Jerusalem, Alexandria and Constantinople. The Latins traditionally acted from a position of papal primacy, which strongly alienated the other four sees;
Serious theological controversy. In particular, regarding the essence of the Triune God.

The formal reason for the break was the closure of Greek churches in southern Italy, subjected to the Norman conquest. This was followed by a mirror response in the form of the closing of the Latin churches in Constantinople. The last action was accompanied by mockery of the shrines: the Holy Gifts, prepared for the liturgy, were trampled on.

In June-July 1054, a mutual exchange of anathemas took place, which meant split which is still ongoing.

What is the difference between Catholics and Orthodox?

Separate existence two main branches of Christianity has been going on for almost a thousand years. During this time, a large array of significant differences in views has accumulated that relate to any aspect of church life.

Orthodox have the following views, which their Western counterparts do not accept in any way:

One of the hypostases of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, originates only from the Father (the creator of the world and man, the basis of all things), but not from the Son (Jesus Christ, the Old Testament messiah, who sacrificed himself for human sins);
Grace is the act of the Lord, and not something taken for granted from the act of creation;
There is their own view of the cleansing of sins after death. Catholic sinners are doomed to torment in purgatory. The Orthodox, on the other hand, face ordeals await them - the path to unity with the Lord, which does not necessarily involve torture;
In the Eastern branch, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Mother of God (mother of Jesus Christ) is also not revered at all. Catholics believe that she became a mother, avoiding vicious sexual intercourse.

Ritual differentiation

Differences in the field of worship are not rigid, but quantitatively they are much more:

The person of the priest. The Roman Catholic Church attaches great importance to it in the liturgy. He has the right to pronounce symbolic words in his own name when performing rituals. The Constantinopolitan tradition assigns the priest the role of "God's servant" and no more;
The number of permitted services per day also differs. The Byzantine rite allows you to do this only once on one throne (temple on the altar);
Baptism of a child only among Eastern Christians takes place by obligatory immersion in a font. In the rest of the world, it is enough to sprinkle the child with holy water;
In the Latin rite, specially designated rooms, called confessionals, are used for confession;
Altar (altar) only in the East is separated from the rest of the church by a partition (iconostasis). The Catholic presbytery, in contrast, is designed as an architecturally open space.

Are Armenians Catholics or Orthodox?

The Armenian Church is considered one of the most distinctive in Eastern Christianity. It has a number of features that make it absolutely unique:

Jesus Christ is recognized as a superhuman being who does not have a body and does not experience any needs inherent in all other people (even food and drink);
Traditions of icon painting are practically not developed. It is not customary to worship artistic images of saints. That is why the interior of Armenian churches is so different from all others;
Following the Latins, holidays are tied to the Gregorian calendar;
There is a unique and unlike anything religious “table of ranks”, which includes five steps (as opposed to three in the ROC);
In addition to Lent, there is an additional period of abstinence called arachawork;
In prayers, it is customary to praise only one of the hypostases of the Trinity.

The official attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards the Armenian confession is emphatically respectful. However, her followers are not recognized as Orthodox, which is why even a visit to an Armenian church can be a sufficient reason for excommunication.

Therefore, believing Armenians are Catholics.

Features of honoring the holidays

It is not at all surprising that differences exist in the celebration of holidays:

The most important post in all Christian churches, called Great, in the Latin Rite begins on Wednesday of the seventh week before Easter. With us, abstinence begins two days earlier, on Monday;
The methods for calculating the date of Easter differ significantly. They coincide quite rarely (as a rule, in 1/3 of cases). In both cases, the starting point is the day of the vernal equinox (March 21) according to the Gregorian (in Rome) or Julian calendar;
The set of red days of the church calendar in the West includes holidays unknown in Russia to honor the Body and Blood of Christ (60 days after Easter), the Sacred Heart of Jesus (8 days after the previous one), the Feast of the Heart of Mary (the next day);
And vice versa, we celebrate such holidays that are completely unknown to the adherents of the Latin rite. Among them - the worship of some relics (the relics of Nicholas the Wonderworker and the chains of the Apostle Peter);
If Catholics completely deny the celebration of the Sabbath, then the Orthodox consider it one of the Lord's days.

Rapprochement of Orthodox and Catholics

Christians around the world today have much more in common than even a hundred years ago. Both in Russia and in the West, the church is under deep siege by secular society. The number of parishioners among young people is decreasing year by year. New cultural challenges are emerging in the form of sectarianism, pseudo-religious movements and Islamization.

All this makes former enemies and competitors forget old grievances and try to find a common language in a post-industrial society:

As stated at the Second Vatican Council, the differences between Eastern and Western theologies are complementary rather than conflicting. The decree "Unitatis Redintegratio" states that in this way the fullest vision of Christian truth is achieved;
Pope John Paul II, who wore the papal tiara from 1978-2005, noted that the Christian church needs to "breathe with both lungs." He emphasized the synergy of the rational Latin and the mystical-intuitive Byzantine traditions;
He was echoed by his successor, Benedict XVI, who declared that the Eastern churches were not separated from Rome;
Since 1980, regular plenums of the Commission for Theological Dialogue between the two churches have been held. The last meeting devoted to issues of catholicity was held in 2016 in Italy.

A few hundred years ago, religious contradictions caused serious conflicts even in prosperous European countries. However, secularization has done its job: who are Catholics and Orthodox, what is the difference between them - this is of little concern to the modern man in the street. Omnipotent agnosticism and atheism have reduced to ashes a millennium-old Christian conflict, leaving it at the mercy of gray-haired elders in clothes creeping on the floor.

Video: the story of the split between Catholics and Orthodox

In this video, the historian Arkady Matrosov will tell you why Christianity split into two religious movements, which preceded this:

Catholicism is one of the three main Christian denominations. In total there are three confessions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. The youngest of the three is Protestantism. It arose from an attempt to reform the Catholic Church by Martin Luther in the 16th century.

The division into Orthodoxy and Catholicism has a rich history. The beginning was the events that took place in 1054. It was then that the legates of the then-reigning Pope Leo IX drew up an act of excommunication against Patriarch Michael Ceroullarius of Constantinople and the entire Eastern Church. During the liturgy in the Hagia Sophia, they put him on the throne and left. Patriarch Michael responded by convening a council, at which, in turn, he excommunicated the papal ambassadors. The pope took their side, and since then the commemoration of popes at divine services has ceased in the Orthodox Churches, and the Latins have been considered schismatics.

We have collected the main differences and similarities between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, information about the tenets of Catholicism and features of the confession. It is important to remember that all Christians are brothers and sisters in Christ, so neither Catholics nor Protestants can be considered “enemies” of the Orthodox Church. However, there are controversial issues in which each denomination is closer or further from the Truth.

Features of Catholicism

Catholicism has over a billion followers worldwide. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope, not the Patriarch, as in Orthodoxy. The Pope is the supreme ruler of the Holy See. Previously, in the Catholic Church, all bishops were called that. Contrary to popular belief about the total infallibility of the Pope, Catholics consider only doctrinal statements and decisions of the Pope to be infallible. Pope Francis is currently the head of the Catholic Church. He was elected on March 13, 2013, and this is the first Pope in many years who. In 2016, Pope Francis met with Patriarch Kirill to discuss critical issues for Catholicism and Orthodoxy. In particular, the problem of persecution of Christians, which exists in some regions even today.

Doctrine of the Catholic Church

A number of dogmas of the Catholic Church differ from the corresponding understanding of the Gospel truth in Orthodoxy.

Filioque is the Dogma that the Holy Spirit comes from both God the Father and God the Son.
Celibacy is the dogma of the celibacy of the clergy.
The Holy Tradition of Catholics includes the decisions taken after the seven Ecumenical Councils and the Papal Epistles.
Purgatory is a dogma about an intermediate “station” between hell and heaven, where you can atone for your sins.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and her bodily ascension.
Communion of the laity only with the Body of Christ, the clergy with the Body and Blood.

Of course, these are not all differences from Orthodoxy, but Catholicism recognizes those dogmas that are not considered true in Orthodoxy.

Who are Catholics

The largest number of Catholics, people who practice Catholicism, live in Brazil, Mexico and the United States. Interestingly, in each country, Catholicism has its own cultural characteristics.

Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

Unlike Catholicism, Orthodoxy believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father, as stated in the Creed.
In Orthodoxy, only monastics observe celibacy, the rest of the clergy can marry.
The sacred tradition of the Orthodox does not include, in addition to the ancient oral tradition, the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, the decisions of subsequent church councils, papal messages.
In Orthodoxy there is no dogma about purgatory.
Orthodoxy does not recognize the doctrine of the "treasury of grace" - an overabundance of the good deeds of Christ, the apostles, the Virgin Mary, which allow you to "draw" salvation from this treasury. It was this doctrine that allowed for the possibility of indulgences, which at one time became a stumbling block between Catholics and future Protestants. Indulgence was one of those phenomena in Catholicism that deeply revolted Martin Luther. His plans included not the creation of a new confession, but the reformation of Catholicism.
In Orthodoxy, the laity Communion with the Body and Blood of Christ: “Take, eat: this is my body, and drink all of you from it: this is my blood.”

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

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

The history of the existence of two currents

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

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

Similarities between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

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

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

Differences between faiths

Distinctive features between these confessions also exist. It was because of these factors that the church once split. It is worth noting:

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

church hierarchy

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

The Catholic Church has the following ranks:

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

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

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 final division of the United Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism took place in 1054. However, both the Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church consider themselves only "the one holy, catholic (cathedral) and apostolic Church".

First of all, Catholics are also Christians. Christianity is divided into three main areas: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. But there is no single Protestant Church (there are several thousand Protestant denominations in the world), and the Orthodox Church includes several independent Churches.

Besides the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), there is the Georgian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church, the Romanian Orthodox Church, etc.

The Orthodox Churches are governed by patriarchs…

On July 16, 1054, in the Cathedral of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, official representatives of the Pope announced the deposition of Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. Since then, there have been churches that we today call Catholic and Orthodox.

Let's define concepts

Three main directions in Christianity - Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. There is no single Protestant church, because there are many hundreds of Protestant churches (denominations) in the world. Orthodoxy and Catholicism are churches with a hierarchical structure, with their own doctrine, worship, their own internal legislation and their own religious and cultural traditions inherent in each of them.

Catholicism is an integral church, all components and all members of which are subject to the Pope as their head. The Orthodox Church is not so monolithic. At the moment it consists of 15 independent, but mutually…

Orthodoxy is one of the main branches of Christianity. Orthodoxy is believed to have originated in 33 AD. among the Greeks living in Jerusalem. Its founder was Jesus Christ. Of all the Christian denominations, Orthodoxy to the greatest extent retained the features and traditions of early Christianity. Orthodox believe in one God, acting in three hypostases - God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

According to Orthodox teaching, Jesus Christ has a dual nature: Divine and Human. He was born (and not created) by God the Father before the creation of the world. In his earthly life, He was born as a result of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary from the Holy Spirit. Orthodox believe in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. For the sake of saving people, He came to Earth and was martyred on the cross. They believe in His resurrection and ascension into heaven and await His second coming and the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth. The Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father. Communion to the Church, one, holy, catholic and ...

Struggle between Catholicism and Orthodoxy Dogmatic differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism Canonical differences between Catholics and Orthodoxy Mutual influence of religions on each other

Christianity is the most widespread religion in the world with a huge number of followers. Meanwhile, not all adherents of Christianity find a common language among themselves. Over the centuries, certain traditions of Christianity were formed, which differed depending on the geography. To date, there are three main areas of Christianity, which, in turn, have separate branches. Orthodoxy was entrenched in the Slavic states, however, the largest direction of Christianity is Catholicism. Protestantism can be called an anti-Catholic branch.

The struggle between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

In fact, Catholicism is the original and most ancient form of Christianity. The politicization of church authority and the emergence of heretical movements led to a split in the Church...