This article will focus on what Catholicism is and who are Catholics. This direction It is considered one of the branches of Christianity, formed due to a large split in this religion, which occurred in 1054.
Who are in many ways similar to Orthodoxy, but there are differences. From other currents in Christianity, the Catholic religion differs in the peculiarities of the dogma, cult rites. Catholicism supplemented the "Creed" with new dogmas.
Catholicism is widespread in Western European (France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal, Italy) and Eastern European (Poland, Hungary, partly Latvia and Lithuania) countries, as well as in the states of South America, where it is professed by the vast majority of the population. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence of the Catholic religion is not significant here. compared to the Orthodox are a minority. There are about 700 thousand of them. The Catholics of Ukraine are more numerous. There are about 5 million of them.
The word "Catholicism" is of Greek origin and in translation means universality or universality. In the modern sense, this term refers to the Western branch of Christianity, which adheres to the apostolic traditions. Apparently, the church was understood as something general and universal. Ignatius of Antioch spoke about this in 115. The term "Catholicism" was officially introduced at the first Council of Constantinople (381). The Christian Church was recognized as one, holy, catholic and apostolic.
The term "church" began to appear in written sources (letters of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna) from the second century. The word was synonymous with municipality. At the turn of the second and third centuries, Irenaeus of Lyon applied the word "church" to Christianity in general. For individual (regional, local) Christian communities, it was used with the appropriate adjective (for example, the Church of Alexandria).
In the second century, Christian society was divided into the laity and the clergy. In turn, the latter were divided into bishops, priests and deacons. It remains unclear how the management in the communities was carried out - collegially or individually. Some experts believe that the government was initially democratic, but eventually became monarchical. The clergy were governed by a Spiritual Council headed by a bishop. This theory is supported by the letters of Ignatius of Antioch, in which he mentions bishops as leaders of Christian municipalities in Syria and Asia Minor. Over time, the Spiritual Council became just an advisory body. And only the bishop had real power in a single province.
In the second century, the desire to preserve apostolic traditions contributed to the emergence and structure. The Church was supposed to protect the faith, dogmas and canons of Holy Scripture. All this, and the influence of the syncretism of the Hellenistic religion, led to the formation of Catholicism in its ancient form.
After the division of Christianity in 1054 into western and eastern branches, they began to be called Catholic and Orthodox. After the Reformation of the sixteenth century, more and more often in everyday life, the word "Roman" began to be added to the term "Catholic". From the point of view of religious studies, the concept of "Catholicism" covers many Christian communities that adhere to the same doctrine as the Catholic Church, and are subject to the authority of the Pope. There are also Uniate and Eastern Catholic churches. As a rule, they left the power of the Patriarch of Constantinople and became subordinate to the Pope of Rome, but retained their dogmas and rituals. Examples are Greek Catholics, the Byzantine Catholic Church and others.
To understand who the Catholics are, you need to pay attention to the basic postulates of their dogma. The main tenet of Catholicism, which distinguishes it from other areas of Christianity, is the thesis that the Pope is infallible. However, there are many cases when the popes, in the struggle for power and influence, entered into dishonorable alliances with large feudal lords and kings, were obsessed with a thirst for profit and constantly increased their wealth, and also interfered in politics.
The next postulate of Catholicism is the dogma of purgatory, approved in 1439 on Florence Cathedral. This doctrine is based on human soul after death, he goes to purgatory, which is an intermediate level between hell and paradise. There she can, with the help of various trials, be cleansed of sins. Relatives and friends of the deceased can help his soul cope with trials through prayers and donations. From this it follows that the fate of a person in the afterlife depends not only on the righteousness of his life, but also on the financial well-being of his loved ones.
An important postulate of Catholicism is the thesis of the exclusive status of the clergy. According to him, without resorting to the services of the clergy, a person cannot independently earn God's mercy. A priest among Catholics has serious advantages and privileges compared to an ordinary flock. According to the Catholic religion, only the clergy have the right to read the Bible - this is their exclusive right. Other believers are forbidden. Only editions written in Latin are considered canonical.
Catholic dogma determines the need for systematic confession of believers before the clergy. Everyone is obliged to have his own confessor and constantly report to him about his own thoughts and actions. Without systematic confession, the salvation of the soul is impossible. This condition allows the Catholic clergy to penetrate deeply into the personal life of their flock and control every step of a person. Constant confession allows the church to have a serious impact on society, and especially on women.
The main task of the Catholic Church (the community of believers as a whole) is to preach Christ in the world. The sacraments are considered visible signs of the invisible grace of God. In fact, these are the actions established by Jesus Christ that must be performed for the good and salvation of the soul. There are seven sacraments in Catholicism:
According to some experts and researchers, the roots of the sacraments of Christianity go back to pagan mysteries. However, this point of view is actively criticized by theologians. According to the latter, in the first centuries AD. e. some rites were borrowed from Christianity by the pagans.
What is common in Catholicism and Orthodoxy is that in both of these branches of Christianity the church is the mediator between man and God. Both churches agree that the Bible is the main document and doctrine of Christianity. However, there are many differences and disagreements between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
Both directions agree that there is one God in three incarnations: Father, Son and Holy Spirit (trinity). But the origin of the latter is interpreted in different ways (the Filioque problem). The Orthodox profess the "Symbol of Faith", which proclaims the procession of the Holy Spirit only "from the Father". Catholics, on the other hand, add “and the Son” to the text, which changes the dogmatic meaning. Greek Catholics and other Eastern Catholic denominations have retained the Orthodox version of the Creed.
Both Catholics and Orthodox understand that there is a difference between the Creator and creation. However, according to Catholic canons, the world has a material character. He was created by God out of nothing. There is nothing divine in the material world. While Orthodoxy suggests that the divine creation is the incarnation of God himself, it comes from God, and therefore he is invisibly present in his creations. Orthodoxy believes that it is possible to touch God through contemplation, that is, to approach the divine through consciousness. This is not accepted by Catholicism.
Another difference between Catholics and Orthodox is that the former consider it possible to introduce new dogmas. There is also a doctrine of good deeds and merit" of Catholic saints and the church. On its basis, the Pope can forgive the sins of his flock and is the vicar of God on Earth. In matters of religion, he is considered infallible. This dogma was adopted in 1870.
There are also differences in rituals, the design of temples, etc. Even the Orthodox prayer procedure is performed not quite the way Catholics pray. Although at first glance it seems that the difference is in some small things. To feel the spiritual difference, it is enough to compare two icons, Catholic and Orthodox. The first one is more like beautiful picture. In Orthodoxy, icons are more sacred. Many are interested in the question, Catholics and Orthodox? In the first case, they are baptized with two fingers, and in Orthodoxy - with three. In many Eastern Catholic rites, the thumb, index and middle fingers are placed together. How are Catholics baptized? A less common way is to use an open hand with fingers pressed tightly and the thumb slightly bent towards inside. This symbolizes the openness of the soul to the Lord.
The Catholic Church teaches that people are weighed down by original sin (with the exception of the Virgin Mary), that is, in every person from birth there is a grain of Satan. Therefore, people need the grace of salvation, which can be obtained by living by faith and doing good works. The knowledge of the existence of God is, despite human sinfulness, accessible to the human mind. This means that people are responsible for their actions. Every person is loved by God, but in the end awaits him Last Judgment. Particularly righteous and charitable people are ranked among the Saints (canonized). The Church keeps a list of them. The process of canonization is preceded by beatification (canonization). Orthodoxy also has a cult of the Saints, but most Protestant denominations reject it.
In Catholicism, indulgence is the complete or partial release of a person from punishment for his sins, as well as from the corresponding expiatory action imposed on him by a priest. Initially, the basis for receiving an indulgence was the performance of some good deed (for example, a pilgrimage to holy places). Then it was the donation of a certain amount to the church. During the Renaissance, there were serious and widespread abuses, which consisted in the distribution of indulgences for money. As a result, this provoked the beginning of protests and a reform movement. In 1567, Pope Pius V imposed a ban on the issuance of indulgences for money and material resources in general.
Another major difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that all the clergy of the latter give the Catholic clergy no right to marry and generally have sexual intercourse. All attempts to marry after receiving the diaconate are considered invalid. This rule was announced during the time of Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), and was finally approved only in the 11th century.
The Eastern churches rejected the Catholic variant of celibacy at Trull Cathedral. In Catholicism, the vow of celibacy applies to all clergy. Initially, small church ranks had the right to marry. They could be dedicated married men. However, Pope Paul VI abolished them, replacing them with the positions of reader and acolyte, which ceased to be associated with the status of a cleric. He also introduced the institution of lifelong deacons (who are not going to advance further in church careers and become priests). These may include married men.
As an exception, married men who converted to Catholicism from various branches of Protestantism, where they had the ranks of pastors, clerics, etc., can be ordained to the priesthood. However, the Catholic Church does not recognize their priesthood.
Now the obligation of celibacy for all Catholic clergy is the subject of heated debate. In many European countries and the United States, some Catholics believe that the obligatory vow of celibacy should be abolished for non-monastic clergy. However, the Pope did not support such a reform.
In Orthodoxy, clergymen can be married if the marriage was concluded before ordination to the priestly or deaconate. However, only monks of the small schema, widowed priests or celibates can become bishops. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop must be a monk. Only archimandrites can be ordained to this rank. Bishops cannot simply be celibates and representatives of a married man. white clergy(non-monk). Sometimes, as an exception, hierarchal ordination is possible for representatives of these categories. However, before that, they must accept a small monastic schema and receive the rank of archimandrite.
When asked who the Catholics of the medieval period were, one can get an idea by familiarizing themselves with the activities of such an ecclesiastical body as the Inquisition. It was the judicial institution of the Catholic Church, which was intended to combat heresy and heretics. In the twelfth century, Catholicism faced the rise of various opposition movements in Europe. One of the main ones was Albigensianism (Cathars). The popes have placed the responsibility of fighting them on the bishops. They were supposed to identify heretics, try them and turn them over to secular authorities for execution. The highest punishment was burning at the stake. But the episcopal activity was not very effective. Therefore, Pope Gregory IX created a special church body, the Inquisition, to investigate the crimes of heretics. Initially directed against the Cathars, it soon turned against all heretical movements, as well as witches, sorcerers, blasphemers, infidels, and so on.
Inquisitors were recruited from various members, primarily from Dominicans. The Inquisition reported directly to the Pope. Initially, the tribunal was headed by two judges, and from the 14th century - by one, but it consisted of legal consultants who determined the degree of "heretics". In addition, the court employees included a notary (who certified the testimony), witnesses, a doctor (monitored the defendant's condition during executions), a prosecutor and an executioner. The inquisitors were given part of the confiscated property of heretics, so there is no need to talk about the honesty and fairness of their court, since it was beneficial for them to recognize a person guilty of heresy.
Inquisitorial investigation was of two types: general and individual. In the first, a large part of the population of any locality was surveyed. At the second time, a certain person was called through the curate. In those cases when the summoned did not appear, he was excommunicated from the church. The man swore an oath to sincerely tell everything he knew about heretics and heresy. The course of the investigation and proceedings were kept in the deepest secrecy. It is known that the inquisitors widely used torture, which was allowed by Pope Innocent IV. Sometimes their cruelty was condemned even by secular authorities.
The accused were never given the names of witnesses. Often they were excommunicated, murderers, thieves, perjurers - people whose testimony was not taken into account even by the secular courts of that time. The defendant was deprived of the right to have a lawyer. The only possible form of defense was an appeal to the Holy See, although it was formally prohibited by bull 1231. People who had once been convicted by the Inquisition could at any moment be brought to justice again. Even death did not save him from the investigation. If the deceased was found guilty, then his ashes were taken out of the grave and burned.
The list of punishments for heretics was established by bulls 1213, 1231, as well as by the decrees of the Third Lateran Council. If a person confessed to heresy and repented already during the process, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Tribunal had the right to shorten the term. However, such sentences were rare. At the same time, the prisoners were kept in extremely cramped cells, often shackled, ate water and bread. In the late Middle Ages, this sentence was replaced by hard labor in the galleys. Recalcitrant heretics were sentenced to be burned at the stake. If a person turned himself in before the start of the process over him, then various church punishments were imposed on him: excommunication, pilgrimage to holy places, donations to the church, interdict, different kinds penance.
Fasting among Catholics consists in abstaining from excesses, both physical and spiritual. In Catholicism, there are the following fasting periods and days:
The requirements for fasting in Catholicism and Orthodoxy are for the most part similar.
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.
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.
A number of dogmas of the Catholic Church differ from the corresponding understanding of the Gospel truth in Orthodoxy.
Of course, these are not all differences from Orthodoxy, but Catholicism recognizes those dogmas that are not considered true in Orthodoxy.
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.
In the CIS countries, most people are familiar with Orthodoxy, but little is known about other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions. So the question is: How is the Catholic Church different from the Orthodox?”or, to put it more simply, “the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy” - Catholics are asked very often. Let's try to answer it.
Primarily, 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, metropolitans and archbishops. Not all Orthodox Churches have communion with each other in prayers and sacraments (which is necessary for individual Churches to be part of the one Ecumenical Church according to the catechism of Metropolitan Philaret) and recognize each other as true churches.
Even in Russia itself there are several Orthodox Churches (the Russian Orthodox Church itself, the Russian Orthodox Church Abroad, etc.). It follows from this that world Orthodoxy does not have a unified leadership. But Orthodox believe that the unity of the Orthodox Church is manifested in a single dogma and in mutual communion in the sacraments.
Catholicism is one Universal Church. All parts of it different countries of the world are in communion with each other, share a single creed and recognize the Pope as their head. In the Catholic Church there is a division into rites (communities within the Catholic Church, differing from each other in the forms of liturgical worship and church discipline): Roman, Byzantine, etc. Therefore, there are Catholics of the Roman rite, Catholics of the Byzantine rite, etc., but they are all members of the same Church.
1) So, the first difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is in a different understanding of the unity of the Church. For the Orthodox, it is enough to share one faith and sacraments, Catholics, in addition to this, see the need for a single head of the Church - the Pope;
2) The Catholic Church differs from the Orthodox Church in its understanding of universality or catholicity. The Orthodox claim that the Universal Church is "embodied" in every local Church headed by a bishop. The Catholics add that this local Church must have communion with the local Roman Catholic Church in order to belong to the Universal Church.
3) Catholic Church in that The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (Filioque). The Orthodox Church confesses the Holy Spirit, which proceeds only from the Father. Some Orthodox saints spoke of the procession of the Spirit from the Father through the Son, which does not contradict the Catholic dogma.
4) The Catholic Church confesses that the sacrament of marriage is for life and forbids divorce, The Orthodox Church in some cases allows divorces;
5)The Catholic Church proclaimed the dogma of purgatory. This is the state of souls after death, destined for paradise, but not yet ready for it. There is no purgatory in Orthodox teaching (although there is something similar - ordeals). But the prayers of the Orthodox for the dead suggest that there are souls in an intermediate state for whom there is still hope of going to heaven after the Last Judgment;
6) The Catholic Church accepted the dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary. This means that even original sin did not touch the Mother of the Savior. Orthodox glorify the holiness of the Mother of God, but believe that she was born with original sin, like all people;
7)Catholic dogma about the taking of Mary into heaven body and soul is a logical continuation of the previous dogma. The Orthodox also believe that Mary is in Heaven in body and soul, but this is not dogmatically fixed in Orthodox teaching.
8) The Catholic Church has adopted the dogma of the supremacy of the Pope over the whole Church in matters of faith and morality, discipline and government. Orthodox do not recognize the primacy of the Pope;
9) One rite predominates in the Orthodox Church. In the Catholic Church this a rite that arose in Byzantium is called Byzantine and is one of several.
In Russia, the Roman (Latin) rite of the Catholic Church is better known. Therefore, differences between the liturgical practice and ecclesiastical discipline of the Byzantine and Roman rites of the Catholic Church are often mistaken for the differences between the ROC and the Catholic Church. But if the Orthodox liturgy is very different from the Mass of the Roman rite, then it is very similar to the Catholic liturgy of the Byzantine rite. And the presence of married priests in the ROC is also not a difference, since they are also in the Byzantine rite of the Catholic Church;
10) The Catholic Church proclaimed the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope o in matters of faith and morality, when he, in agreement with all the bishops, affirms what the Catholic Church has already believed for many centuries. Orthodox believers believe that only the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils are infallible;
11) The Orthodox Church takes decisions only in the first seven Ecumenical Councils, while The Catholic Church is guided by the decisions of the 21st Ecumenical Council, the last of which was the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
It should be noted that the Catholic Church recognizes that Local Orthodox Churches are True Churches who preserved the apostolic succession and the true sacraments. And the Symbol of Faith among Catholics and Orthodox is one.
Despite differences, Catholics and Orthodox profess one faith and one teaching of Jesus Christ throughout the world. Once upon a time, human mistakes and prejudices separated us, but until now, faith in one God unites us.
Jesus prayed for the unity of His disciples. His disciples are all of us, both Catholics and Orthodox. Let us join His prayer: “Let them all be one, as You, Father, in Me, and I in You, so that they also be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (Jn 17:21). The unbelieving world needs our common witness for Christ.
Video lectures Doctrines of the Catholic Church
Until 1054 the Christian Church was one and indivisible. The split occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople Michael Cirularius. The conflict began due to the last closing of several Latin churches in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Cirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965 mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not yet been overcome. Christianity is divided into three main areas: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.
The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since both of these religions are Christian, is not very significant. However, there are still some differences in doctrine, the performance of the sacraments, etc. About which ones, we'll talk a little later. Let's do it first small review mainstreams of Christianity.
Orthodoxy, called in the West an orthodox religion, is currently practiced by about 200 million people. Approximately 5,000 people are baptized every day. This direction of Christianity was spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some countries of the CIS and Eastern Europe.
The Baptism of Russia took place at the end of the 9th century on the initiative of Prince Vladimir. The ruler of a huge pagan state expressed a desire to marry the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Basil II, Anna. But for this he had to accept Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was essential to strengthen the authority of Russia. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kyivans were christened in the waters of the Dnieper.
As a result of the split in 1054, a separate confession arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called her "Catholicos". In Greek it means "universal". The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies not only in the approach of these two Churches to some of the dogmas of Christianity, but also in the very history of development. The Western confession, compared to the Eastern one, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.
One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the Crusades, which brought much grief to the common population. The first of these was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades was the liberation of the "holy land" of Palestine and the "Holy Sepulcher" from the infidels. The actual one is the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.
In 1229, Pope George IX issued a decree establishing the Inquisition - an ecclesiastical court for cases of apostates from the faith. Torture and burning at the stake - this is how extreme Catholic fanaticism was expressed in the Middle Ages. In total, during the existence of the Inquisition, more than 500 thousand people were tortured.
Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be briefly discussed in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, with regard to the attitude of the Church towards the population, in general terms, its traditions and basic concept can be understood. The Western denomination has always been considered more dynamic, but at the same time aggressive, in contrast to the "calm" orthodox one.
Currently, Catholicism is the state religion in most European and Latin American countries. More than half of all (1.2 billion people) modern Christians profess this particular religion.
The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism also lies in the fact that the former has remained united and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the XIV century. a split occurred. This was connected with the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of the German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of free choice of religion by citizens. In 1529, however, it was abolished. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word “Protestantism” comes from. This Christian direction is subdivided into two more branches: early and late.
At the moment, Protestantism is spread mostly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, the Netherlands. In 1948 the World Council of Churches was created. The total number of Protestants is about 470 million people. There are several denominations of this Christian direction: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.
In our time, the World Council Protestant churches conducts an active peacekeeping policy. Representatives of this religion advocate detente of international tension, support the efforts of states in defense of peace, etc.
Of course, during the centuries of schism, significant differences arose in the traditions of the churches. The basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as the Savior and the Son of God - they did not touch. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testament There are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rites and sacraments do not converge.
Orthodoxy | Catholicism | Protestantism |
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Control | Patriarch, Cathedral | World Council of Churches, Councils of Bishops |
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Organization | Bishops do not depend much on the Patriarch, they are mainly subordinate to the Council | There is a rigid hierarchy with subordination to the Pope, hence the name "Universal Church" | There are many denominations that have created the World Council of Churches. Holy Scripture is placed above the authority of the Pope |
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Holy Spirit | It is believed that it comes only from the Father | There is a dogma that the Holy Spirit proceeds both from the Father and from the Son. This is the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism. |
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The statement is accepted that man himself is responsible for his sins, and God the Father is a completely impassive and abstract being. | It is believed that God suffers because of human sins. |
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Dogma of Salvation | By crucifixion, all the sins of mankind were atoned for. Only the original remains. That is, when committing a new sin, a person again becomes the object of God's wrath. | The man was, as it were, “ransomed” by Christ through the crucifixion. As a result, God the Father changed his anger to mercy towards original sin. That is, a person is holy by the holiness of Christ himself. |
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Sometimes allowed | Forbidden | Allowed but frowned upon |
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Immaculate Conception of the Virgin | It is believed that the Mother of God is not spared from original sin, but her holiness is recognized | The complete sinlessness of the Virgin Mary is preached. Catholics believe that she was conceived immaculately, like Christ himself. With regard to the original sin of the Mother of God, therefore, there are also quite significant differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. | |||
Taking the Virgin to Heaven | It is unofficially believed that this event may have taken place, but it is not enshrined in dogmas. | The taking of the Mother of God to heaven in a physical body is a dogma | The cult of the Virgin Mary is denied |
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Only liturgy is held | Both a mass and a Byzantine-like Orthodox liturgy can be held | The Mass was rejected. Divine services are held in modest churches or even in stadiums, concert halls, etc. Only two rites are practiced: baptism and communion |
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Marriage of clergy | Allowed | Only allowed in the Byzantine Rite | Allowed |
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Ecumenical Councils | Based on the decisions of the first seven | Guided by decisions 21 (last passed in 1962-1965) | Recognize the decisions of all Ecumenical Councils, if they do not contradict each other and Holy Scripture |
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Eight-pointed with crossbeams at the bottom and at the top | A simple four-pointed Latin cross is used | Not used in worship. Worn by representatives of not all faiths |
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Used in large quantities and equated with Holy Scripture. Created in strict accordance with church canons | They are considered only decoration of the temple. They are ordinary paintings on a religious theme. | Not used |
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Old Testament | Recognized as Hebrew and Greek | Greek only | Only Jewish canonical |
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Absolution | The ceremony is performed by a priest | Not allowed |
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Science and religion | Based on scientists' assertion, dogmas never change. | Dogmas can be adjusted in accordance with the point of view of official science | |||
Disagreements regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit are the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table also shows many other, albeit not too significant, but still discrepancies. They arose long ago, and, apparently, none of the churches expresses a special desire to resolve these contradictions.
There are differences in the attributes of different areas of Christianity. For example, the Catholic cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight-pointed. The orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifix most accurately conveys the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal bar, it contains two more. The upper one personifies a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription "Jesus of Nazarene, King of the Jews." The lower slanting crossbar - a prop for the feet of Christ - symbolizes the "righteous measure".
The image of the Savior on the crucifix used in the Sacraments is also something that can be attributed to the topic "the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism." The western cross is a little different from the eastern one.
As you can see, in relation to the cross there is also a quite noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.
As for the Protestants, they consider the cross to be a symbol of the Pope, and therefore they practically do not use it.
So, the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism (the table of comparisons of crosses confirms this) in relation to paraphernalia is quite noticeable. There are even greater discrepancies in these directions in icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.
Below are the main differences.
The main difference Orthodox icons from Catholic is that it is written in strict accordance with the canons established back in Byzantium. Western images of saints, Christ, etc., strictly speaking, have nothing to do with the icon. Usually such paintings have a very broad plot and are painted by ordinary, non-church artists.
Protestants consider icons to be a pagan attribute and do not use them at all.
With regard to leaving worldly life and devoting oneself to the service of God, there is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism. The comparison table above shows only the main differences. But there are other differences, also quite noticeable.
For example, in our country, each monastery is practically autonomous and is subordinate only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. Monasteries are united in the so-called Orders, each of which has its own head and its charter. These associations may be scattered throughout the world, but nevertheless they always have a common leadership.
Protestants, unlike Orthodox and Catholics, reject monasticism altogether. One of the inspirers of this teaching - Luther - even married a nun.
There is a difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in relation to the rules for conducting various kinds of rituals. In both of these Churches, 7 sacraments are accepted. The difference is primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rites. Catholics believe that the sacraments are valid whether a person is in tune with them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, chrismation, etc., will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rites with some kind of pagan magic ritual acting regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.
The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. Everything else is considered superficial and rejected by representatives of this trend.
This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. Differences are only in the ways of performing the ceremony.
In Catholicism, it is customary for babies to be sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. AT recent times there has been some deviation from this rule. However, now the ROC is again returning in this rite to ancient traditions established by the Byzantine priests.
The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (the crosses worn on the body, like large ones, may contain the image of an “orthodox” or “Western” Christ) in relation to the performance of this sacrament, therefore, is not very significant, but it still exists.
Protestants usually perform the rite of baptism also with water. But in some denominations it is not used. The main difference between Protestant baptism and Orthodox and Catholic baptism is that it is performed exclusively for adults.
We have considered the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This is an attitude to the descent of the Holy Spirit and to the virginity of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant divergences have emerged over the centuries of schism. Of course, they are also present in the celebration of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests take communion only with bread, and unleavened. This church product is called wafers. In Orthodoxy, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated with wine and ordinary yeast bread.
In Protestantism, not only members of the Church, but also anyone who wishes is allowed to receive communion. Representatives of this branch of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.
The split of Christianity occurred almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, the churches of different directions failed to agree on unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, paraphernalia and rituals, as you see, have survived to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.
Relations between the two main confessions, Orthodox and Catholic, are also rather ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tensions remained between these two churches. The key concept in the relationship was the word "heresy".
Recently, this situation has changed a little. If earlier the Catholic Church considered Orthodox Christians almost a bunch of heretics and schismatics, then after the Second Vatican Council it recognized the orthodox Sacraments as valid.
Orthodox priests did not officially establish such an attitude towards Catholicism. But the completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian denominations still persists. For example, our Russian theologian A. I. Osipov does not have a very good attitude towards Catholicism.
In his opinion, there is a more than noteworthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov considers many saints of the Western Church almost crazy. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with the Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete submission. However, he repeatedly mentioned that among Western Christians there are wonderful people.
Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit proceeds only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these denominations. However, in any case, both churches are Christian and accept Jesus as the Savior of mankind, whose coming, and therefore Immortal life for the righteous are inevitable.
How is Catholicism different from Orthodoxy? When did the division of the Churches occur and why did it happen? How should the Orthodox approach all this? Let's talk about the most important thing.
The division of the One Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism happened almost a thousand years ago - in 1054.
The One Church consisted, as the Orthodox Church does now, of many local Churches. This means that the Churches - for example, Russian Orthodox or Greek Orthodox - have some external differences (in the architecture of temples; singing; the language of services; and even in how certain parts of services are conducted), but they are united in the main doctrinal questions, and between them there is Eucharistic communion. That is, a Russian Orthodox can take communion and confess in a Greek Orthodox church and vice versa.
According to the Creed, the Church is one, because at the head of the Church is Christ. This means that there cannot be several Churches on earth that would have different dogma. And it was precisely because of disagreements in doctrinal matters that in the 11th century there was a division into Catholicism and Orthodoxy. As a consequence of this, Catholics cannot take communion and confess in Orthodox churches and vice versa.
Catholic cathedral Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow. Photo: catedra.ru
What are the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism?
Today there are a lot of them. And conditionally they are divided into three types.
The division into Orthodoxy and Catholicism that occurred in the 11th century was, first of all, a tragedy for the Church, which was and is being acutely experienced by both “us” and the Catholics. Reunification attempts have been made several times over the course of a thousand years. However, none of them turned out to be truly viable - and we will also talk about this below.
Western and Eastern Christian Churches This division has always existed. The Western Church is conditionally the territory of the modern Western Europe, and later - all the colonized countries of Latin America. The Eastern Church is the territory of modern Greece, Palestine, Syria, and Eastern Europe.
However, the division we are talking about has been conditional for many centuries. Too much different nations and civilizations inhabit the Earth, so it is natural that the same teaching in different parts of the Earth and countries could have some characteristic external forms and traditions. For example, the Eastern Church (the one that became Orthodox) has always practiced a more contemplative and mystical way of life. It was in the East in the III century that such a phenomenon as monasticism arose, which then spread to the whole world. The Latin (Western) Church - has always had the image of Christianity outwardly more active and "social".
In the main doctrinal truths, they remained common.
Saint Anthony the Great, founder of monasticism
Perhaps the differences, which later became insurmountable, could have been noticed much earlier and “agreed”. But in those days there was no Internet, there were no trains and cars. Churches (not only Western and Eastern, but simply - separate dioceses) sometimes existed for decades on their own and rooted in themselves certain views. Therefore, the differences that caused the division of the Church into Catholicism and Orthodoxy, at the time of the “decision” turned out to be too ingrained.
This is what the Orthodox cannot accept in Catholic teaching.
Each church has its own primate - the head. In the Orthodox Churches, this is the patriarch. The primate of the Western Church (or the Latin Chair, as it is also called) was the pope, who is now the head of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic Church believes that the pope is infallible. This means that any judgment, decision or opinion that he voices before the flock is the truth and law for the entire Church.
The current Pope is Francis
According to Orthodox teaching, no person can be higher than the Church. For example, an Orthodox patriarch, if his decisions go against the teachings of the Church or deep-rooted traditions, may well be deprived of his rank by a decision of a bishops' council (as happened, for example, with Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century).
In addition to the infallibility of the pope in Catholicism, there is a doctrine of the primacy of the See of Rome (the Church). Catholics base this teaching on a misinterpretation of the words of the Lord in a conversation with the apostles in Caesarea Filipova - about the alleged superiority of the Apostle Peter (who later "founded" the Latin Church) over the other apostles.
(Matthew 16:15-19) “He says to them: And who do you say that I am? Simon Peter, answering, said: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Then Jesus answered and said to him: Blessed are you, Simon, son of Jonas, because it was not flesh and blood that revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven; and I say to you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”.
You can read more about the dogma of papal infallibility and the primacy of the Roman throne.
The different text of the Creed is another reason for disagreement between Orthodox and Catholics - although the difference is only in one word.
The Creed is a prayer that was formulated in the 4th century at the first and second Ecumenical Councils, and it put an end to many doctrinal disputes. It articulates everything that Christians believe.
What is the difference between Catholic and Orthodox texts? We say that we believe "And in the Holy Spirit, who proceeds from the Father", and Catholics add: "... from the "Father and the Son proceeding ...".
In fact, the addition of just this one word "And the Son ..." (Filioque) significantly distorts the image of the entire Christian teaching.
The topic is theological, difficult, it is immediately better to read about it at least on Wikipedia.
Catholics believe in the existence of purgatory, and Orthodox say that nowhere - in any of the books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old or New Testaments, and even in none of the books of the Holy Fathers of the first centuries - is there any mention of purgatory.
It is difficult to say how this doctrine arose among the Catholics. Nevertheless, now the Catholic Church fundamentally proceeds from the fact that after death there is not only the Kingdom of Heaven and hell, but also a place (or rather, a state) in which the soul of a person who died in peace with God finds himself, but not holy enough to be in Paradise. These souls, apparently, will certainly come to the Kingdom of Heaven, but first they need to undergo purification.
Orthodox see the afterlife differently than Catholics. There is Heaven, there is Hell. There are ordeals after death in order to be strengthened in peace with God (or fall away from Him). There is a need to pray for the dead. But there is no purgatory.
These are the three reasons why the difference between Catholics and Orthodox is so fundamental that a division of the Churches arose a thousand years ago.
At the same time, over the 1000 years of separate existence, a number of other differences arose (or took root), which are also considered to be what distinguishes us from each other. Something about the external rites - and it may seem like a rather serious difference - and something about the external traditions that Christianity acquired here and there.
Orthodox partake of the Body and Blood of Christ from the chalice. Until recently, Catholics took communion not with leavened bread, but with unleavened bread - that is, unleavened bread. Moreover, ordinary parishioners, unlike the clergy, communed only with the Body of Christ.
Before saying why it happened so, it should be noted that this form of Catholic Communion has recently ceased to be the only one. Now other forms of this Sacrament appear in Catholic churches, including the “familiar” one for us: the Body and Blood from the chalice.
And the tradition of Communion, which is different from us, arose in Catholicism for two reasons:
Generally speaking, this is not even a difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, since in some Orthodox countries - for example, in Bulgaria - it is also customary to sit, and in many churches you can also see many benches and chairs there.
There are many benches, but this is not a Catholic, but an Orthodox church - in New York.
The organ is part of the musical accompaniment of the service. Music is one of integral parts services, because if it were otherwise, there would be no choir, and the whole service would be read. Another thing is that we, the Orthodox, are now accustomed to singing alone.
In many Latin countries an organ was also installed in temples, since they considered it a divine instrument - they found its sound so sublime and unearthly.
(At the same time, the possibility of using the organ in Orthodox worship was also discussed in Russia at the Local Council of 1917-1918. The well-known church composer Alexander Grechaninov was a supporter of this instrument.)
In Orthodoxy, both a monk and a married priest can be a priest. We are quite detailed.
In Catholicism, any clergyman is bound by a vow of celibacy.
This is another example of different traditions, and not some fundamental differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Whether a person has a beard or not does not in any way affect his holiness and does not say anything about him as a good or bad Christian. It’s just that in Western countries it has been customary to shave a beard for some time (most likely, this is the influence of the Latin culture of Ancient Rome).
Now no one forbids shaving beards and Orthodox priests. It’s just that a priest or a monk’s beard is a tradition so deeply rooted in us that breaking it can become a “temptation” for others, and therefore few priests decide on it or even think about it.
Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh is one of the most famous Orthodox pastors XX century. For a time he served without a beard.
It so happened that over the past 100 years, the Church life of Catholics has been significantly "simplified" - if I may say so. The duration of divine services has been reduced, the fasts have become simpler and shorter (for example, before taking communion, it is enough not to eat food for only a few hours). Thus, the Catholic Church tried to reduce the gap between itself and the secular part of society - fearing that excessive strictness of the rules could scare away modern people. Whether it helped or not is hard to say.
The Orthodox Church, in her views on the severity of fasting and external rites, proceeds from the following:
Of course, the world has changed a lot and it will be impossible for most people to live in all severity now. However, the memory of the Rules and a strict ascetic life is still important. "By mortifying the flesh, we free the spirit." And you can’t forget about it - at least as an ideal, which you need to strive for in the depths of your soul. And if this "measure" disappears, then how to maintain the desired "bar"?
This is only a small part of the external traditional differences that have developed between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.
However, it is important to know what unites our Churches:
In February 2016, the first ever meeting between the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Pope of Rome (Francis) took place in Cuba. An event of historical scale, but there was no talk of the unification of the Churches at it.
The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism is a great tragedy in the history of the Church, which is acutely experienced by both Orthodox and Catholics.
Several times in 1000 years attempts have been made to bridge the schism. The so-called Unias were concluded three times - between the Catholic Church and representatives of the Orthodox Church. All of them had the following in common:
Here are the three Unions:
She was supported by the emperor of Orthodox Byzantium, since the union with the Catholics was supposed to help restore the shaken financial position of the empire. The union was signed, but the people of Byzantium and the rest of the Orthodox clergy did not support it.
In this Unia equally both sides were politically interested, since the Christian states were weakened by wars and enemies (Latin states - crusades, Byzantium - confrontation with the Turks, Russia - with the Tatar-Mongols) and the unification of states on religious grounds would probably help everyone.
The situation repeated itself: the Union was signed (although not by all representatives of the Orthodox Church who were present at the council), but it remained, in fact, on paper - the people did not support the union on such conditions.
Suffice it to say that the first "Uniate" service was performed in the capital of Byzantium in Constantinople only in 1452. And less than a year later, the Turks captured it ...
This Union was concluded between the Catholics and the Orthodox Church of the Commonwealth (the state that then united the Lithuanian and Polish principalities).
The only example when the union of Churches turned out to be viable - albeit within the framework of just one state. The rules are the same: all divine services, rituals and language remain familiar to the Orthodox, however, not the patriarch, but the pope is commemorated at the services; the text of the Creed is changed and the doctrine of purgatory is adopted.
After the division of the Commonwealth, part of its territories ceded to Russia - and with it a number of Uniate parishes also departed. Despite the persecution, they continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century, until they were officially banned by the Soviet authorities.
Today, there are Uniate parishes on the territory of Western Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus.
We would like to quote briefly from the letters of the Orthodox Bishop Hilarion (Troitsky), who died in the first half of the 20th century. Being a zealous defender of Orthodox dogmas, he nevertheless writes:
“Unfortunate historical circumstances tore the West away from the Church. Over the centuries, the church perception of Christianity was gradually distorted in the West. Teaching has changed, life has changed, the very understanding of life has departed from the Church. We [Orthodox] have preserved church wealth. But instead of lending to others from this unexpected wealth, we ourselves in some areas have come under the influence of the West with its theology alien to the Church.” (Letter 5. Orthodoxy in the West)
And here is what St. Theophan the Recluse answered to one woman a century earlier when she asked: “Father, explain to me: none of the Catholics will be saved?”
The saint replied: “I don’t know if the Catholics will be saved, but I know one thing for sure: that I myself will not be saved without Orthodoxy.”
This answer and the quotation of Hilarion (Troitsky) may very accurately indicate the correct attitude of an Orthodox person towards such an unfortunate incident as the division of the Churches.
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