How does the Catholic Church differ from the Orthodox Church? The main difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy. The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

The final division of the United Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism occurred in 1054. However, both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches consider themselves only “one holy, catholic (conciliar) and apostolic Church.”

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.

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 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.

The main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism:

1. So, the first difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is the 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. Catholic Church confesses in the Creed that the Holy Spirit proceeds 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.

3. The Catholic Church professes that the sacrament of marriage is for life and prohibits divorce, the Orthodox Church in in some cases allows divorces.

An angel frees souls in purgatory, Lodovico Carracci

4. 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 assume that there are souls in intermediate state for whom there is still hope of going to heaven after the Last Judgment;

5. 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 Christians glorify the holiness of the Mother of God, but believe that she was born with original sin, like all people;

6. The 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.

7. The Catholic Church has 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;

8. The Catholic Church has proclaimed the dogma that the Pope is infallible in matters of faith and morals 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;

Pope Pius V

9. Orthodox Christians cross themselves from right to left, and Catholics from left to right.

Catholics for a long time were allowed to be baptized in either of these two ways, until in 1570 Pope Pius V ordered them to do it from left to right and no other way. With such a movement of the hand, the sign of the cross, according to Christian symbolism, is considered to come from a person who turns to God. And when the hand moves from right to left, it comes from God, who blesses a person. It is no coincidence that both Orthodox and Catholic priests cross those around them from left to right (looking from themselves). For someone standing opposite the priest, it is like a blessing gesture from right to left. In addition, moving the hand from left to right means moving from sin to salvation, since left-hand side in Christianity it is associated with the devil, and the right one is associated with the divine. And with the sign of the cross from right to left, moving the hand is interpreted as a victory of the divine over the devil.

10. In Orthodoxy there are two points of view regarding Catholics:

The first considers Catholics to be heretics who distorted the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (by adding (lat. filioque). The second considers Catholics to be schismatics (schismatics) who broke away from the One Catholic Apostolic Church.

Catholics, in turn, consider the Orthodox to be schismatics who have broken away from the One, Universal and Apostolic Church, but do not consider them heretics. The Catholic Church recognizes that local Orthodox Churches are true Churches that have preserved apostolic succession and true sacraments.

11. In the Latin rite, it is common to perform baptism by sprinkling rather than immersion. The baptismal formula is slightly different.

12. In the Western rite, confessionals are widespread for the sacrament of confession - a place set aside for confession, usually special booths - confessionals, usually wooden, where the penitent knelt on a low bench to the side of the priest, seated behind a partition with a lattice window. In Orthodoxy, the confessor and confessor stand in front of the lectern with the Gospel and the Crucifix in front of the rest of the parishioners, but at some distance from them.

Confessionals or confessionals

The confessor and the confessor stand in front of the lectern with the Gospel and the Crucifix

13. In the Eastern rite, children begin to receive communion from infancy; in the Western rite, first communion is given only at the age of 7-8 years.

14. In the Latin rite, a priest cannot be married (except for rare, specially specified cases) and is required to take a vow of celibacy before ordination; in the Eastern rite (for both Orthodox and Greek Catholics), celibacy is required only for bishops.

15. Lent in the Latin rite it begins with Ash Wednesday, and in the Byzantine rite with Happy Monday.

16. In the Western rite, prolonged kneeling is customary, in the Eastern rite - bowing to the ground, and therefore in Latin churches there appear benches with shelves for kneeling (believers sit only during the Old Testament and Apostolic readings, sermons, offers), and for the Eastern rite it is important that There was sufficient space in front of the worshiper to bow to the ground.

17. The Orthodox clergy mostly wears a beard. Catholic clergy are generally beardless.

18. In Orthodoxy, the deceased are especially remembered on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day after death (the first day is the day of death itself), in Catholicism - on the 3rd, 7th and 30th day.

19. One of the aspects of sin in Catholicism is considered to be an insult to God. According to the Orthodox view, since God is dispassionate, simple and unchanging, it is impossible to offend God; by sins we harm only ourselves (he who commits sin is a slave of sin).

20. Orthodox and Catholics recognize the rights of secular authorities. In Orthodoxy there is the concept of a symphony of spiritual and secular authorities. In Catholicism, there is a concept of the supremacy of church power over secular power. According to the social doctrine of the Catholic Church, the state comes from God and therefore must be obeyed. The right to disobey authorities is also recognized by the Catholic Church, but with significant reservations. The Fundamentals of the Social Concept of the Russian Orthodox Church also recognizes the right to disobedience if the government forces apostasy from Christianity or sinful acts. On April 5, 2015, Patriarch Kirill, in his sermon on the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, noted:

“... They often expect from the Church the same thing that the ancient Jews expected from the Savior. The Church should help people, supposedly, solve their political problems, be... a kind of leader in achieving these human victories... I remember the difficult 90s, when the Church was required to lead the political process. Addressing the Patriarch or one of the hierarchs, they said: “Nominate your candidacies for the post of President! Lead the people to political victories!” And the Church said: “Never!” Because our business is completely different... The Church serves those goals that give people the fullness of life both here on earth and in eternity. And therefore, when the Church begins to serve the political interests, ideological fashions and predilections of this century, ... she leaves that meek young donkey on which the Savior rode ... "

21. In Catholicism, there is a doctrine of indulgences (release from temporary punishment for sins for which the sinner has already repented, and the guilt for which has already been forgiven in the sacrament of confession). There is no such practice in modern Orthodoxy, although previously “letters of permission,” an analogue of indulgences in Orthodoxy, existed in the Orthodox Church of Constantinople during the period of Ottoman occupation.

22. In the Catholic West, the prevailing belief is that Mary Magdalene is the woman who anointed the feet of Jesus in the house of Simon the Pharisee. The Orthodox Church categorically disagrees with this identification.

appearance of the risen christ to mary magdalene

23. Catholics are hell-bent on opposing contraception of any kind, which seems especially pertinent during the AIDS pandemic. And Orthodoxy recognizes the possibility of using some contraceptives that do not have an abortifacient effect, for example, condoms and female contraceptives. Of course, legally married.

24. Grace of God. Catholicism teaches that Grace is created by God for people. Orthodoxy believes that Grace is uncreated, pre-eternal and affects not only people, but also all creation. According to Orthodoxy, Mercy is a mystical attribute and the Power of God.

25. Orthodox Christians use leavened bread for communion. Catholics are bland. Orthodox Christians receive bread, red wine (the body and blood of Christ) and warm water(“warmth” is a symbol of the Holy Spirit), Catholics - only bread and white wine (for the laity - only bread).

Despite their differences, Catholics and Orthodox Christians profess and preach throughout the world 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 students are both Catholics and Orthodox.

Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism? This article answers these questions briefly in simple words.

Catholics belong to one of the 3 main denominations of Christianity. There are three Christian denominations in the world: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. The youngest is Protestantism, which arose in the 16th century as a result of Martin Luther's attempt to reform the Catholic Church.

The division of the Catholic and Orthodox churches occurred in 1054, when Pope Leo IX drew up an act of excommunication of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the entire Eastern Church. Patriarch Michael convened a council, at which he was excommunicated from the Church and the commemoration of popes in the Eastern churches was stopped.

The main reasons for the division of the church into Catholic and Orthodox:

different languages of worship ( Greek in the eastern and Latin in the western church)
dogmatic, ritual differences between eastern(Constantinople) and western(Rome)churches ,
the Pope's desire to become first, dominant among 4 equal Christian patriarchs (Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Jerusalem).

IN 1965 Head of the Orthodox Church of Constantinople Ecumenical Patriarch Athenagoras and Pope Paul VI canceled mutual anathemas and signed Joint Declaration. However, many contradictions between the two churches have unfortunately not yet been overcome.

In the article you will find the main differences in the dogmas and beliefs of the 2 Christian churches - Catholic and Christian. But it is important to understand that all Christians: Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox, are in no way “enemies” of each other, but, on the contrary, brothers and sisters in Christ.

Dogmas of the Catholic Church. Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

These are the main dogmas of the Catholic Church, which differ from the Orthodox understanding of the Gospel truth.

Filioque - dogma about the Holy Spirit. Claims that He comes from both God the Son and God the Father.
Celibacy is the dogma of celibacy for all clergy, not just monks.
For Catholics, Sacred Tradition includes only decisions made after the 7 Ecumenical Councils, as well as Papal Epistles.
Purgatory is the dogma that between hell and heaven there is an intermediate place (purgatory) where atonement for sins is possible.
Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and her bodily ascension.
The dogma of the communion of the clergy with the Body and Blood of Christ, and the laity - only with the Body of Christ.

Dogmas of the Orthodox Church. Differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism

Orthodox Christians, unlike Catholics, believe that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father. This is stated in the Creed.
In Orthodoxy, celibacy is observed only by monks; the rest of the clergy marry.
For the Orthodox, the Holy Tradition is the ancient oral tradition, the decrees of the first 7 Ecumenical Councils.
There is no dogma of purgatory in Orthodox Christianity.
In Orthodox Christianity there is no teaching about the overabundance of good deeds of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, and the apostles (“treasury of grace”), which allows one to “draw” salvation from this treasury. This teaching allowed the emergence of indulgences * , which became a stumbling block between Protestants and Catholics. Indulgences deeply angered Martin Luther. He did not want to create a new denomination, he wanted to reform Catholicism.
Laity and clergy in Orthodoxy Communicate with the Body and Blood of Christ: “Take, eat: this is My Body, and drink of it, all of you: this is My Blood.”

Other useful articles: ? ?

Who are Catholics and in what countries do they live?

The largest numbers of Catholics live in Mexico (about 91% of the population), Brazil (74% of the population), the United States (22% of the population) and Europe (ranging from 94% of the population in Spain to 0.41% in Greece).

You can see what percentage of the population in all countries professes Catholicism in the table on Wikipedia: Catholicism by country >>>

There are more than a billion Catholics in the world. The head of the Catholic Church is the Pope (in Orthodoxy - the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople). There is a popular belief about the total infallibility of the Pope, but this is not true. In Catholicism, only the doctrinal decisions and statements of the Pope are considered infallible. The Catholic Church is now led by Pope Francis. He was elected on March 13, 2013.

Both Orthodox and Catholics are Christians!

Christ teaches us love for absolutely all people. And even more so, to our brothers in faith. Therefore, there is no need to argue about which faith is more correct, but it is better to show your neighbors, helping those in need, a virtuous life, forgiveness, non-judgment, meekness, mercy and love for neighbors.

I hope the article " Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? was useful for you and now you know what the main differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy are, what is the difference between Catholics and Orthodox.

I wish everyone to notice the good in life, enjoy everything, even bread and rain, and thank God for everything!

I share with you useful video WHAT THE MOVIE “AREAS OF DARKNESS” TAUGHT ME:

11.02.2016

On February 11, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus' begins his first pastoral visit to the countries of Latin America, which will last until February 22 and will cover Cuba, Brazil and Paraguay. February 12 at international airport named after Jose Marti in the Cuban capital, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church will meet with Pope Francis, who will make a stop on his way to Mexico. The meeting of the primates of the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches, which has been in preparation for 20 years, will take place for the first time. As Vladimir Legoida, Chairman of the Synodal Department for Relations between the Church and Society and the Media, noted, the upcoming historic meeting is caused by the need for joint action in matters of assistance to Christian communities in the countries of the Middle East. “Although many problems between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church remain unresolved, the protection of Middle Eastern Christians against genocide is a challenge that requires urgent joint efforts,” Legoida said. According to him, “the exodus of Christians from the countries of the Middle East and North Africa- a disaster for the whole world."

What problems between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church remain unresolved?

How is the Catholic Church different from the Orthodox Church? Catholics and Orthodox Christians answer this question somewhat differently. How exactly?

Catholics about Orthodoxy and Catholicism

The essence of the Catholic answer to the question of the differences between Catholics and Orthodox Christians boils down to the following:

Catholics are 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. So, in addition to 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 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 in different countries of 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.

Catholics on the differences between the Catholic and Orthodox churches

1) The first difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is the 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 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 confesses in the Creed that the Holy Spirit proceeds 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 professes 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 the Immaculate Conception of the 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) The 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 rite, which 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 has proclaimed the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope in matters of faith and morals in those cases when he, in agreement with all bishops, affirms what the Catholic Church has already believed in 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 that have preserved apostolic succession and true sacraments.

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. This is how Russian Catholics assure us that the modern Western Catholic Church thinks in an inclusive and conciliatory way.

Orthodox view of Orthodoxy and Catholicism, their commonalities and differences

The final division of the United Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism occurred in 1054.
Both the Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches consider only themselves to be “one holy, catholic (conciliar) and apostolic Church” (Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed).

The official attitude of the Roman Catholic Church towards the Eastern (Orthodox) churches that are not in communion with it, including local Orthodox churches, is expressed in the Decree of the Second Vatican Council “Unitatis redintegratio”:

“A considerable number of communities have separated from full communion with the Catholic Church, sometimes not without the fault of people: on both sides. However, those who are now born in such Communities and are filled with faith in Christ cannot be accused of the sin of separation, and the Catholic The Church receives them with brotherly respect and love. For those who believe in Christ and have duly received baptism are in a certain communion with the Catholic Church, even if incomplete... Nevertheless, having been justified by faith in baptism, they are united to Christ and, therefore, they rightfully bear the name of Christians, and the children of the Catholic Church with full justification recognize them as brothers in the Lord."

The official attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards the Roman Catholic Church is expressed in the document “Basic principles of the attitude of the Russian Orthodox Church towards heterodoxy”:

The dialogue with the Roman Catholic Church has been and must be built in the future taking into account the fundamental fact that it is a Church in which the apostolic succession of ordinations is preserved. At the same time, it seems necessary to take into account the nature of the development of the doctrinal foundations and ethos of the RCC, which often ran counter to the Tradition and spiritual experience of the Ancient Church.

Main differences in dogma

Triadological:

Orthodoxy does not accept the Catholic formulation of the Nicene-Constantinopolitan creed, the filioque, which speaks of the procession of the Holy Spirit not only from the Father, but also “from the Son” (lat. filioque).

Orthodoxy professes two different ways of being of the Holy Trinity: the existence of Three Persons in the Essence and Their manifestation in energy. Roman Catholics, like Barlaam of Calabria (the opponent of St. Gregory Palamas), consider the energy of the Trinity to be created: the bush, glory, light and tongues of fire of Pentecost are considered by them to be created symbols, which, once born, then cease to exist.

The Western Church considers grace to be a consequence of the Divine Cause, similar to the act of creation.

The Holy Spirit in Roman Catholicism is interpreted as love (connection) between the Father and the Son, between God and people, while in Orthodoxy love is the common energy of all Three Persons of the Holy Trinity, otherwise the Holy Spirit would lose its hypostatic appearance when identified with love .

IN Orthodox Symbol Faith, which we read every morning, says the following about the Holy Spirit: “And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, Who proceeds from the Father...”. These words, as well as all other words of the Creed, find exact confirmation in the Holy Scriptures. Thus, in the Gospel of John (15, 26), the Lord Jesus Christ says that the Holy Spirit comes precisely from the Father. The Savior says: “When the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father.” We believe in one God in the Holy Trinity worshiped - Father and Son and Holy Spirit. God is one in essence, but threefold in persons, which are also called Hypostases. All three Hypostases are equal in honor, equally worshiped and equally glorified. They differ only in their properties - the Father is unborn, the Son is born, the Holy Spirit comes from the Father. The Father is the only beginning (ἀρχὴ) or the only source (πηγή) for the Word and the Holy Spirit.

Mariological:

Orthodoxy rejects the dogma of the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary.

In Catholicism, the significance of the dogma is the hypothesis of the direct creation of souls by God, which serves as support for the dogma of the Immaculate Conception.

Orthodoxy also rejects the Catholic dogma of the bodily ascension of the Mother of God.

Others:

Orthodoxy recognizes as Ecumenical seven councils, which took place before the great schism, Catholicism recognizes twenty-one Ecumenical Councils, including those that took place after the great schism.

Orthodoxy rejects the dogma of the infallibility (inerrancy) of the Pope and his supremacy over all Christians.

Orthodoxy does not accept the doctrine of purgatory, as well as the doctrine of the “extraordinary merits of the saints.”

The doctrine of ordeals existing in Orthodoxy is absent in Catholicism.

The theory of dogmatic development formulated by Cardinal Newman was adopted by the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church. In Orthodox theology, the problem of dogmatic development has never played the key role that it acquired in Catholic theology from the middle of the 19th century. Dogmatic development began to be discussed in the Orthodox community in connection with the new dogmas of the First Vatican Council. Some Orthodox authors consider acceptable “dogmatic development” in the sense of an ever more precise verbal definition of dogma and an ever more precise expression in words of the known Truth. At the same time, this development does not mean that the “understanding” of Revelation is progressing or developing.

With some vagueness in determining the final position on this problem, two aspects characteristic of the Orthodox interpretation of the problem are visible: the identity of church consciousness (the Church knows the truth no less and no differently than it knew it in ancient times; dogmas are understood simply as the understanding of what has always existed in the Church, starting from the apostolic age) and turning attention to the question of the nature of dogmatic knowledge (the experience and faith of the Church is broader and more complete than its dogmatic word; the Church testifies to many things not in dogmas, but in images and symbols; Tradition in its entirety is a guarantor of freedom from historical accident; the completeness of Tradition does not depend on the development of dogmatic consciousness; on the contrary, dogmatic definitions are only a partial and incomplete expression of the completeness of Tradition).

In Orthodoxy there are two points of view regarding Catholics.

The first considers Catholics to be heretics who distorted the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed (by adding (lat. filioque).

The second is schismatics (schismatics), who broke away from the One Catholic Apostolic Church.

Some differences between the Byzantine and Latin rites

There are ritual differences between the Byzantine liturgical rite, which is most common in Orthodoxy, and the Latin rite, which is most common in the Catholic Church. However, ritual differences, unlike dogmatic ones, are not of a fundamental nature - there are Catholic churches that use the Byzantine liturgy in worship (see Greek Catholics) and Orthodox communities of the Latin rite (see Western Rite in Orthodoxy). Different ritual traditions entail different canonical practices:

In the Latin rite, it is common to perform baptism by sprinkling rather than immersion. The baptismal formula is slightly different.

The Fathers of the Church in many of their works speak specifically about immersion Baptism. Saint Basil the Great: “The Great Sacrament of Baptism is performed by three immersions and equal in number invocations of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, so that the image of Christ’s death is imprinted on us and the souls of those baptized are enlightened through the tradition of the knowledge of God.”

T Ak baptized in St. Petersburg in the 90s by Fr. Vladimir Tsvetkov - until late in the evening, after the Liturgy and prayer service, without sitting down, without eating anything, until he gives communion to the last person to be baptized, ready for Communion, and he himself beams and says almost in a whisper: “I baptized six,” as if “I gave birth to six today.” in Christ and was himself born again.” How many times could this be observed: in the empty huge Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands on Konyushennaya, behind a screen, at sunset, the priest, not noticing anyone, being somewhere where he cannot be reached, walks around the font and leads a string of equally detached people , dressed in the “robes of truth” of our new brothers and sisters who are unrecognizable. And the priest, with a completely unearthly voice, praises the Lord so that everyone abandons their obedience and runs to this voice, coming from another world, to which the newly baptized, newborns, sealed with the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” are now involved (Fr. Kirill Sakharov).

Confirmation in the Latin rite is performed after reaching conscious age and is called confirmation (“affirmation”), in the Eastern rite - immediately after the sacrament of baptism, with which the last rite is combined into a single rite (with the exception of the reception of those not anointed upon transition from other faiths).

Sprinkling baptism came to us from Catholicism...

In the Western rite, confessionals are widespread for the sacrament of confession, which are absent in the Byzantine rite.

In Orthodox and Greek Catholic churches the altar, as a rule, is separated from the middle part of the temple by an iconostasis. In the Latin rite, the altar refers to the altar itself, located, as a rule, in the open presbytery (but the altar barrier, which became the prototype of Orthodox iconostases, may be preserved). In Catholic churches, deviations from the traditional orientation of the altar to the east are much more common than in Orthodox churches.

In the Latin rite, for a long time, right up to the Second Vatican Council, the communion of the laity under one type (Body), and the clergy under two types (Body and Blood) was widespread. After the Second Vatican Council, lay communion again spread under two types.

In the Eastern rite, children begin to receive communion from infancy; in the Western rite, first communion is given only at the age of 7-8 years.

In the Western rite, the Liturgy is celebrated on unleavened bread (Hosto), in the Eastern tradition on leavened bread (Prosphora).

The sign of the cross for Orthodox and Greek Catholics is performed from right to left, and from left to right for Catholics of the Latin rite.

Western and Eastern clergy have different liturgical vestments.

In the Latin rite, a priest cannot be married (except for rare, specially specified cases) and is required to take a vow of celibacy before ordination; in the Eastern rite (for both Orthodox and Greek Catholics), celibacy is required only for bishops.

Lent in the Latin rite begins on Ash Wednesday, and in the Byzantine rite on Clean Monday. The Nativity Fast (in the Western rite - Advent) has different durations.

In the Western rite, prolonged kneeling is customary, in the Eastern rite - bowing to the ground, and therefore in Latin churches there appear benches with shelves for kneeling (believers sit only during the Old Testament and Apostolic readings, sermons, offers), and for the Eastern rite it is important that There was sufficient space in front of the worshiper to bow to the ground. At the same time, at present, both in the Greek Catholic and Orthodox churches In different countries, not only traditional stasidia along the walls are common, but also rows of “Western” type benches parallel to the salt.

Along with the differences, there is a correspondence between the services of the Byzantine and Latin rites, outwardly hidden behind the various names adopted in the Churches:

In Catholicism, it is customary to talk about the transubstantiation (Latin transsubstantiatio) of bread and wine into the true Body and Blood of Christ; in Orthodoxy, they more often speak of transubstantiation (Greek μεταβολή), although the term “transubstantiation” (Greek μετουσίωσις) is also used, and since the 17th century conciliarly codified.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism have divergent views on the issue of dissolubility church marriage: Catholics consider marriage to be fundamentally indissoluble (in this case, a marriage can be declared invalid as a result of discovered circumstances that serve as a canonical obstacle to a legal marriage), according to the Orthodox point of view, adultery destroys the marriage in fact, which makes it possible for the innocent party to enter into a new marriage.

Eastern and Western Christians use different Paschals, so the dates of Easter coincide only 30% of the time (with some Eastern Catholic churches using the "Eastern" Paschal, and the Finnish Orthodox Church using the "Western" Paschal).

In Catholicism and Orthodoxy there are holidays that are absent in other confessions: the holidays of the Heart of Jesus, the Body and Blood of Christ, the Immaculate Heart of Mary, etc. in Catholicism; Feasts of the Position of the Honest Riza Holy Mother of God, Origin of the honest trees Life-giving Cross and others in Orthodoxy. It should be borne in mind that, for example, a number of holidays considered significant in the Russian Orthodox Church are absent in other local Orthodox churches (in particular, the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary), and some of them are of Catholic origin and were adopted after the schism (Adoration of the Honorable Faiths Apostle Peter, Translation of the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker).

Orthodox Christians do not kneel on Sunday, but Catholics do.

Catholic fasting is less strict than Orthodox fasting, although its norms have been officially relaxed over time. The minimum Eucharistic fast in Catholicism is one hour (before the Second Vatican Council, fasting from midnight was mandatory), in Orthodoxy it is at least 6 hours on holiday night services (Easter, Christmas, etc.) and before the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts (“ however, abstinence before communion<на Литургии Преждеосвященных Даров>from midnight from the beginning of a given day is very commendable and can be adhered to by those who have physical strength” - according to the resolution of the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church of November 28, 1968), and before the morning Liturgies - from midnight.

Unlike Orthodoxy, Catholicism has adopted the term “blessing of water,” while in the Eastern Churches it is “blessing of water.”

The Orthodox clergy mostly wears a beard. Catholic clergy are generally beardless.

In Orthodoxy, the deceased are especially remembered on the 3rd, 9th and 40th day after death (the first day is the day of death itself), in Catholicism - on the 3rd, 7th and 30th day.

Materials on this topic

This article will focus on what Catholicism is and who Catholics are. This direction is considered one of the branches of Christianity, formed due to a large schism in this religion, which occurred in 1054.

Who they are is in many ways similar to Orthodoxy, but there are also differences. The Catholic religion differs from other movements in Christianity in its religious teachings and cult rituals. Catholicism added new dogmas to the Creed.

Spreading

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 states South America, where it is professed by the overwhelming majority of the population. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence catholic religion not important here. compared to the Orthodox Christians are a minority. There are about 700 thousand of them. Catholics in Ukraine are more numerous. There are about 5 million people.

Name

The word "Catholicism" is of Greek origin and translated means universality or universality. In the modern understanding, this term refers to the Western branch of Christianity, which adheres to the apostolic traditions. Apparently, the church was understood as something universal 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.

Origin of Catholicism

The term “church” began to appear in written sources (letters of Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, Polycarp of Smyrna) from the second century. This word was synonymous with municipality. At the turn of the second and third centuries, Irenaeus of Lyons applied the word "church" to Christianity in general. For individual (regional, local) Christian communities it was used with the corresponding adjective (for example, the Church of Alexandria).

In the second century, Christian society was divided into laity and clergy. In turn, the latter were divided into bishops, priests and deacons. It remains unclear how governance was carried out in the communities - collegially or individually. Some experts believe that the government was initially democratic, but over time it became monarchical. The clergy was 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 merely an advisory body. But only the bishop had real power in a particular province.

In the second century, the desire to preserve apostolic traditions contributed to the emergence of a structure. The Church had to protect the faith, dogmas and canons of the Holy Scriptures. All this, as well as the influence of the syncretism of the Hellenistic religion, led to the formation of Catholicism in its ancient form.

The final formation of Catholicism

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, the word “Roman” began to be added more and more often to the term “Catholic” in everyday use. 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 authority of the Patriarch of Constantinople and became subordinate to the Pope, but retained their dogmas and rituals. Examples are the Greek Catholics, the Byzantine Catholic Church and others.

Basic tenets and postulates

To understand who Catholics are, you need to pay attention to the basic tenets of their faith. The main dogma of Catholicism, which distinguishes it from other areas of Christianity, is the thesis that the Pope is infallible. However, there are many known cases when Popes, in the struggle for power and influence, entered into dishonest alliances with large feudal lords and kings, were obsessed with the 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 at the Council of Florence. This teaching is based on the fact that the human soul after death goes to purgatory, which is an intermediate level between hell and heaven. There she can be cleansed of her sins through various tests. Relatives and friends of the deceased can help his soul cope with trials through prayers and donations. It follows from this that a person’s fate 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 about 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 Catholic priest has serious advantages and privileges compared to the ordinary flock. According to the Catholic religion, only the clergy has the right to read the Bible - this is their exclusive right. This is prohibited for other believers. Only publications written in Latin are considered canonical.

Catholic dogmatics 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 personal life his flock and control every step of a person. Constant confession allows the church to have a serious influence on society, and especially on women.

Catholic sacraments

The main task of the Catholic Church (the community of believers as a whole) is to preach Christ to the world. Sacraments are considered visible signs invisible grace of God. Essentially, these are actions established by Jesus Christ that must be performed for the good and salvation of the soul. There are seven sacraments in Catholicism:

baptism;
anointing (confirmation);
Eucharist, or communion (Catholics take their first communion at the age of 7-10 years);
sacrament of repentance and reconciliation (confession);
anointing;
sacrament of the priesthood (ordination);
sacrament of marriage.

According to some experts and researchers, the roots of the sacraments of Christianity go back to the pagan mysteries. However, this point of view is actively criticized by theologians. According to the latter, in the first centuries A.D. e. The pagans borrowed some rituals from Christianity.

What is the difference between Catholics and Orthodox Christians?

What Catholicism and Orthodoxy have in common is that in both of these branches of Christianity, the church is a mediator between man and God. Both churches agree that the Bible is the fundamental 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 differently (the Filioque problem). The Orthodox profess the “Creed,” which proclaims the procession of the Holy Spirit only “from the Father.” Catholics 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 the creation. However, according to Catholic canons, the world has a material nature. He was created by God out of nothing. There is nothing divine in the material world. While Orthodoxy assumes that the divine creation is the embodiment of God himself, it comes from God, and therefore he is invisibly present in his creations. Orthodoxy believes that you can touch God through contemplation, that is, approach the divine through consciousness. Catholicism does not accept this.

Another difference between Catholics and Orthodox Christians is that the former consider it possible to introduce new dogmas. There is also a teaching about the “good deeds and merits” 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.

Differences in rituals. How Catholics are baptized

There are also differences in rituals, the design of churches, etc. Orthodox Christians even perform the prayer procedure not exactly the same way as Catholics pray. Although at first glance it seems that the difference is in some small details. To feel the spiritual difference, it is enough to compare two icons, Catholic and Orthodox. The first one looks more like beautiful picture. In Orthodoxy, icons are more sacred. Many people are wondering, 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 else are Catholics baptized? A less common method is to use an open palm, with the fingers pressed tightly together and the thumb slightly tucked in. inside. This symbolizes the openness of the soul to the Lord.

Man's destiny

The Catholic Church teaches that people are burdened by original sin (with the exception of the Virgin Mary), that is, every person from birth has 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 at the end the Last Judgment awaits him. Particularly righteous and godly people are ranked among the Saints (canonized). The church keeps a list of them. The process of canonization is preceded by beatification (beatification). Orthodoxy also has a cult of Saints, but most Protestant movements reject it.

Indulgences

In Catholicism, an 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 the priest. Initially, the basis for receiving an indulgence was the performance of some good deed (for example, a pilgrimage to holy places). Then they became a donation of a certain amount to the church. During the Renaissance, serious and widespread abuses were observed, which consisted of the distribution of indulgences for money. As a result, this sparked the start of protests and a reform movement. In 1567, Pope Pius V banned the issuance of indulgences for money and material resources at all.

Celibacy in Catholicism

Another serious difference between the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church is that all the clergy of the latter give Catholic clergy do not have the right to marry or even 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 version of celibacy at the Council of Trullo. In Catholicism, the vow of celibacy applies to all clergy. Initially, minor church ranks had the right to marry. They could have been dedicated to married men. However, Pope Paul VI abolished them, replacing them with the positions of reader and acolyte, which were no longer associated with the status of cleric. He also introduced the institution of deacons for life (those who do not intend to advance further in their church career and become priests). These may include married men.

As an exception, married men who converted to Catholicism from various branches of Protestantism, where they held the ranks of pastors, clergy, etc., can be ordained to the priesthood. However, the Catholic Church does not recognize their priesthood.

Now the obligatory celibacy for all Catholic clergy is the subject of heated debate. In many European countries and the United States, some Catholics believe that mandatory celibacy should be abolished for non-monastic clergy. However, the Pope did not support such a reform.

Celibacy in Orthodoxy

In Orthodoxy, clergy can be married if the marriage took place before ordination to the priesthood or deaconship. However, only monks of the minor schema, widowed or celibate priests can become bishops. In the Orthodox Church, a bishop must be a monk. Only archimandrites can be ordained to this rank. Simply celibates and representatives of married white clergy (non-monastics) cannot become bishops. Sometimes, as an exception, episcopal ordination is possible for representatives of these categories. However, before this they must accept the minor monastic schema and receive the rank of archimandrite.

Inquisition

To the question of who the Catholics of the medieval period were, you can get an idea by familiarizing yourself with the activities of such a church body as the Inquisition. It was a judicial institution of the Catholic Church, which was intended to combat heresy and heretics. In the 12th century, Catholicism faced the growth of various opposition movements in Europe. One of the main ones was Albigensianism (Cathars). The popes assigned the responsibility of fighting them to the bishops. They were supposed to identify heretics, judge them, and hand them over to secular authorities for execution. The ultimate punishment was burning at the stake. But the episcopal activity was not very effective. Therefore, Pope Gregory IX created a special church body to investigate the crimes of heretics - the Inquisition. Initially directed against the Cathars, it soon turned against all heretical movements, as well as witches, sorcerers, blasphemers, infidels, etc.

Inquisitorial Tribunal

The inquisitors were recruited from various members, primarily from the 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 “hereticism”. In addition, the number of court employees included a notary (certified testimony), witnesses, a doctor (monitored the condition of the defendant 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 trial, since it was beneficial for them to find a person guilty of heresy.

Inquisition procedure

There were two types of inquisitorial investigation: general and individual. The first time I was interviewed most of population of any area. In the second case, a specific person was called through the priest. In cases where the summoned person 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 progress of the investigation and proceedings were kept in the deepest secrecy. It is known that the inquisitors widely used torture, which was authorized by Pope Innocent IV. At times their cruelty was condemned even by secular authorities.

The accused were never given the names of the witnesses. Often they were excommunicated from the church, murderers, thieves, oathbreakers - 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 once condemned by the Inquisition could be brought to justice again at any time. Even death did not save him from the investigation. If a person who had already died was found guilty, then his ashes were taken from the grave and burned.

Punishment system

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 during the trial, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Tribunal had the right to reduce the term. However, such sentences were rare. The prisoners were kept in extremely cramped cells, often shackled, and fed with water and bread. During late Middle Ages this sentence was replaced by hard labor in the galleys. Obstinate heretics were sentenced to be burned at the stake. If a person confessed before the start of his trial, then various church punishments were imposed on him: excommunication, pilgrimage to holy places, donations to the church, interdict, different kinds penance.

Fasting in Catholicism

Fasting for Catholics consists of abstaining from excesses, both physical and spiritual. In Catholicism, there are the following fasting periods and days:

Lent for Catholics. It lasts 40 days before Easter.
Advent For four Sundays before Christmas, believers should reflect on his upcoming coming and be spiritually focused.
All Fridays.
Dates of some major Christian holidays.
Quatuor anni tempora. Translated as “four seasons.” These are special days of repentance and fasting. A believer must fast once every season on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.
Fasting before communion. The believer must abstain from food an hour before communion.

The requirements for fasting in Catholicism and Orthodoxy are mostly similar.

Catholicism is one of the three main Christian denominations. There are three faiths in total: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism. The youngest of the three is Protestantism. It arose from Martin Luther's attempt to reform the Catholic Church in the 16th century.

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

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

Features of Catholicism

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

Dogmas of the Catholic Church

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

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

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

Who are Catholics

The largest numbers of Catholics, people who profess Catholicism, live in Brazil, Mexico and the United States. It is interesting that in each country Catholicism has its own cultural characteristics.

Differences between Catholicism and Orthodoxy

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