It is the largest destination in.

It has received the greatest distribution in Europe (Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary), in Latin America and the USA. To one degree or another, Catholicism is widespread in almost all countries of the globe. Word "Catholicism" comes from the Latin - "universal, universal." After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the church remained the only centralized organization and force capable of stopping the onset of chaos. This led to the political rise of the church and its influence on the formation of the states of Western Europe.

Features of the dogma "Catholicism"

Catholicism has a number of features in the doctrine, cult and structure of the religious organization, which reflected the specific features of the development of Western Europe. Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition are recognized as the basis of doctrine. All books included in the Latin translation of the Bible (Vulgate) are considered canonical. Only the clergy are entitled to interpret the text of the Bible. Sacred Tradition is formed by the decrees of the 21st Ecumenical Council (it recognizes only the first seven), as well as the judgments of the popes on ecclesiastical and secular problems. The clergy take a vow of celibacy - celibacy, thus, it becomes, as it were, partaker of divine grace, which separates it from the laity, whom the church likened to a herd, and the clergy were assigned the role of shepherds. The Church helps the laity to achieve salvation at the expense of the treasury of good deeds, i.e. a surplus of good deeds done by Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the saints. As the vicar of Christ on earth, the pope manages this treasury of overdue deeds, distributing them among those who need them. This practice, called sharing indulgences, was subjected to fierce criticism from Orthodoxy and led to a split in Catholicism, the emergence of a new direction in Christianity -.

Catholicism follows the Nicene-Tsargrad Creed, but creates its own understanding of a number of dogmas. On the Toledo Cathedral in 589, an addition was made to the Creed about the procession of the Holy Spirit not only from God the Father, but also from God the Son (lat. filioque- and from the Son). Until now, this understanding has been the main obstacle to the dialogue between the Orthodox and Catholic churches.

A feature of Catholicism is also the sublime veneration of the Mother of God - the Virgin Mary, the recognition of the dogmas of her immaculate conception and bodily ascension, according to which the Most Holy Theotokos was taken to heaven "with soul and body for the glory of heaven." In 1954, a special holiday dedicated to the "Queen of Heaven" was established.

Seven sacraments of Catholicism

In addition to the common Christian doctrine of the existence of heaven and hell, Catholicism recognizes the doctrine of purgatory as an intermediate place where the soul of the sinner is cleansed, passing through severe trials.

Commitment sacraments- the ritual actions adopted in Christianity, with the help of which special grace is transmitted to believers, in Catholicism is distinguished by a number of features.

Catholics, like the Orthodox, recognize seven sacraments:

• baptism;
• communion (eucharist);
• priesthood;
• repentance (confession);
• chrismation (confirmation);
• marriage;
• unction (unction).

The sacrament of baptism is performed by dousing with water, chrismation or confirmation - when the child reaches the age of seven - eight years, and in Orthodoxy - immediately after baptism. The sacrament of communion among Catholics is performed on unleavened bread, and among the Orthodox - on leavened bread. Until recently, only the clergy took communion with wine and bread, and the laity only with bread. The sacrament of unction - a prayer service and anointing the sick or dying with special oil - oil - in Catholicism is considered as a church blessing to the dying, and in Orthodoxy - as a way to heal the disease. Divine services in Catholicism until recently were performed exclusively in Latin, which made it completely incomprehensible to believers. Only II Vatican Council(1962-1965) allowed services in national languages ​​as well.

Extremely developed in Catholicism is the veneration of saints, martyrs, blessed, whose ranks are constantly increasing. The center of cult and ritual rituals is the temple, decorated with paintings and sculptures on religious themes. Catholicism actively uses all means of aesthetic influence on the feelings of believers, both visual and musical.

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

The history of the split of the Christian church

As a result of reformist views over the course of 2000 years, different currents of Christianity have arisen:

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

Each religion subsequently breaks up into new confessions.

In Orthodoxy, Greek, Russian, Georgian, Serbian, Ukrainian and other patriarchates arise, which have their own branches. Catholics are divided into Roman and Greek Catholics. It is difficult to list all confessions in Protestantism.

All these religions are united by one root - Christ and faith in the Holy Trinity.

Read about other religions:

The Holy Trinity

The Roman Church was founded by the Apostle Peter, who spent his last days in Rome. Even then, the Pope headed the church, in translation meaning "Our Father." At that time, few priests were ready to take over the leadership of Christianity because of the fear of persecution.

Eastern Rite Christianity was led by four oldest Churches:

• Constantinople, whose patriarch headed the eastern branch;
• Alexandria;
• Jerusalem, whose first patriarch was the earthly brother of Jesus, James;
• Antioch.

Thanks to the educational mission of the Eastern priesthood, Christians from Serbia, Bulgaria, and Romania joined them in the 4th-5th centuries. Subsequently, these countries declared themselves autocephalous, independent of the Orthodox movement.

On a purely human level, visions of development began to emerge in the newly formed churches, rivalries arose that intensified after Constantine the Great named Constantinople the capital of the empire in the fourth century.

After the fall of the power of Rome, all the supremacy passed to the Patriarch of Constantinople, which caused dissatisfaction with the Western Rite, headed by the Pope.

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

St. Peter

Filioque

The differences between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox also relate to the filioque, the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit, which became the root cause of the split of the Christian united Church.

Christian theologians more than a thousand years ago did not come to a general conclusion about the procession of the Holy Spirit. The question is who sends the Spirit - God the Father or God the Son.

The Apostle John conveys (John 15:26) that Jesus will send the Comforter in the form of the Spirit of truth, proceeding from God the Father. In the epistle to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul directly confirms the procession of the Spirit from Jesus, who blows the Holy Spirit into the hearts of Christians.

According to the Nicene formula, belief in the Holy Spirit sounds like an appeal to one of the hypostases of the Holy Trinity.

The Fathers of the Second Ecumenical Council expanded this appeal “I believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father”, emphasizing the role of the Son, which was not accepted by the Constantinople priests.

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

All these disagreements gathered drop by drop to express themselves in a huge explosion of the schema.

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

Interesting! The priests, who did not find a common understanding in matters of government, were divided into the Orthodox and Catholic Churches. Initially, Christian churches were called orthodox. After the partition, the eastern Christian movement retained the name of orthodoxy or Orthodoxy, while the western direction became known as Catholicism or the universal Church.

Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

1. In recognition of the infallibility and primacy of the Pope and in relation to the filioque.
2. Orthodox canons deny purgatory, where, having sinned with a not very serious sin, the soul is cleansed and sent to paradise. In Orthodoxy there are no major or minor sins, sin is sin, and it can be cleansed only by the sacrament of confession during the life of a sinner.
3. Catholics came up with indulgences that give a “pass” to Heaven for good deeds, but the Bible says that salvation is a grace from God, and without true faith you won’t earn a place in paradise with good deeds alone. (Eph. 8:2-9)

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: similarities and differences

Differences in rituals

The two religions differ in the calendar of worship services. Catholics live according to the Gregorian calendar, Orthodox - Julian. According to the Gregorian chronology, Jewish and Orthodox Easter can coincide, which is prohibited. According to the Julian calendar, Russian, Georgian, Ukrainian, Serbian and Jerusalem Orthodox Churches conduct divine services.

There are also differences when writing icons. In the Orthodox ministry, this is a two-dimensional image; Catholicism practices naturalistic dimensions.

Eastern Christians have the opportunity to divorce and get married a second time, in the Western rite divorces are prohibited.

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

Orthodox Christians make the sign of the cross from right to left, folding their fingers in a certain way, while Catholics do it the other way around, not focusing on the hands.

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

Important! Catholics explain the direction of baptism by the fact that when the cross is applied, there is a cleansing from sin to salvation. According to Orthodoxy, at baptism, a Christian proclaims the victory of God over the devil.

How do Christians who were once in unity treat each other? Orthodoxy does not have liturgical communion with Catholics, joint prayers.

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

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

Daily life: rituals and services

Sayings of the Saints on Division and Unity

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to measure the value of faith in this or that rite, the truth of accepting God the Father and walking under the power of the Holy Spirit in love for God the Son, Jesus Christ? God will show all this in the future.

Video about the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? Andrey Kuraev

It is very important for a believing Christian to accurately represent the main provisions of his own faith. The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which manifested itself during the period of the church schism in the middle of the 11th century, developed over the years and centuries and created practically different branches of Christianity.

In short, what distinguishes Orthodoxy is that it is a more canonical teaching. No wonder the church is also called Eastern Orthodoxy. Here they try to adhere to the original traditions with high accuracy.

Consider the main milestones of history:

• Until the 11th century, Christianity develops as a single doctrine (of course, the statement is largely arbitrary, since for a whole millennium various heresies and new schools that deviated from the canon appeared), which is actively progressing, spreading in the world, the so-called Ecumenical Councils are held, designed to solve some of the dogmatic features of the doctrine;
• The Great Schism, that is, the Church Schism of the 11th century, which separates the Western Roman Catholic Church from the Eastern Orthodox Church, in fact, the Patriarch of Constantinople (Eastern Church) and the Roman Pontiff Leo the Ninth quarreled, as a result, they betrayed each other to mutual anathema, that is, excommunication from churches;
• the separate path of the two churches: in the West, in Catholicism, the institution of pontiffs flourishes and various additions are made to the dogma; in the East, the original tradition is honored. Russia becomes in fact the successor of Byzantium, although the Greek Church remained the guardian of the Orthodox tradition to a greater extent;
• 1965 - the formal lifting of mutual anathemas after the meeting in Jerusalem and the signing of the corresponding declaration.

Over the course of almost a thousand years, Catholicism has undergone a huge number of changes. In turn, in Orthodoxy, even minor innovations that concerned only the ritual side were not always accepted.

The main differences between traditions

Initially, the Catholic Church was formally closer to the basis of the doctrine, since the Apostle Peter was the first pontiff in this particular church.

In fact, the tradition of the transmission of the Catholic ordination of the apostles comes from Peter himself.

Although consecration (that is, ordination to the priesthood) also exists in Orthodoxy, and every priest who becomes a partaker of the Holy Gifts in Orthodoxy also becomes the bearer of the original tradition coming from Christ himself and the apostles.

Note! In order to indicate each difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, a significant amount of time will be required, this material sets out the most basic details and provides an opportunity to develop a conceptual understanding of the difference in traditions.

After the split, Catholics and Orthodox gradually became carriers of very different views. We will try to consider the most significant differences that relate to both dogmatics, and the ritual side, and other aspects.

Perhaps the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is contained in the text of the “Symbol of Faith” prayer, which should be regularly recited by the believer.

Such a prayer is, as it were, a super-compressed summary of the entire teaching, describes the main postulates. In Eastern Orthodoxy, the Holy Spirit comes from God the Father, each Catholic in turn reads about the descent of the Holy Spirit from both the Father and the Son.

Prior to the schism, various decisions regarding dogmatics were taken by the conciliar, that is, by representatives of all regional churches at a common council. This tradition still remains in Orthodoxy, but it is not this that is essential, but the dogma of the infallibility of the pontiff of the Roman Church.

This fact is one of the most significant, which is the difference between Orthodoxy and the Catholic tradition, since the figure of the patriarch does not have such powers and has a completely different function. The pontiff, in turn, is a vicar (that is, as if an official representative with all the powers) of Christ on earth. Of course, the scriptures say nothing about this, and this dogma was adopted by the church itself much later than the crucifixion of Christ.

Even the first pontiff Peter, whom Jesus himself appointed "the stone on which he will build the church," was not endowed with such powers, he was an apostle, but no more.

However, the modern pontiff, to some extent, is no different from Christ himself (before His coming at the end of time) and can independently make any additions to the dogma. From this arise differences in dogma, which in a significant way lead away from the original Christianity.

A typical example is the virginity of the conception of the Virgin Mary, which we will discuss in more detail below. This is not indicated in the scriptures (even the exact opposite is indicated), but Catholics relatively recently (in the 19th century) accepted the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin, accepted the current pontiff for that period, that is, this decision was infallible and dogmatically correct, in agreement with the will of Christ himself .

Quite rightly, it is the Orthodox and Catholic Churches that deserve more attention and detailed consideration, since only these Christian traditions have the rite of consecration, which actually comes directly from Christ through the apostles, whom He provided on the day of Pentecost with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. The apostles, in turn, passed on the Holy Gifts through the ordination of priests. Other movements, such as, for example, Protestants or Lutherans, do not have the rite of transmission of the Holy Gifts, that is, priests in these movements are outside the direct transmission of doctrine and sacraments.

Icon painting traditions

Only Orthodoxy differs from other Christian traditions in the veneration of icons. In fact, this has not only a cultural aspect, but also a religious one.

Catholics have icons, but they do not have the exact traditions of creating images that convey the events of the spiritual world and allow one to ascend into the spiritual world. To understand the difference between the perception in the two directions of Christianity, just look at the images in the temples:

• in Orthodoxy and nowhere else (if Christianity is considered), the icon-painting image is always created using a special technique for building perspective, in addition to this, deep and multifaceted religious symbols are used, those present on the icon never express earthly emotions;
• if you look in a Catholic church, you can immediately see that these are mostly paintings painted by simple artists, they convey beauty, they can be symbolic, but they focus on the earthly, saturated with human emotions;
• characteristic is the difference in the image of the cross with the Savior, because Orthodoxy differs from other traditions in the image of Christ without naturalistic details, there is no emphasis on the body, He is an example of the dominance of the spirit over the body, and Catholics most often in the crucifixion focus on the sufferings of Christ, carefully depict the details the wounds that He had, consider the feat precisely in suffering.

Note! There are separate branches of Catholic mysticism that represent an in-depth concentration on the suffering of Christ. The believer seeks to fully identify himself with the Savior and experience his full suffering. By the way, in connection with this, there are phenomena of stigmata.

In short, the orthodox church shifts the focus to the spiritual side of things, even art is used here as part of a special technique that changes the perception of a person so that he can better enter into a prayerful mood and perception of the heavenly world.

Catholics, in turn, do not use art in this way, they can emphasize beauty (Madonna and Child) or suffering (Crucifixion), but these phenomena are transmitted purely as attributes of the earthly order. As the wise saying goes, to understand religion, you need to look at the images in the temples.

Immaculate Conception of the Virgin

In the modern Western church, there is a kind of cult of the Virgin Mary, which was formed purely historically and also largely due to the adoption of the previously noted dogma about Her Immaculate Conception.

If we remember the scripture, then it clearly speaks of Joachim and Anna, who conceived quite viciously, in a normal human way. Of course, this was also a miracle, since they were elderly people, and the archangel Gabriel appeared to everyone before, but the conception was human.

Therefore, for the Orthodox, the Mother of God is not a representative of the divine nature from the very beginning. Although she subsequently ascended in the body and was taken by Christ to Heaven. Catholics now consider Her to be something like the personification of the Lord. After all, if the conception was immaculate, that is, from the Holy Spirit, then the Virgin Mary, like Christ, combined both divine and human nature.

Good to know!

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 trend 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 to 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 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”) has contributed to the survival of Christianity 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), Repentance (Reconciliation, Confession) and Consecration of the Unction.
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 at the bottom, 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.

For those who are interested.

Recently, many people have developed a very dangerous stereotype that supposedly there is not much difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, Protestanism. Some people think that in reality the distance is significant, almost like heaven and earth, or maybe even more?

Others that p The Orthodox Church has preserved the Christian faith in purity and integrity, exactly as Christ revealed it, as the apostles conveyed it, as the ecumenical councils and teachers of the Church consolidated and explained it, in contrast to the Catholics, who distorted this teaching with a mass of heretical errors.

Third, that in the 21st century, that all beliefs are wrong! There cannot be 2 truths, 2 + 2 will always be 4, not 5, not 6 ... Truth is an axiom (not requiring proof), everything else is a theorem (until proven it cannot be recognized ...).

"So many Religions, so many different ones, do people really think that "THE" on top of the "Christian god" sits in a neighboring office with "Ra" and everyone else ... So many versions say that they were written by a person, and not "a higher power "(what kind of state with 10 constitutions ??? What kind of President is unable to approve one of them all over the world ???)

"Religion, patriotism, team sports (football, etc.) give rise to aggression, all the power of the state rests on this hatred of "others", of "not like that" ... Religion is no better than nationalism, only it is covered with a curtain of peace and it does not hit immediately, but with much greater consequences .. ".
And this is only a small part of the opinions.

Let's try to calmly consider what are the fundamental differences between the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant denominations? And are they really that big?
The Christian faith from time immemorial has been attacked by opponents. In addition, attempts to interpret the Holy Scriptures in their own way were made at different times by different people. Perhaps this was the reason why the Christian faith was divided over time into Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox. They are all very similar, but there are differences between them. Who are Protestants and how does their teaching differ from Catholic and Orthodox?

Christianity is the world's largest religion in terms of the number of adherents (about 2.1 billion people worldwide), in Russia, Europe, North and South America, as well as in many African countries, it is the dominant religion. There are Christian communities in almost all countries of the world.

At the heart of Christian doctrine is faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Savior of all mankind, as well as in the trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit). It originated in the 1st century AD. in Palestine and within a few decades began to spread throughout the Roman Empire and within its sphere of influence. Subsequently, Christianity penetrated the countries of Western and Eastern Europe, missionary expeditions reached the countries of Asia and Africa. With the beginning of the Great geographical discoveries and the development of colonialism, it began to spread to other continents.

Today, there are three main areas of the Christian religion: Catholicism, Orthodoxy and Protestantism. The so-called ancient Eastern churches (Armenian Apostolic Church, Assyrian Church of the East, Coptic, Ethiopian, Syrian and Indian Malabar Orthodox Churches) stand out in a separate group, which did not accept the decisions of the IV Ecumenical (Chalcedon) Council of 451.

Catholicism

The split of the church into Western (Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) occurred in 1054. Catholicism is currently the largest Christian denomination in terms of the number of adherents. It is distinguished from other Christian denominations by several important dogmas: on the Immaculate Conception and the Ascension of the Virgin Mary, the doctrine of purgatory, on indulgences, the dogma of the infallibility of the actions of the Pope as the head of the church, the assertion of the power of the Pope as the successor of the Apostle Peter, the indissolubility of the sacrament of marriage, the veneration of saints , martyrs and blessed.

Catholic teaching speaks of the procession of the Holy Spirit from God the Father and from God the Son. All Catholic priests take a vow of celibacy, baptism occurs through a libation of water on the head. The sign of the cross is made from left to right, most often with five fingers.

Catholics make up the majority of believers in Latin America, Southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal), Ireland, Scotland, Belgium, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, and Malta. A significant part of the population professes Catholicism in the USA, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Latvia, Lithuania, the western regions of Ukraine and Belarus. There are many Catholics in the Middle East in Lebanon, in Asia - in the Philippines and East Timor, and partially in Vietnam, South Korea and China. The influence of Catholicism is great in some African countries (mainly in the former French colonies).

Orthodoxy

Orthodoxy was originally subordinate to the Patriarch of Constantinople, at present there are many local (autocephalous and autonomous) Orthodox churches, the highest hierarchs of which are called patriarchs (for example, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia). Jesus Christ is considered the head of the church, there is no figure like the Pope in Orthodoxy. The institution of monasticism plays an important role in the life of the church, while the clergy are divided into white (non-monastic) and black (monastic). Representatives of the white clergy can marry and have a family. Unlike Catholicism, Orthodoxy does not recognize the dogmas about the infallibility of the Pope and his primacy over all Christians, about the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and from the Son, about purgatory and about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary.

The sign of the cross in Orthodoxy is done from right to left, with three fingers (three fingers). In some currents of Orthodoxy (Old Believers, co-religionists) two fingers are used - the sign of the cross with two fingers.

Orthodox make up the majority of believers in Russia, in the eastern regions of Ukraine and Belarus, in Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Macedonia, Georgia, Abkhazia, Serbia, Romania, and Cyprus. A significant percentage of the Orthodox population is represented in Bosnia and Herzegovina, parts of Finland, northern Kazakhstan, some US states, Estonia, Latvia, Kyrgyzstan and Albania. There are also Orthodox communities in some African countries.

Protestantism

The formation of Protestantism dates back to the 16th century and is associated with the Reformation - a broad movement against the dominance of the Catholic Church in Europe. In the modern world, there are many Protestant churches, for which there is no single center.

Among the original forms of Protestantism, Anglicanism, Calvinism, Lutheranism, Zwinglianism, Anabaptism, and Mennonism stand out. Subsequently, such movements as Quakers, Pentecostals, the Salvation Army, Evangelicals, Adventists, Baptists, Methodists and many others have developed. Such religious associations, such as, for example, Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses, are classified by some researchers as Protestant churches, others as sects.

Most Protestants recognize the common Christian dogma of the trinity of God and the authority of the Bible, however, unlike Catholics and Orthodox, they oppose the interpretation of Holy Scripture. Most Protestants deny icons, monasticism and the veneration of saints, believing that a person can be saved through faith in Jesus Christ. Some of the Protestant churches are more conservative, some are more liberal (this difference in views on marriage and divorce is especially visible), many of them are active in missionary work. Such a branch as Anglicanism, in many of its manifestations, is close to Catholicism, and the question of recognition of the authority of the Pope by the Anglicans is currently underway.

There are Protestants in most countries of the world. They make up the majority of believers in Great Britain, the USA, the Scandinavian countries, Australia, New Zealand, and there are also many of them in Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Canada, and Estonia. A growing percentage of Protestants is observed in South Korea, as well as in such traditionally Catholic countries as Brazil and Chile. Protestantism of its own (such as, for example, kimbangism) exist in Africa.

COMPARATIVE TABLE OF DOCUMENTARY, ORGANIZATIONAL AND RITUAL DIFFERENCES IN ORTHODOXY, CATHOLICITY AND PROTESTANTISM

ORTHODOXY CATHOLICISM PROTESTANTISM 1. ORGANIZATION OF THE CHURCH Relation to other Christian denominations Considers itself the only true Church. Considers itself the only true Church. However, after the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), it is customary to speak of Orthodox Churches as Sister Churches, and of Protestants as church associations. A variety of views up to the refusal to consider belonging to any particular denomination mandatory for a Christian Internal Organization of the Church The division into local Churches is preserved. There are numerous differences on ceremonial and canonical issues (for example, the recognition or non-recognition of the Gregorian calendar). There are several different Orthodox Churches in Russia. Under the auspices of the Moscow Patriarchate are 95% of believers; The most ancient alternative denomination is the Old Believers. Organizational unity, sealed by the authority of the Pope (head of the Church), with significant autonomy of monastic orders. There are a few groups of Old Catholics and Lefevrist (traditionalist) Catholics who do not recognize the dogma of the infallibility of the pope. Lutheranism and Anglicanism are dominated by centralization. Baptism is organized on a federal basis: the Baptist community is autonomous and sovereign, subject only to Jesus Christ. Unions of communities solve only organizational issues. Relations with secular authorities In different epochs and in different countries, the Orthodox Churches were either in alliance (“symphony”) with the authorities, or were subject to them in civil terms. Until the beginning of the new time, church authorities competed with secular authorities in their influence, and the pope had secular power over vast territories. A variety of models of relations with the state: in some European countries (for example, in the UK) - the state religion, in others - the Church is completely separated from the state. Attitude towards marriage of the clergy White clergy (i.e. all clergy except monks) have the right to marry once. The clergy take a vow of celibacy (celibacy), with the exception of the priests of the Eastern Rite Churches, based on union with the Catholic Church. Marriage is possible for all believers. Monasticism There is a monasticism whose spiritual father is St. Basil the Great. Monasteries are subdivided into communal (cinovial) monasteries with common property and general spiritual guidance, and special monasteries, in which there are no rules of cinovium. There is monasticism, which from the 11th - 12th centuries. began to take shape in orders. The most influential was the Order of St. Benedict. Later, other orders arose: monastic (Cistercian, Dominican, Franciscan, etc.) and spiritual knights (Templars, Hospitallers, etc.) Rejects monasticism. Supreme authority in matters of faith The highest authorities are sacred Scripture and sacred tradition, which include the works of the fathers and teachers of the church; Creeds of the most ancient local churches; creeds and rules of ecumenical and those local councils, the authority of which is recognized by the 6th Ecumenical Council; ancient practice of the Church. In the 19th - 20th centuries. the opinion was expressed that the development of dogmas by church councils is permissible in the presence of the grace of God. The highest authority is the Pope and his position on matters of faith (the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope). The authority of Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition is also recognized. Catholics consider the councils of their Church to be ecumenical. The supreme authority is the Bible. There are varied views on who has the authority to interpret the Bible. In some areas, a close to the Catholic view of the church hierarchy as an authority in the interpretation of the Bible is preserved, or the totality of believers is recognized as the source of authoritative interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. Others are characterized by extreme individualism ("everyone reads his own Bible"). 2. DOGMA The dogma of the procession of the Holy Spirit Believes that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father through the Son. He believes that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and from the Son (filioque; lat. filioque - "and from the Son"). Eastern Rite Catholics have a different opinion on this issue. The denominations that are members of the World Council of Churches accept a brief, common Christian (Apostolic) Creed that does not affect this issue. The doctrine of the Virgin Mary The Mother of God had no personal sin, but bore the consequences of original sin, like all people. The Orthodox believe in the ascension of the Mother of God after her Assumption (death), although there is no dogma about this. There is a dogma about the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary, which implies the absence of not only personal, but also original sin. Mary is perceived as a model of a perfect woman. Catholic dogmas about Her are rejected. attitude to purgatory and the doctrine of "ordeals" There is a doctrine of "ordeals" - tests of the soul of the deceased after death. There is a belief in judgment over the dead (anticipating the last, Last Judgment) and in purgatory, where the dead are freed from sins. The doctrine of purgatory and "ordeals" is rejected. 3. THE BIBLE Correlation between the authorities of Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition Sacred Scripture is considered as part of Sacred Tradition. Sacred Scripture is equated with sacred Tradition. Holy Scripture is higher than Holy Tradition. 4. CHURCH PRACTICE Sacraments Seven sacraments are accepted: baptism, chrismation, repentance, Eucharist, marriage, priesthood, anointing (unction). Seven sacraments are accepted: baptism, chrismation, repentance, the Eucharist, marriage, priesthood, and unction. In most areas, two sacraments are recognized - communion and baptism. Several sects (mainly Anabaptists and Quakers) do not recognize the sacraments. Acceptance of new members into the bosom of the Church Baptism of children (preferably in three immersions). Confirmation and first communion take place immediately after baptism. Baptism of children (through sprinkling and pouring). Confirmation and the first baptism are performed, as a rule, at a conscious age (from 7 to 12 years old); while the child must know the basics of faith. As a rule, through baptism at a conscious age with the obligatory knowledge of the basics of faith. Features of communion The Eucharist is celebrated on leavened bread (leavened bread); communion for the clergy and laity with the Body of Christ and His Blood (bread and wine) The Eucharist is celebrated on unleavened bread (unleavened bread made without yeast); communion for the clergy - the Body and Blood of Christ (bread and wine), for the laity - only the Body of Christ (bread). In different directions, different types of bread are used for communion. Attitude towards confession Confession in the presence of a priest is considered obligatory; It is customary to confess before every communion. In exceptional cases, direct repentance before God is also possible. Confession in the presence of a priest is considered desirable at least once a year. In exceptional cases, direct repentance before God is also possible. The role of mediators between man and God is not recognized. No one has the right to confess and forgive sins. divine service The main service is the liturgy according to the Eastern rite. The main service is the Liturgy (Mass) according to the Latin and Oriental rites. Various forms of worship. The language of worship In most countries, worship is in national languages; in Russia, as a rule, in Church Slavonic. Divine services in national languages, as well as in Latin. Worship in national languages. 5. Piety Veneration of icons and the cross Developed veneration of the cross, icons. The Orthodox separate icon painting from painting as an art form that is not necessary for salvation. Images of Jesus Christ, the cross and saints are venerated. Only prayer in front of an icon is allowed, and not prayer to an icon. Icons are not respected. In churches and prayer houses there are images of the cross, and in areas where Orthodoxy is widespread, there are Orthodox icons. Attitude towards the cult of the Virgin Mary Prayers to the Virgin Mary are accepted as the Mother of God, Mother of God, Intercessor. The cult of the Virgin Mary is absent. The veneration of saints. Prayers for the Dead Saints are revered, they are prayed as intercessors before God. Prayers for the dead are accepted. Saints are not revered. Prayers for the dead are not accepted.

ORTHODOXY AND PROTESTANTISM: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?

The Orthodox Church has preserved intact the truth that the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the apostles. But the Lord Himself warned His disciples that from among those who will be with them, people will appear who want to distort the truth and cloud it with their inventions: Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.(Matt. 7 , 15).

And the apostles also warned about this. For example, the apostle Peter wrote: you will have false teachers who will introduce destructive heresies and, denying the Lord who bought them, will bring swift destruction upon themselves. And many will follow their depravity, and through them the path of truth will be reproached... Leaving the straight path, they went astray... the darkness of eternal darkness is prepared for them(2 Pet. 2 , 1-2, 15, 17).

Heresy is a lie that a person consciously follows. The path that Jesus Christ opened requires selflessness and effort from a person in order to show whether he really entered this path with a firm intention and out of love for the truth. It is not enough just to call yourself a Christian, you have to prove with your deeds, words and thoughts, with your whole life that you are a Christian. He who loves the truth is ready to give up all lies in his thoughts and his life for the sake of it, so that the truth enters into him, cleanses and sanctifies him.

But not everyone enters this path with pure intentions. And so the subsequent life in the Church reveals their bad mood. And those who love themselves more than God fall away from the Church.

There is a sin of deed - when a person violates the commandments of God by deed, and there is a sin of the mind - when a person prefers his lie to Divine truth. The second is called heresy. And among those who called themselves Christians at different times, both people betrayed by the sin of the deed and people betrayed by the sin of the mind were revealed. Both of these people oppose God. Either person, if he made a firm choice in favor of sin, cannot remain in the Church, and falls away from it. So throughout history, everyone who chose sin left the Orthodox Church.

The apostle John spoke of them: They went out from us, but were not ours: for if they were ours, they would have remained with us; but they went out, and through that it was revealed that not all of our(1 Jn. 2 , 19).

Their fate is unenviable, because the Scripture says that those who betray heresies...the Kingdom of God will not inherit(Gal. 5 , 20-21).

Precisely because a person is free, he can always make a choice and use freedom either for good, choosing the path to God, or for evil, choosing sin. This is the reason why false teachers arose and those who believed them more than Christ and His Church arose.

When heretics appeared who brought lies, the holy fathers of the Orthodox Church began to explain their delusions to them and urged them to abandon fiction and turn to the truth. Some, being convinced by their words, were corrected, but not all. And about those who persisted in a lie, the Church pronounces its judgment, testifying that they are not true followers of Christ and members of the community of the faithful founded by Him. This is how the apostolic advice was fulfilled: Turn away the heretic after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a one has become corrupt and sins, being self-condemned.(Tit. 3 , 10-11).

There have been many such people in history. The most widespread and numerous of the communities they founded that have survived to this day are the Monophysite Eastern Churches (they originated in the 5th century), the Roman Catholic Church (which broke away from the Universal Orthodox Church in the 11th century) and the Churches that call themselves Protestant. Today we will consider what is the difference between the path of Protestantism and the path of the Orthodox Church.

Protestantism

If a branch breaks off from a tree, then, having lost contact with vital juices, it will inevitably begin to dry out, lose its leaves, become brittle and easily break at the first onslaught.

The same can be seen in the life of all communities that have separated from the Orthodox Church. Just as a broken branch cannot hold onto its leaves, so those who are separated from true ecclesiastical unity can no longer maintain their inner unity. This happens because, having left the family of God, they lose touch with the life-giving and saving power of the Holy Spirit, and that sinful desire to oppose the truth and put themselves above others, which led them to fall away from the Church, continues to operate among those who have fallen away, turning already against them and leading to ever new internal divisions.

So, in the 11th century, the Local Roman Church separated from the Orthodox Church, and at the beginning of the 16th century, a significant part of the people separated from it itself, following the ideas of the former Catholic priest Luther and his associates. They formed their own communities, which they began to consider the "Church". This movement is collectively called the Protestants, and their branch itself is called the Reformation.

In turn, the Protestants also did not maintain internal unity, but even more began to divide into different currents and directions, each of which claimed that it was the real Church of Jesus Christ. They continue to divide to this day, and now there are already more than twenty thousand of them in the world.

Each of their directions has its own peculiarities of doctrine, which would take a long time to describe, and here we will limit ourselves to analyzing only the main features that are characteristic of all Protestant nominations and that distinguish them from the Orthodox Church.

The main reason for the emergence of Protestantism was the protest against the teachings and religious practices of the Roman Catholic Church.

As St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) notes, indeed, “many delusions crept into the Roman Church. Luther would have done well if, having rejected the errors of the Latins, he had replaced these errors with the true teaching of the Holy Church of Christ; but he replaced them with his delusions; some errors of Rome, very important, he fully followed, and some strengthened. “Protestants rebelled against the ugly power and divinity of the popes; but since they acted on the impulse of passions, drowning in debauchery, and not with the direct goal of striving for the holy Truth, they were not worthy to see it.

They abandoned the erroneous idea that the Pope is the head of the Church, but retained the Catholic delusion that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son.

Scripture

The Protestants formulated the principle: “only Scripture”, which means that they recognize the authority only for the Bible, and they reject the Holy Tradition of the Church.

And in this they contradict themselves, because the Holy Scripture itself indicates the need to venerate the Holy Tradition coming from the apostles: stand and hold the traditions which you have been taught either by word or by our message(2 Thess. 2 15), writes the Apostle Paul.

If a person writes some text and distributes it to different people, and then asks them to explain how they understood it, then it will surely turn out that someone understood the text correctly, and someone incorrectly, putting their own meaning into these words. It is known that any text may have different interpretations. They may be true or they may be wrong. It is the same with the text of Holy Scripture, if it is torn away from Holy Tradition. Indeed, Protestants think that one should understand the Scriptures in any way one wants. But such an approach cannot help to find the truth.

Here is how Saint Nicholas of Japan wrote about this: “Japanese Protestants sometimes come to me and ask me to explain some place in the Holy Scriptures. "Yes, you have your own missionary teachers - ask them," I tell them. "What do they answer?" - "We asked them, they say: understand, as you know; but I need to know the true thought of God, and not my personal opinion" ... It's not like that with us, everything is light and reliable, clear and durable - because we, apart from the Holy We still accept Holy Tradition, and Holy Tradition is a living, uninterrupted voice ... of our Church from the time of Christ and His Apostles until now, which will be until the end of the world. It is on it that the entire Holy Scripture is affirmed.

The Apostle Peter himself testifies that no prophecy in Scripture can be solved by oneself, for prophecy was never uttered by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke it, being moved by the Holy Spirit(2 Pet. 1 , 20-21). Accordingly, only the holy fathers, moved by the same Holy Spirit, can reveal to man the true understanding of the Word of God.

Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are one indivisible whole, and so it was from the very beginning.

Not in writing, but orally, the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to the apostles how to understand the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament (Lk. 24 27), and they taught the first Orthodox Christians by word of mouth. Protestants wish to imitate in their structure the early apostolic communities, but in the early years the early Christians had no New Testament scripture at all, and everything was handed down by word of mouth, as a tradition.

The Bible was given by God for the Orthodox Church, it was in accordance with Holy Tradition that the Orthodox Church at its Councils approved the composition of the Bible, it was the Orthodox Church that, long before the appearance of Protestants, lovingly preserved the Holy Scriptures in its communities.

Protestants, using the Bible, not written by them, not collected by them, not saved by them, reject the Holy Tradition, and thereby close the true understanding of the Word of God for themselves. Therefore, they often argue about the Bible and often come up with their own, human traditions, which have no connection either with the apostles or with the Holy Spirit, and fall, according to the word of the apostle, into empty deceit, according to human tradition .., and not according to Christ(Col. 2:8).

Sacraments

The Protestants rejected the priesthood and rites, not believing that God could act through them, and even if they left something similar, then only the name, believing that these were only symbols and reminders of historical events left in the past, and not a holy reality in itself. Instead of bishops and priests, they got themselves pastors who have no connection with the apostles, no succession of grace, as in the Orthodox Church, where on every bishop and priest is the blessing of God, which can be traced from our days to Jesus Christ Himself. The Protestant pastor is only an orator and administrator of the life of the community.

As St. Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) says, “Luther… vehemently rejecting the lawless power of the popes, he also rejected the lawful one, rejected the episcopal rank itself, the very ordination, despite the fact that the establishment of both belongs to the apostles themselves… rejected the Sacrament of Confession, although all Holy Scripture testifies that it is impossible to receive remission of sins without confessing them.” Protestants also rejected other sacred rites.

Veneration of the Virgin and Saints

The Blessed Virgin Mary, who gave birth in human form to the Lord Jesus Christ, prophetically said: from now on all generations will please me(OK. 1 , 48). This was said about the true followers of Christ - Orthodox Christians. And indeed, from that time until now, from generation to generation, all Orthodox Christians have venerated the Blessed Virgin Mary. And the Protestants do not want to honor and please her, contrary to Scripture.

The Virgin Mary, like all saints, that is, people who have passed to the end along the path of salvation opened by Christ, have united with God and are always in harmony with Him.

The Mother of God and all the saints became the closest and most beloved friends of God. Even a man, if his beloved friend asks him for something, he will definitely try to fulfill it, likewise, God willingly listens and soon fulfills the requests of the saints. It is known that even during his earthly life, when they asked, He certainly responded. So, for example, at the request of the Mother, He helped the poor newlyweds and performed a miracle at the feast in order to save them from shame (Jn. 2 , 1-11).

Scripture says that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for with Him all are alive(Luke 20:38). Therefore, after death, people do not disappear without a trace, but their living souls are maintained by God, and those who are holy retain the opportunity to communicate with Him. And the Scripture directly says that the saints who have fallen asleep make requests to God and He hears them (see: Rev. 6 , 9-10). Therefore, Orthodox Christians venerate the Blessed Virgin Mary and other saints and turn to them with requests that they intercede before God for us. Experience shows that many healings, deliverance from death and other help are received by those who resort to their prayerful intercession.

For example, in 1395, the great Mongol commander Tamerlane went to Russia with a huge army to capture and destroy its cities, including the capital, Moscow. The Russians did not have enough forces to resist such an army. Orthodox residents of Moscow began to earnestly ask the Most Holy Theotokos to pray to God for their salvation from the impending disaster. And so, one morning, Tamerlane unexpectedly announced to his military leaders that it was necessary to turn the army around and go back. And when asked about the reason, he answered that at night in a dream he saw a great mountain, on top of which stood a beautiful radiant woman who ordered him to leave the Russian lands. And, although Tamerlane was not an Orthodox Christian, out of fear and respect for the holiness and spiritual power of the Virgin Mary who appeared, he submitted to Her.

Prayers for the Dead

Those Orthodox Christians who during their lifetime could not overcome sin and become saints do not disappear after death either, but they themselves need our prayers. Therefore, the Orthodox Church prays for the dead, believing that through these prayers the Lord sends relief for the posthumous fate of our deceased loved ones. But the Protestants do not want to admit this either, and refuse to pray for the dead.

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The Lord Jesus Christ, speaking of his followers, said: days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days(Mk. 2 , 20).

The Lord Jesus Christ was taken from his disciples the first time on Wednesday, when Judas betrayed Him and the evildoers seized Him to take Him to trial, and the second time on Friday, when the villains crucified Him on the Cross. Therefore, in fulfillment of the words of the Savior, since ancient times, Orthodox Christians have been fasting every Wednesday and Friday, abstaining for the Lord from eating products of animal origin, as well as from all kinds of entertainment.

The Lord Jesus Christ fasted for forty days and nights (Matt. 4 2), setting an example for His disciples (cf. Jn. 13 , fifteen). And the apostles, as the Bible says, served the Lord and fasted(Acts. 13 , 2). Therefore, Orthodox Christians, in addition to one-day fasts, also have multi-day fasts, of which the main one is Great Lent.

Protestants deny fasting and fasting days.

sacred images

Whoever wants to worship the true God must not worship false gods, which are either invented by people, or those spirits who have fallen away from God and become evil. These evil spirits often appeared to people in order to mislead them and distract them from worshiping the true God to worshiping themselves.

However, having commanded to build a temple, the Lord even in these ancient times commanded to make in it images of cherubim (see: Ex. 25, 18-22) - spirits who remained faithful to God and became holy angels. Therefore, from the very first times, Orthodox Christians made sacred images of saints united with the Lord. In the ancient underground catacombs, where in the II-III centuries Christians persecuted by pagans gathered for prayer and sacred rites, they depicted the Virgin Mary, the apostles, scenes from the Gospel. These ancient sacred images have survived to this day. In the same way, in the modern churches of the Orthodox Church there are the same sacred images, icons. When looking at them, it is easier for a person to ascend with his soul to prototype, to concentrate their forces on a prayer appeal to him. After such prayers before the holy icons, God often sends help to people, often miraculous healings occur. In particular, Orthodox Christians prayed for deliverance from Tamerlane's army in 1395 at one of the icons of the Mother of God - Vladimirskaya.

However, Protestants, in their delusion, reject the veneration of sacred images, not understanding the difference between them and between idols. This comes from their erroneous understanding of the Bible, as well as from the corresponding spiritual mood - after all, only one who does not understand the difference between a holy and an evil spirit can fail to notice the fundamental difference between the image of a saint and the image of an evil spirit.

Other differences

Protestants believe that if a person recognizes Jesus Christ as God and Savior, then he already becomes saved and holy, and no special deeds are needed for this. And Orthodox Christians, following the Apostle James, believe that faith, if it does not have works, is dead in itself(Jac. 2, 17). And the Savior Himself said: Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord, Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven(Matthew 7:21). This means, according to Orthodox Christians, that it is necessary to fulfill the commandments that express the will of the Father, and thus prove one's faith by deeds.

Also, the Protestants do not have monasticism and monasteries, while the Orthodox have them. The monks work zealously to fulfill all the commandments of Christ. And besides, they take three additional vows for the sake of God: a vow of celibacy, a vow of non-possession (lack of their own property) and a vow of obedience to a spiritual leader. In this they imitate the apostle Paul, who was celibate, unpossessed, and completely obedient to the Lord. The monastic path is considered higher and more glorious than the path of a lay person - a family man, but a lay person can also be saved, become a saint. Among the apostles of Christ there were also married people, namely, the apostles Peter and Philip.

When Saint Nicholas of Japan was asked at the end of the 19th century why, although the Orthodox in Japan have only two missionaries, and the Protestants have six hundred, nevertheless, more Japanese converted to Orthodoxy than to Protestantism, he replied: “It’s not about people, but in teaching. If a Japanese, before accepting Christianity, thoroughly studies it and compares it: in the Catholic mission he learns Catholicism, in the Protestant mission - Protestantism, we have our teaching, then, as far as I know, he always accepts Orthodoxy.<...>What is this? Yes, the fact that in Orthodoxy Christ's teaching is kept pure and whole; we added nothing to it like the Catholics, we didn’t take anything away like the Protestants.”

Indeed, Orthodox Christians are convinced, as St. Theophan the Recluse says, of this immutable truth: “What God has revealed and what God has commanded, nothing should be added to it, nor should anything be taken away from it. This applies to Catholics and Protestants. Those add everything, and these subtract ... The Catholics have muddied the apostolic tradition. The Protestants undertook to improve the situation - and made it even worse. Catholics have one pope, but Protestants have a pope for every Protestant.”

Therefore, everyone who is really interested in the truth, and not in their thoughts, both in past centuries and in our time, will certainly find the way to the Orthodox Church, and often even without any efforts of Orthodox Christians, God Himself leads such people to the truth. For example, let's cite two stories that happened recently, the participants and witnesses of which are still alive.

US case

In the 1960s in the US state of California, in the cities of Ben Lomon and Santa Barbara, a large group of young Protestants came to the conclusion that all the Protestant Churches known to them could not be the real Church, since they assumed that after the apostles the Church of Christ had disappeared. , and it was only in the 16th century that Luther and other leaders of Protestantism revived it. But such an idea contradicts the words of Christ that the gates of hell will not prevail against his Church. And then these young people began to study the historical books of the Christians, from the earliest antiquity, from the first century to the second, then to the third, and so on, tracing the uninterrupted history of the Church founded by Christ and His apostles. And now, thanks to their many years of research, these young Americans themselves became convinced that such a Church is the Orthodox Church, although none of the Orthodox Christians communicated with them and did not inspire them with such an idea, but the history of Christianity itself testified to them this truth. And then they came into contact with the Orthodox Church in 1974, all of them, consisting of more than two thousand people, accepted Orthodoxy.

Case in Benini

Another story happened in West Africa, in Benin. There were no completely Orthodox Christians in this country, most of the inhabitants were pagans, a few more were Muslims, and some were Catholics or Protestants.

One of them, a man named Optat Bekhanzin, had a misfortune in 1969: his five-year-old son Eric became seriously ill and was paralyzed. Behanzin took his son to the hospital, but the doctors said that the boy could not be cured. Then the grief-stricken father turned to his Protestant "Church", began to attend prayer meetings in the hope that God would heal his son. But these prayers were fruitless. After that, Optat gathered some close people at his home, persuading them to pray together to Jesus Christ for the healing of Eric. And after their prayer, a miracle happened: the boy was healed; this strengthened the small community. Subsequently, more and more miraculous healings took place through their prayers to God. Therefore, more and more people passed to them - both Catholics and Protestants.

In 1975, the community decided to formalize itself as an independent church, and the believers decided to pray and fast intensely in order to know the will of God. And at that moment, Eric Behanzin, who was already eleven years old, received a revelation: when asked how they would name their church community, God answered: “My Church is called the Orthodox Church.” This surprised the people of Benin very much, because none of them, including Eric himself, had ever heard of the existence of such a Church, and they did not even know the word "Orthodox". However, they called their community the "Orthodox Church of Benin", and only twelve years later were they able to meet Orthodox Christians. And when they learned about the real Orthodox Church, which has been called that since ancient times and originates from the apostles, they all joined together, consisting of more than 2,500 people, converted to the Orthodox Church. This is how the Lord responds to the requests of all who really seek the path of holiness that leads to the truth, and brings such a person into His Church.
The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

The reason for the split of the Christian Church into Western (Catholicism) and Eastern (Orthodoxy) was the political split that occurred at the turn of the 8th-9th centuries, when Constantinople lost the lands of the western part of the Roman Empire. In the summer of 1054, the Pope's ambassador to Constantinople, Cardinal Humbert, anathematized the Byzantine patriarch Michael Kirularius and his followers. A few days later, a council was held in Constantinople, at which Cardinal Humbert and his henchmen were anathematized in response. Disagreements between representatives of the Roman and Greek churches escalated due to political differences: Byzantium argued with Rome for power. The distrust of East and West spilled over into open hostility after the crusade against Byzantium in 1202, when Western Christians went against their eastern brothers in faith. Only in 1964, Patriarch Athenagoras of Constantinople and Pope Paul VI officially the anathema of 1054 was abolished. However, differences in tradition have become strongly ingrained over the centuries.

Church organization

The Orthodox Church includes several independent Churches. In addition to the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), there are Georgian, Serbian, Greek, Romanian and others. These Churches are governed by patriarchs, archbishops and metropolitans. Not all Orthodox Churches have communion with each other in the sacraments and prayers (which, according to the catechism of Metropolitan Philaret, is a necessary condition for individual Churches to be part of the one Ecumenical Church). Also, not all Orthodox Churches recognize each other as true churches. Orthodox believe that Jesus Christ is the head of the Church.

Unlike the Orthodox Church, Catholicism is one Universal Church. All its parts in different countries of the world are in communion with each other, and also follow the same dogma and recognize the Pope as their head. In the Catholic Church, there are communities within the Catholic Church (rites) that differ from each other in forms of liturgical worship and church discipline. There is a Roman rite, a Byzantine rite, etc. Therefore, there are Roman rite Catholics, Byzantine rite Catholics, etc., but they are all members of the same Church. Catholics consider the Pope to be the head of the Church.

divine service

The main service for the Orthodox is the Divine Liturgy, for Catholics the Mass (Catholic Liturgy).

During the service in the Russian Orthodox Church, it is customary to stand as a sign of humility before God. In other Eastern Rite Churches, it is permitted to sit during worship. As a sign of unconditional obedience, the Orthodox kneel. Contrary to popular belief, it is customary for Catholics to sit and stand in worship. There are services that Catholics listen to on their knees.

Mother of God

In Orthodoxy, the Mother of God is primarily the Mother of God. She is revered as a saint, but she was born in original sin, like all mere mortals, and reposed like all people. Unlike Orthodoxy, in Catholicism it is believed that the Virgin Mary was conceived immaculately without original sin and at the end of her life she was raised alive to heaven.

Symbol of faith

Orthodox believe that the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father. Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son.

Sacraments

The Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church recognize seven main Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation (Confirmation), Communion (Eucharist), Repentance (Confession), Priesthood (Ordination), Consecration (Unction) and Marriage (Wedding). The rituals of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches are almost identical, the differences are only in the interpretation of the sacraments. For example, during the sacrament of baptism in the Orthodox Church, a child or an adult plunges into the font. In a Catholic church, an adult or a child is sprinkled with water. The Sacrament of Communion (Eucharist) is performed on leavened bread. Both the priesthood and the laity partake of both the Blood (wine) and the Body of Christ (bread). In Catholicism, the sacrament of communion is performed on unleavened bread. The priesthood partakes of both the Blood and the Body, while the laity receive only the Body of Christ.

Purgatory

Orthodoxy does not believe in the existence of purgatory after death. Although it is assumed that souls may be in an intermediate state, hoping to go to heaven after the Last Judgment. In Catholicism, there is a dogma about purgatory, where souls dwell in anticipation of paradise.

Faith and Morality
The Orthodox Church only recognizes the decisions of the first seven Ecumenical Councils, which took place from 49 to 787. Catholics recognize the Pope as their head and share the same faith. Although within the Catholic Church there are communities with different forms of liturgical worship: Byzantine, Roman and others. The Catholic Church recognizes the decisions of the 21st Ecumenical Council, the last of which took place in 1962-1965.

Within the framework of Orthodoxy, divorces are allowed in individual cases, which are decided by priests. The Orthodox clergy are divided into "white" and "black". Representatives of the "white clergy" are allowed to marry. True, then they will not be able to receive episcopal and higher dignity. "Black clergy" are monks who take a vow of celibacy. The sacrament of marriage among Catholics is considered to be concluded for life and divorces are prohibited. All Catholic monastic clergy take a vow of celibacy.

sign of the cross

Orthodox are baptized only from right to left with three fingers. Catholics are baptized from left to right. They do not have a single rule, as when creating a cross, you need to fold your fingers, so several options have taken root.

Icons
On Orthodox icons, saints are written in two-dimensional image according to the tradition of reverse perspective. Thus, it is emphasized that the action takes place in another dimension - in the world of the spirit. Orthodox icons are monumental, strict and symbolic. Among Catholics, saints are written in a naturalistic way, often in the form of statues. Catholic icons are written in direct perspective.

Sculptural images of Christ, the Virgin and saints, accepted in Catholic churches, are not accepted by the Eastern Church.

crucifixion
The Orthodox cross has three crossbars, one of which is short and is at the top, symbolizing the tablet with the inscription "This is Jesus, King of the Jews", which was nailed over the head of the crucified Christ. The lower crossbar is a foot and one of its ends looks up, pointing to one of the thieves crucified next to Christ, who believed and ascended with him. The second end of the crossbar points down, as a sign that the second thief, who allowed himself to slander Jesus, ended up in hell. On the Orthodox cross, each leg of Christ is nailed with a separate nail. Unlike the Orthodox cross, the Catholic cross consists of two crossbars. If Jesus is depicted on it, then both feet of Jesus are nailed to the base of the cross with one nail. Christ on Catholic crucifixes, as well as on icons, is depicted in a naturalistic way - his body sags under weight, torment and suffering are noticeable in the whole image.

Wake for the deceased
Orthodox commemorate the dead on the 3rd, 9th and 40th days, then a year later. Catholics commemorate the dead on Memorial Day, November 1st. In some European countries November 1st is official m weekend. The dead are also commemorated on the 3rd, 7th and 30th days after death, but this tradition is not strictly observed.

Despite existing differences, both Catholics and Orthodox are united by the fact that they profess and preach throughout the world one faith and one teaching of Jesus Christ.

conclusions:

1. In Orthodoxy, it is customary to consider that the Universal Church is "embodied" in each local Church, headed by a bishop. Catholics add to this that in order to belong to the Universal Church, the local Church must have communion with the local Roman Catholic Church.
2. World Orthodoxy has no single leadership. It is divided into several independent churches. World Catholicism is one church.
3. The Catholic Church recognizes the primacy of the Pope in matters of faith and discipline, morality and government. Orthodox churches do not recognize the primacy of the Pope.
4. Churches differently see the role of the Holy Spirit and the mother of Christ, who in Orthodoxy is called the Mother of God, and in Catholicism the Virgin Mary. In Orthodoxy there is no concept of purgatory.
5. The same sacraments operate in the Orthodox and Catholic churches, but the ceremonies of their implementation are different.
6. Unlike Catholicism, in Orthodoxy there is no dogma about purgatory.
7. Orthodox and Catholics make the cross in different ways.
8. Orthodoxy allows divorce, and its "white clergy" can marry. In Catholicism, divorce is prohibited, and all monastic clergy take a vow of celibacy.
9. The Orthodox and Catholic Churches recognize the decisions of different Ecumenical Councils.
10. Unlike the Orthodox, Catholics paint saints on icons in a naturalistic way. Also among Catholics, sculptural images of Christ, the Virgin and saints are common.
    

So ... Everyone understands that Catholicism and Orthodoxy, as well as Protestantism, are directions of one religion - Christianity. Despite the fact that both Catholicism and Orthodoxy are related to Christianity, there are significant differences between them.

If Catholicism is represented by just one church, and Orthodoxy consists of several autocephalous churches, homogeneous in their doctrine and structure, then Protestantism is a multitude of churches that can differ from each other both in organization and in individual details of doctrine.

Protestantism is characterized by the absence of a fundamental opposition of the clergy to the laity, the rejection of a complex church hierarchy, a simplified cult, the absence of monasticism, celibacy; in Protestantism there is no cult of the Virgin, saints, angels, icons, the number of sacraments is reduced to two (baptism and communion).
The main source of doctrine is Holy Scripture. Protestantism is spread mainly in the USA, Great Britain, Germany, Scandinavian countries and Finland, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Estonia. Thus, Protestants are Christians who belong to one of several independent Christian churches.

They are Christians and, along with Catholics and Orthodox, share the fundamental principles of Christianity.
However, the views of Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants on some issues differ. Protestants value the authority of the Bible above all else. Orthodox and Catholics, on the other hand, value their traditions more highly and believe that only the leaders of these Churches can interpret the Bible correctly. Despite their differences, all Christians agree with the prayer of Christ recorded in the Gospel of John (17:20-21): “I do not only pray for them, but also for those who believe in Me, according to their word, that they may all be one ... ".

Which is better, depending on which side you look at. For the development of the state and life in pleasure - Protestantism is more acceptable. If a person is driven by the thought of suffering and redemption - then Catholicism?

For me personally, it is important that P Orthodoxy is the only religion that teaches that God is Love (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8). And this is not one of the qualities, but is the main revelation of God about Himself - that He is all-good, unceasing and unchanging, all-perfect Love, and that all His actions, in relation to man and the world, are an expression of only love. Therefore, such “feelings” of God as anger, punishment, revenge, etc., which the books of Holy Scripture and the holy fathers often speak of, are nothing but ordinary anthropomorphisms used with the aim of giving the widest possible range of people, in the most accessible form, an idea of ​​the providence of God in the world. Therefore, says St. John Chrysostom (IV century): “when you hear the words: “rage and anger”, in relation to God, then do not understand anything human by them: these are words of condescension. The deity is foreign to all such things; it is said so in order to bring the subject closer to the understanding of more rude people ”(Conversation on Ps. VI. 2. // Creations. T.V. Book 1. St. Petersburg 1899, p. 49).

To each his own...