The split of the Christian Church into Western and Eastern occurred in 1054. Different views on one religion forced each of the directions to go their own way. Differences appeared not only in the interpretation of the Bible, but also in the arrangement of temples.
External differences
You can find out which direction a church belongs to even from a distance. An Orthodox church is distinguished by the presence of domes, the number of which carries one meaning or another. One dome is a symbol of the one Lord God. Five domes - Christ with four apostles. Thirty-three domes remind us of the age at which the Savior was crucified on the cross.
Internal differences
There are also differences in the internal space of Orthodox and Catholic churches. The Catholic building begins with a narthex, on both sides of which there are bell towers. Sometimes bell towers are not built or only one is built. Next comes the naos, or main nave. On both sides of it there are side naves. Then you can see the transverse nave, which intersects the main and side naves. The main nave ends with an altar. It is followed by a de-ambulatory, which is a semicircular bypass gallery. Next is the crown of the chapels.
Catholic churches may differ from each other in the organization of internal space. Large churches have much more space. In addition, they use an organ, which adds solemnity to the service. Small churches in small populated areas equipped more modestly. In a Catholic church, the walls are decorated with frescoes, not icons.
Part Orthodox church, preceding the altar, is tripled much simpler than in the Catholic Church. The main temple space serves as a place where worshipers pray. This part of the temple is most often a square or rectangle. In the Catholic Church, the space for praying parishioners always has the shape of an elongated rectangle. In an Orthodox church, unlike a Catholic church, benches are not used. Believers must pray standing.
The altar part of the Orthodox church is separated from the rest of the space by soles. The iconostasis is located here. Icons can also be placed on the walls of the main temple space. The altar part is preceded by the pulpit and the royal doors. Behind the royal doors is a veil, or katapetasma. Behind the veil is the throne, behind which are the altar, the synthron and the high place.
Architects and builders working on the construction of Orthodox and Catholic churches strive to create buildings in which people would feel closer to God. The churches of both Western and Eastern Christians embody the unity of the earthly and the heavenly.
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This year, the entire Christian world simultaneously celebrates the main holiday of the Church - the Resurrection of Christ. This again reminds us of the common root from which the main Christian denominations originate, of the once existing unity of all Christians. However, for almost a thousand years this unity has been broken between Eastern and Western Christianity. If many are familiar with the date of 1054 as the year of separation of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches officially recognized by historians, then perhaps not everyone knows that it was preceded by a long process of gradual divergence.
In this publication, the reader is offered a shortened version of the article by Archimandrite Plakida (Dezei) “The History of a Schism.” This is a brief exploration of the causes and history of the break between Western and Eastern Christianity. Without examining in detail the dogmatic subtleties, focusing only on the origins of theological disagreements in the teachings of Blessed Augustine of Hippo, Father Placidas provides a historical and cultural overview of the events that preceded the mentioned date of 1054 and followed it. He shows that the division did not occur overnight or suddenly, but was the result of a “long historical process, which was influenced by doctrinal differences as well as political and cultural factors.”
The main work of translation from the French original was carried out by students of Sretensky Theological Seminary under the leadership of T.A. Buffoon. Editorial editing and preparation of the text was carried out by V.G. Massalitina. Full text The article was published on the website “Orthodox France. A view from Russia".
Harbingers of a split
The teaching of bishops and church writers whose works were written in Latin, - Saints Hilary of Pictavia (315-367), Ambrose of Milan (340-397), Saint John Cassian the Roman (360-435) and many others - was completely in tune with the teachings of the Greek holy fathers: Saints Basil the Great (329-379), Gregory the Theologian (330-390), John Chrysostom (344-407) and others. The Western fathers sometimes differed from the Eastern ones only in that they placed more emphasis on the moralizing component than on deep theological analysis.
The first attempt on this doctrinal harmony occurred with the advent of the teachings of Blessed Augustine, Bishop of Hippo (354-430). Here we encounter one of the most exciting mysteries of Christian history. In St. Augustine, who is most highest degree there was a sense of the unity of the Church and love for it; there was nothing of the heresiarch. And yet, in many directions, Augustine opened up new paths for Christian thought, which left a deep imprint on the history of the West, but at the same time turned out to be almost completely alien to the non-Latin Churches.
On the one hand, Augustine, the most “philosophical” of the Church Fathers, is inclined to extol the abilities of the human mind in the field of knowledge of God. He developed the theological doctrine of the Holy Trinity, which formed the basis of the Latin doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son(in Latin - Filioque). According to an older tradition, the Holy Spirit originates, just like the Son, only from the Father. The Eastern Fathers always adhered to this formula contained in Holy Scripture New Testament (see: John 15:26), and were seen in Filioque distortion of the apostolic faith. They noted that as a result of this teaching in Western Church there was a certain belittlement of the Hypostasis Itself and the role of the Holy Spirit, which, in their opinion, led to a certain strengthening of institutional and legal aspects in the life of the Church. From the 5th century Filioque was universally accepted in the West, almost without the knowledge of the non-Latin Churches, but it was added later to the Creed.
As far as inner life, Augustine so emphasized human frailty and the omnipotence of Divine grace that it turned out as if he belittled human freedom in the face of Divine predestination.
Augustine's genius and supremely attractive personality even during his lifetime aroused admiration in the West, where he was soon considered the greatest of the Church Fathers and focused almost entirely on his school. To a large extent, Roman Catholicism and its breakaway Jansenism and Protestantism will differ from Orthodoxy in that they owe to St. Augustine. Medieval conflicts between the priesthood and the empire, the introduction of the scholastic method in medieval universities, clericalism and anti-clericalism in Western society are in varying degrees and in different forms either the legacy or consequences of Augustinianism.
In the IV-V centuries. Another disagreement appears between Rome and other Churches. For all the Churches of East and West, the primacy recognized by the Roman Church stemmed, on the one hand, from the fact that it was the Church former capital empire, and on the other hand, from the fact that it was glorified by the preaching and martyrdom of the two supreme apostles Peter and Paul. But this is championship inter pares(“among equals”) did not mean that the Roman Church is the seat of centralized government of the Universal Church.
However, starting from the second half of the 4th century, a different understanding emerged in Rome. The Roman Church and its bishop demand for themselves the dominant power, which would make it the governing body of the government of the Universal Church. According to Roman doctrine, this primacy is based on the clearly expressed will of Christ, who, in their opinion, endowed this authority with Peter, telling him: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church” (Matthew 16:18). The Pope no longer considered himself simply the successor of Peter, who has since been recognized as the first bishop of Rome, but also his vicar, in whom the supreme apostle, as it were, continues to live and through him to rule the Universal Church.
Despite some resistance, this position of primacy was gradually accepted by the entire West. The remaining Churches generally adhered to the ancient understanding of primacy, often allowing some ambiguity in their relations with the Roman See.
Crisis in the Late Middle Ages
VII century witnessed the birth of Islam, which began to spread at lightning speed, helped jihad- the holy war that allowed the Arabs to conquer the Persian Empire, for a long time which was a formidable rival to the Roman Empire, as well as the territory of the patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem. Beginning from this period, the patriarchs of the mentioned cities were often forced to entrust the management of the remaining Christian flock to their representatives, who stayed locally, while they themselves had to live in Constantinople. The result of this was a relative decrease in the importance of these patriarchs, and the patriarch of the capital of the empire, whose see already at the time of the Council of Chalcedon (451) was placed in second place after Rome, thus became, to some extent, the supreme judge of the Churches of the East.
With the emergence of the Isaurian dynasty (717), an iconoclastic crisis broke out (726). Emperors Leo III (717-741), Constantine V (741-775) and their successors prohibited the depiction of Christ and saints and the veneration of icons. Opponents of the imperial doctrine, mainly monks, were thrown into prison, tortured, and killed, as in the days of the pagan emperors.
The popes supported the opponents of iconoclasm and broke off communication with the iconoclast emperors. And they, in response to this, annexed Calabria, Sicily and Illyria (the western part of the Balkans and northern Greece), which until that time were under the jurisdiction of the Pope, to the Patriarchate of Constantinople.
At the same time, in order to more successfully resist the advance of the Arabs, the iconoclast emperors proclaimed themselves adherents of Greek patriotism, very far from the previously dominant universalist “Roman” idea, and lost interest in the non-Greek regions of the empire, in particular in northern and central Italy, which the Lombards claimed.
The legality of the veneration of icons was restored at the VII Ecumenical Council in Nicaea (787). After a new round of iconoclasm, which began in 813, Orthodox teaching finally triumphed in Constantinople in 843.
Communication between Rome and the empire was thereby restored. But the fact that the iconoclast emperors limited their foreign policy interests to the Greek part of the empire led to the fact that the popes began to look for other patrons for themselves. Previously, popes who did not have territorial sovereignty were loyal subjects of the empire. Now, stung by the annexation of Illyria to Constantinople and left without protection in the face of the invasion of the Lombards, they turned to the Franks and, to the detriment of the Merovingians, who had always maintained relations with Constantinople, began to promote the arrival of the new Carolingian dynasty, bearers of other ambitions.
In 739, Pope Gregory III, seeking to prevent the Lombard king Luitprand from uniting Italy under his rule, turned to Majordomo Charles Martel, who tried to use the death of Theodoric IV to eliminate the Merovingians. In exchange for his help, he promised to renounce all loyalty to the Emperor of Constantinople and benefit exclusively from the protection of the Frankish king. Gregory III was the last pope to ask the emperor for approval of his election. His successors will already be approved by the Frankish court.
Charles Martel could not live up to the hopes of Gregory III. However, in 754, Pope Stephen II personally went to France to meet with Pepin the Short. He recaptured Ravenna from the Lombards in 756, but instead of returning it to Constantinople, he handed it over to the pope, laying the foundation for the soon-to-be-formed Papal States, which turned the popes into independent secular rulers. In order to provide a legal basis for the current situation, the famous forgery was developed in Rome - the “Donation of Constantine”, according to which Emperor Constantine allegedly transferred imperial powers over the West to Pope Sylvester (314-335).
On September 25, 800, Pope Leo III, without any participation from Constantinople, placed the imperial crown on the head of Charlemagne and named him emperor. Neither Charlemagne nor later other German emperors, who to some extent restored the empire he had created, became co-rulers of the Emperor of Constantinople, in accordance with the code adopted shortly after the death of Emperor Theodosius (395). Constantinople repeatedly proposed a compromise solution of this kind, which would preserve the unity of Romania. But the Carolingian empire wanted to be the only legitimate Christian empire and sought to take the place of the Constantinople empire, considering it obsolete. That is why theologians from Charlemagne’s entourage allowed themselves to condemn the decisions of the VII Ecumenical Council on the veneration of icons as tainted by idolatry and introduce Filioque in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed. However, the popes soberly opposed these imprudent measures aimed at degrading the Greek faith.
However, the political break between the Frankish world and the papacy on the one hand and the ancient Roman Empire of Constantinople on the other was a foregone conclusion. And such a gap could not but lead to a religious schism itself, if we take into account the special theological significance that Christian thought attached to the unity of the empire, considering it as an expression of the unity of the people of God.
In the second half of the 9th century. The antagonism between Rome and Constantinople appeared on a new basis: the question arose of which jurisdiction to include the Slavic peoples, who were embarking on the path of Christianity at that time. This new conflict also left a deep mark on the history of Europe.
At that time, Nicholas I (858-867) became pope, an energetic man who sought to establish the Roman concept of papal supremacy in the Universal Church, limit the interference of secular authorities in church affairs, and also fought against the centrifugal tendencies manifested in part of the Western episcopate. He supported his actions with fake decretals that had recently circulated, allegedly issued by previous popes.
In Constantinople, Photius became patriarch (858-867 and 877-886). As modern historians have convincingly established, the personality of Saint Photius and the events of his reign were greatly denigrated by his opponents. He was a very educated man, deeply devoted Orthodox faith, a zealous servant of the Church. He understood well what great importance has the enlightenment of the Slavs. It was on his initiative that Saints Cyril and Methodius set out to enlighten the Great Moravian lands. Their mission in Moravia was ultimately strangled and supplanted by the machinations of German preachers. Nevertheless, they managed to translate liturgical and most important biblical texts into Slavic, creating an alphabet for this, and thus laid the foundation for the culture of the Slavic lands. Photius was also involved in educating the peoples of the Balkans and Rus'. In 864 he baptized Boris, Prince of Bulgaria.
But Boris, disappointed that he did not receive from Constantinople an autonomous church hierarchy for his people, turned for a time to Rome, receiving Latin missionaries. Photius learned that they preached the Latin doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit and seemed to use the Creed with the addition Filioque.
At the same time, Pope Nicholas I intervened in the internal affairs of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, seeking the removal of Photius in order, with the help of church intrigues, to restore to the see the former Patriarch Ignatius, deposed in 861. In response to this, Emperor Michael III and Saint Photius convened a council in Constantinople (867) , whose regulations were subsequently destroyed. This council apparently accepted the doctrine of Filioque heretical, declared the pope’s intervention in the affairs of the Church of Constantinople unlawful and broke off liturgical communion with him. And since complaints from Western bishops to Constantinople about the “tyranny” of Nicholas I, the council suggested that Emperor Louis of Germany depose the pope.
As a result of a palace coup, Photius was deposed, and a new council (869-870), convened in Constantinople, condemned him. This cathedral is still considered in the West to be the VIII Ecumenical Council. Then, under Emperor Basil I, Saint Photius was returned from disgrace. In 879, a council was again convened in Constantinople, which, in the presence of the legates of the new Pope John VIII (872-882), restored Photius to the see. At the same time, concessions were made regarding Bulgaria, which returned to the jurisdiction of Rome, while retaining the Greek clergy. However, Bulgaria soon achieved church independence and remained in the orbit of the interests of Constantinople. Pope John VIII wrote a letter to Patriarch Photius condemning the addition Filioque into the Creed, without condemning the doctrine itself. Photius, probably not noticing this subtlety, decided that he had won. Contrary to persistent misconceptions, it can be argued that there was no so-called second Photius schism, and liturgical communication between Rome and Constantinople continued for more than a century.
Break in the 11th century
XI century For Byzantine Empire was truly golden. The power of the Arabs was completely undermined, Antioch returned to the empire, a little more - and Jerusalem would have been liberated. The Bulgarian Tsar Simeon (893-927), who tried to create a Romano-Bulgarian empire that was profitable for him, was defeated; the same fate befell Samuel, who rebelled to form a Macedonian state, after which Bulgaria returned to the empire. Kievan Rus, having adopted Christianity, quickly became part of the Byzantine civilization. The rapid cultural and spiritual rise that began immediately after the triumph of Orthodoxy in 843 was accompanied by the political and economic prosperity of the empire.
Oddly enough, the victories of Byzantium, including over Islam, were also beneficial to the West, creating favorable conditions for the emergence of Western Europe in the form in which it would exist for many centuries. And the starting point of this process can be considered the formation in 962 of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation and in 987 of Capetian France. However, it was in the 11th century, which seemed so promising, that a spiritual rupture occurred between the new Western world and the Roman Empire of Constantinople, an irreparable schism, the consequences of which were tragic for Europe.
From the beginning of the 11th century. the name of the pope was no longer mentioned in the diptychs of Constantinople, which meant that communication with him was interrupted. This is the completion of a long process that we are studying. It is not known exactly what was the immediate cause of this gap. Perhaps the reason was the inclusion Filioque in the confession of faith sent by Pope Sergius IV to Constantinople in 1009 along with the notification of his accession to the Roman throne. Be that as it may, during the coronation of the German Emperor Henry II (1014), the Creed was sung in Rome with Filioque.
Besides the introduction Filioque There were also a number of Latin customs that outraged the Byzantines and increased the grounds for disagreement. Among them, the use of unleavened bread to celebrate the Eucharist was especially serious. If in the first centuries leavened bread was used everywhere, then from the 7th-8th centuries the Eucharist began to be celebrated in the West using wafers made from unleavened bread, that is, without leaven, as the ancient Jews did for their Passover. Symbolic language at that time was given great value, which is why the Greeks perceived the use of unleavened bread as a return to Judaism. They saw in this a denial of the novelty and the spiritual nature of the Savior’s sacrifice, which He offered in exchange for the Old Testament rites. In their eyes, the use of “dead” bread meant that the Savior in the incarnation only took human body, but not the soul...
In the 11th century The strengthening of papal power, which began during the time of Pope Nicholas I, continued with greater force. The fact is that in the 10th century. The power of the papacy was weakened as never before, being a victim of the actions of various factions of the Roman aristocracy or experiencing pressure from the German emperors. Various abuses spread in the Roman Church: the sale of church positions and the awarding of them by the laity, marriages or cohabitation among the priesthood... But during the pontificate of Leo XI (1047-1054), a real reform of the Western Church began. The new pope surrounded himself with worthy people, mainly natives of Lorraine, among whom Cardinal Humbert, Bishop of Bela Silva, stood out. The reformers saw no other means to correct the disastrous state of Latin Christianity other than strengthening the power and authority of the pope. In their view, papal power, as they understood it, should extend to the Universal Church, both Latin and Greek.
In 1054, an event occurred that could remain insignificant, but served as the occasion for a dramatic clash between the ecclesiastical tradition of Constantinople and the Western reform movement.
In an effort to obtain the help of the pope in the face of the threat of the Normans, who were encroaching on the Byzantine possessions of southern Italy, Emperor Constantine Monomachos, at the instigation of the Latin Argyrus, whom he appointed ruler of these possessions, took a conciliatory position towards Rome and wished to restore the unity that, as we have seen, was interrupted at the beginning of the century . But the actions of Latin reformers in southern Italy, which infringed on Byzantine religious customs, worried the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cyrularius. The papal legates, among whom was the inflexible bishop of Bela Silva, Cardinal Humbert, who arrived in Constantinople to negotiate unification, plotted to remove the intractable patriarch with the hands of the emperor. The matter ended with the legates placing a bull on the throne of Hagia Sophia for the excommunication of Michael Kirularius and his supporters. And a few days later, in response to this, the patriarch and the council he convened excommunicated the legates themselves from the Church.
Two circumstances gave significance to the hasty and rash act of the legates, which could not be appreciated at that time. First, they again raised the issue of Filioque, wrongfully reproaching the Greeks for excluding it from the Creed, although non-Latin Christianity has always considered this teaching as contrary to the apostolic tradition. In addition, the intentions of the reformers to extend the absolute and direct power of the pope to all bishops and believers, even in Constantinople itself, became clear to the Byzantines. Ecclesiology presented in this form seemed completely new to them and, in their eyes, also could not help but contradict the apostolic tradition. Having become familiar with the situation, the rest of the Eastern Patriarchs joined the position of Constantinople.
1054 should be considered not so much as the date of the schism, but as the year of the first failed attempt at reunification. No one then could have imagined that the division that occurred between those Churches that would soon be called Orthodox and Roman Catholic would last for centuries.
After the split
The schism was based mainly on doctrinal factors relating to different ideas about the mystery of the Holy Trinity and the structure of the Church. Added to these were also differences in less important issues related to church customs and rituals.
During the Middle Ages, the Latin West continued to develop in a direction that further removed it from the Orthodox world and its spirit.<…>
On the other hand, serious events occurred that further complicated understanding between Orthodox peoples and the Latin West. Probably the most tragic of them was the IV Crusade, which deviated from the main path and ended with the destruction of Constantinople, the proclamation of a Latin emperor and the establishment of the rule of the Frankish lords, who arbitrarily carved out the land holdings of the former Roman Empire. Many Orthodox monks were expelled from their monasteries and replaced by Latin monks. All this was probably unintentional, but it was nevertheless a logical consequence of the creation of the Western Empire and the evolution of the Latin Church from the beginning of the Middle Ages.<…>
All three share fundamental principles Christianity: accept the Nicene Creed, accepted first Council of the Church in 325, recognize the Holy Trinity, believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, in His divine essence and coming coming, accept the Bible as the Word of God and agree that repentance and faith are necessary to have eternal life and avoid hell, do not recognize Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons Christian churches. Well, Catholics and Protestants mercilessly burned heretics at the stake.
And now in the table, look at some of the differences that we managed to find and understand:
| Orthodoxy | Catholicism | Protestantism (and Lutheranism) |
|
|
Source of Faith |
Bible and lives of saints |
Only the Bible |
|
|
Access to the Bible |
The Bible is read to the laity by a priest and interpreted according to the regulations church councils, in other words, according to sacred tradition |
Each person reads the Bible himself and can independently interpret the truth of his ideas and actions if he finds confirmation in the Bible. Bible translation allowed |
|
|
Where does it come from? |
Only from the Father |
From the Father and the Son |
|
|
Priest |
Not elected by the people. |
Elected by the people. |
|
|
Head of the Church |
The Patriarch has |
Infallibility and |
No chapter |
|
Wearing a cassock |
Wear rich outfits |
Regular modest clothing |
|
|
Appeal to the priest |
"Father" |
"Father" |
No “father” address |
|
Celibacy |
No |
Eat |
No |
|
Hierarchy |
Eat |
No |
|
|
Monastery |
How highest manifestation faith |
There are none, people themselves are born to learn, reproduce and strive for success |
|
|
Divine service |
With cathedrals, temples and churches |
In any building. The main thing is the presence of Christ in the heart |
|
|
Openness of the throne during worship |
Closed with an iconostasis with the royal doors |
Relative openness |
Openness |
|
The Saints |
Eat. A man can be judged by his deeds |
No. Everyone is equal, and a person can be judged by his thoughts, and this is the right of only God |
|
|
Sign of the Cross |
Up down- |
Up down- |
Up-down-left-right, |
|
Attitude |
The virgin birth is rejected. They pray to her. The apparition of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes and Fatima is not recognized as true |
Her Immaculate Conception. She is sinless and people pray to her. Recognize the apparition of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes and Fatima as true |
She is not sinless and they do not pray to her, like other saints |
|
Adoption of decisions of the Seven Ecumenical Councils |
Follow religiously |
Believe there were errors in decisions and follow only those that are consistent with the Bible |
|
|
Church, society |
The concept of a symphony of spiritual and secular authorities |
Historical desire for supremacy over the state |
The state is secondary to society |
|
Relation to relics |
Pray and honor |
They don't think they have power |
|
|
Sins |
Dismissed by the priest |
Released only by God |
|
|
Icons |
Eat |
No |
|
|
Church interior |
Rich decoration |
Simplicity, no statues, bells, candles, organ, altar and crucifix (Lutheranism left this) |
|
|
Believer's Salvation |
"Faith without works is dead" |
Acquired by both faith and deeds, especially if a person cares about enriching the church |
Acquired by personal faith |
|
Sacraments |
Communion from infancy. Liturgy on leavened bread (Prosphora). |
Communion from 7-8 years old. |
Only baptism (and communion in Lutheranism). What makes a person a believer is his adherence to the 10 Commandments and sinless thoughts. |
|
Baptism |
In childhood by immersion |
In childhood by sprinkling |
One should only go with repentance, so children are not baptized, and if they are baptized, then adult life should be baptized again, but with repentance |
|
Fate |
Believe in God, and don’t make a mistake yourself. There is a life path |
Depends on a person |
Everyone is predetermined even before birth, thereby justifying inequality and enrichment of individuals |
|
Divorce |
It is forbidden |
It’s impossible, but if you make an argument that the bride/groom’s intentions were false, then you can |
Can |
|
Countries |
Greece 99.9%, |
Italy, |
Finland, |
Which faith is better? For the development of the state and life in pleasure - Protestantism is more acceptable. If a person is driven by the thought of suffering and redemption, then Orthodoxy and Catholicism. To each his own.
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In the CIS countries, most people are familiar with Orthodoxy, but know little about other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions. Therefore the question is: “ What is the difference Catholic Church from Orthodox?“or, to put it more simply, “the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy” - Catholics are asked very often. Let's try to answer it.
First of all, Catholics are also Christians. Christianity is divided into three main directions: 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 Churches independent of each other.
Besides the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), there is the Georgian Orthodox Church, Serbian Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Romanian Orthodox Church, etc. Managed Orthodox Churches 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 single leadership. But the Orthodox believe that the unity of the Orthodox Church is manifested in a single doctrine and in mutual communication in the sacraments.
Catholicism is one Universal Church. All its parts are different countries the world are in communication 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 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.
Now we can talk about the differences:
1) So, the first difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is V different understanding 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 each local Church, headed by a bishop. Catholics add that this local Church must have communion with the local Roman Catholic Church in order to belong to the Universal Church.
3) The Catholic Church in that The Holy Spirit comes from the Father and the Son (“filioque”). The Orthodox Church confesses the Holy Spirit emanating only from the Father. Some Orthodox saints spoke about the procession of the Spirit from the Father through the Son, which does not contradict Catholic dogma.
4) The Catholic Church confesses that the sacrament of marriage is for life and prohibits divorce, The Orthodox Church allows divorce in some cases;
5)The Catholic Church proclaimed the dogma of purgatory. This is the state of souls after death, destined for heaven, but not yet ready for it. There is no purgatory in Orthodox teaching (although there is something similar - ordeal). 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 Immaculate Conception Virgin Mary. This means that even original sin did not touch the Mother of the Savior. Orthodox Christians glorify the holiness of the Mother of God, but believe that she was born with original sin, like all people;
7)Catholic dogma of Mary's assumption to heaven body and soul is a logical continuation of the previous dogma. The Orthodox also believe that Mary resides in Heaven in body and soul, but this is not dogmatically enshrined in Orthodox teaching.
8) The Catholic Church accepted the dogma of the primacy of the Pope over the entire Church in matters of faith and morals, discipline and government. The Orthodox do not recognize the primacy of the Pope;
9) In the Orthodox Church one rite predominates. In the Catholic Church this a ritual that originated in Byzantium is called Byzantine and is one of several.
In Russia, the Roman (Latin) rite of the Catholic Church is better known. Therefore, the differences between the liturgical practice and church discipline of the Byzantine and Roman rites of the Catholic Church are often mistaken for differences between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church. But if the Orthodox liturgy is very different from the Roman rite mass, then the Catholic liturgy of the Byzantine rite is very similar. And the presence of married priests in the Russian Orthodox Church 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 morals in those cases where 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 accepts the decisions of only 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, preserving apostolic succession and true sacraments. Both Catholics and Orthodox Christians have the same Creed.
Despite their differences, Catholics and Orthodox Christians throughout the world profess one faith and one teaching of Jesus Christ. Once upon a time, human mistakes and prejudices separated us, but still 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 in His prayer: “That they all may be one, just as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:21). The unbelieving world needs our common witness for Christ.
Video lectures on the Dogmas of the Catholic Church
...Tomorrow morning the priest will give me a small
round, thin, cold and tasteless cookies.
K.S. Lewis "The Pain of Loss" Observations" ("Grief from Within").
The word was our weapon -
We soaked him in the enemy’s blood...
L. Bocharova, “Inquisitia”
This is a summary table of the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Only the main, “visible” differences are shown here - that is, those that an ordinary parishioner may be aware of (and may encounter).
Of course, Orthodoxy and Catholicism have many other differences. From the fundamental, like the notorious dogma of the “Filioque,” to the small, almost ridiculous: for example, we can’t agree on whether unleavened or leavened (yeast) bread should be used in the sacrament of Communion. But such differences, which do not directly affect the lives of parishioners, are not included in the table.
| Comparison criterion | Orthodoxy | Catholicism |
|---|---|---|
| Head of the Church | Christ himself. The earthly church is governed by the patriarch, but serious decisions are made by the Synod (a meeting of metropolitans), and the most important ones, especially on matters of faith, by the Council (a meeting of priest-delegates from the entire Church). | Pope, "vicarius Christi", i.e. vicar of Christ. He has complete personal authority, both ecclesiastical and doctrinal: his judgments on matters of faith are fundamentally correct, indisputable and have dogmatic force (the force of law). |
| Attitude to the covenants of the ancient Church | They must be fulfilled. Because that's the way spiritual growth which the Holy Fathers gave us. If circumstances have changed and the covenants do not work, you are allowed not to fulfill them (see the next paragraph). | They must be fulfilled. Because these are the laws that the holy fathers established. If circumstances have changed and the laws do not work, they are repealed (see the next paragraph). |
| How complex and controversial issues are resolved | The priest (bishop, Council) makes a decision for this specific case. Having previously prayed to God for the sending down of reason and the revelation of the will of God. | The priest (bishop, Council, Pope) is looking for the appropriate law. If there is no suitable law, the priest (bishop, Council, Pope) accepts new law for this case. |
| The performance of church sacraments and the role of the priest | The Lord performs the sacraments. The priest asks for us before the Lord, and through his holy prayers the Lord condescends to us, performing the Sacraments by His power. The main condition for the validity of the Sacrament is the sincere faith of those approaching. | The sacraments are performed by the priest himself: he has within himself a “reserve” of Divine power and bestows it in the Sacraments. The main condition for the validity of the Sacrament is its correct performance, i.e. execution exactly according to the canon. |
| Celibacy of priests (celibacy) | Mandatory for monks and bishops (high priests). Ordinary priests can be either monks or married. | Celibacy is mandatory for all clergy (both monks and priests of all levels). |
| Attitude towards divorce, the possibility of divorce among the laity | Divorce is the destruction of the Sacrament, the recognition of the sin of those divorcing and the mistakes of the Church (since it previously blessed their marriage). Therefore, divorce is allowed in exceptional cases, under special circumstances, with the permission of the bishop, and only for the laity (i.e., divorce is prohibited for married priests). | Divorce would be the destruction of the Sacrament, the recognition of the sin of those divorcing, the mistake of the priest (see above about the performance of the Sacraments) and the entire Church. This is impossible. Therefore, divorce is impossible. However, in exceptional cases it is possible to declare a marriage invalid (dispensatio) - i.e. as if the marriage never happened. |
| Organization of worship: a) Language b) Singing c) Duration d) Behavior of believers |
a) The service is on native language or its ancient version (as Church Slavonic). The language is close and mostly understandable. Believers pray together and are participants in the worship service. b) Only live singing is used. c) The services are long and difficult. d) Believers are standing. It takes effort. On the one hand, it does not allow you to relax, on the other, a person gets tired and distracted faster. |
A). The service is in Latin. The language is not understandable to most of those present. Believers follow the progress of the service according to the book, but pray individually, each on his own. b) Organs are used. c) Medium-duration services. d) The believers are sitting. On the one hand, it’s easier to concentrate (fatigue doesn’t interfere), on the other hand, a sitting position encourages you to relax and just watch the service. |
| Correct structure of prayer | The prayer is “mind-hearted,” that is, calm. It is forbidden to imagine any images and, especially, to deliberately “inflame” feelings. Even sincere and deep feelings (like repentance) should not be expressed demonstratively, in front of everyone. In general, prayer should be reverent. This is turning to God in thought and spirit. | The prayer is passionate and emotional. It is recommended to imagine visible images and warm up your emotions. Deep feelings can be expressed outwardly. The result is an emotional, exalted prayer. This is turning to God with heart and soul. |
| Attitude towards sin and commandments | Sin is a disease (or wound) of the soul. And commandments are warnings (or cautions): “don’t do this, otherwise you will harm yourself.” | Sin is a violation of laws (the commandments of God and the institutions of the Church). Commandments are laws (i.e. prohibitions): “don’t do this, otherwise you will be guilty.” |
| Forgiveness of sin and the meaning of confession | Sin is forgiven through repentance, when a person brings to God sincere repentance and a request for forgiveness. (And the intention to continue to fight sin, of course.) In addition to granting forgiveness, the task of confession is to determine why a person sinned and how to help him get rid of sin. | Sin is forgiven through “sacisfaccio”, i.e. redemption to God. Repentance is necessary, but may not be deep; the main thing is to work hard (or suffer punishment) and thus “work off” the sin for God. The task of confession is to determine exactly how a person sinned (i.e., what he violated) and what punishment he should suffer. |
| Afterlife and the fate of sinners | The dead go through ordeals - an “obstacle course” where they are tested in sins. The saints pass easily and ascend to heaven. Those subject to sins linger in ordeals. Great sinners do not pass and are cast into hell. | The deceased is valued by the sum of his earthly affairs. Saints immediately go to heaven, great sinners go to hell, and “ordinary” people go to purgatory. This is a place of sorrow, where the soul for some time suffers punishment for sins that were not atoned for during life. |
| Help for the dead | Through the prayers of relatives, friends and the Church, some of the sins of the sinner’s soul can be forgiven. Therefore, prayer makes it easier to go through ordeals. We believe that through the fervent prayers of the Church and the Holy Fathers, it is even possible to liberate a soul from hell. | Prayer eases the severity of torment in purgatory, but does not shorten its duration. The term can be shortened through the holy deeds of other people. This is possible if the Pope transfers their “extra” merits to the sinner (the so-called “treasury of merits”), for example through an indulgence. |
| Attitude towards babies | Infants are baptized, anointed and given communion. Orthodox believe that the grace of the Lord is given to infants and helps them, even if they do not yet understand the high meaning of the Sacraments. | Infants are baptized, but are not anointed or given communion until they are of conscious age. Catholics believe that a person must become worthy of the Sacraments, i.e. grow up and realize the grace that comes with it. |
| Attitude towards fellow believers | "All people are brothers." Orthodox Christians tend to be communal (kenovia). | “Everyone is valuable in himself.” Catholics are prone to individualism (idiorhythmia). |
| Attitude to the Church | The church is a family where the main thing is love. | The Church is a state where the main thing is the law. |
| Bottom line | Orthodoxy is life “from the heart,” i.e. first of all – out of love. | Catholicism is life “from the head”, i.e. First of all, according to the law. |
Notes
- Note that at certain moments of the Orthodox service (for example, during long readings) parishioners are allowed to sit.
- If you look at the structure of the prayer, you can see that “heartfelt” Orthodox have “smart” prayer, while “smart” Catholics have “heartfelt” prayer. This (apparent contradiction) can be explained this way: we pray not with what we live in everyday life. Therefore, the Orthodox appeal to God is “smart” orthodox prayer- sober, “in Orthodox mysticism you need to cleanse the mind and then bring it into the heart” (not a strictly theological, but quite accurate formulation by S. Kalugin). For Catholics, on the contrary, turning to God is “heartfelt”, prayer is emotional, in Catholic mysticism you must first cleanse your heart, and then from it be completely imbued with the spirit of Divine love.
- Confirmation is a Sacrament of the Church in which a person is given the grace of the Holy Spirit by anointing with special holy oil, chrism. It is performed once in a lifetime (except for kings in former times, who were also anointed to the kingdom). For Orthodox Christians, Confirmation is combined with Baptism; for Catholics, it is performed separately.
- In general, the attitude towards babies is a very telling example of the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. After all, both Orthodox and Catholics agree that infants (children under 7 years old) are sinless. But we draw the exact opposite conclusions. The Orthodox believe that since babies are sinless, they can (and should!) be anointed and given communion: this will not be an insult to God, and the baby will receive His grace and help. Catholics believe that since babies are sinless, they do not need to be anointed and given communion: after all, they are already sinless, by definition!
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