comparison between orthodox and catholic curch
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Spiritually and theologically, far more unites the Western and Eastern Churches than divides.
Comparison between Orthodox Church and Catholic Church
The head of the Church
Orthodox Christians consider Jesus Christ to be the head of the church, while the Roman Catholic Church is headed by the Pope, who uses the title of the ‘Vicar of Christ’. This is based on the fact that Apostle Peter received full and absolute authority over the entire Church from Jesus Christ. Then, Peter came to Rome and became the first bishop of Rome, afterwards transferring this power to his successors and disciples – the bishops of Rome.
Growing
Celibate for the priests
through
In the Roman Catholic Church, priests and bishops must observe celibacy before and after ordination, while deacons must only observe it after ordination. In the Russian Orthodox Church, deacons and priests must observe celibacy only after ordination, which means they can be married.
However, if their wives predecease them, Orthodox deacons and priests are not allowed to remarry. Also in the Orthodox Church, bishops must be monks and they, however, must observe celibate before and after their ordination.
Orthodox priests wear beards
Traditionally, Orthodox priests wear beards, because “Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies”, according to Leviticus, 21:5. Also, Jesus Christ is pictured everywhere as having long hair and beard and all Biblical kings and prophets wore beards. However, Catholic priests don’t wear beards, because the papal seat is located in Rome with its clean-shaven culture.
Sign of the cross
In 1570, Pope Pius V defined that Catholic believers must perform the sign of the cross “from head to chest and from the left shoulder to the right”. Also, the sign is performed with all five fingers of the right hand put together – that symbolizes the five stigmata of Jesus Christ: two on the hands, two on the feet and the fifth from the Holy Lance.
Russian Orthodox Christians perform the sign of the cross with three fingers (thumb, index and middle) put together to symbolize the Holy Trinity and two other fingers pressed against the palm to symbolize the dual (human and divine) nature of Jesus. Also, Orthodox sign of the cross is performed from the right shoulder to the left.
The Holy Communion
our
In Orthodox tradition, Holy Communion is given to infants from the moment of baptism. This is based on Matthew 19:14: “Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these’.” From infancy and about the age of seven, they can receive communion as often as they like and without confession, because it is believed that up until a certain age, infants don’t bear full responsibility for their thoughts and actions, but still must receive Communion. Children are brought to confession in Orthodox churches after 7-8 years of age.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the first Holy Communion of a child is usually performed at 8-9 years of age. Catholics believe that the child is not able to realize the significance of the Sacrament earlier, can’t distinguish simple bread from Eucharistic bread, can’t understand and explain the difference between food and Communion and, therefore, cannot fully confess.
The Eucharistic bread
In Roman Catholicism, the so-called ‘azymes’, unleavened bread, is used as the Eucharistic bread in Holy Communion. Exodus, 12-15:20 states: “Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.”
In the Russian Orthodox Church, bread made with yeast is offered during the Divine Liturgy (Eucharist), which is based on Leviticus 7:13: “Along with their fellowship offering of thanksgiving they are to present an offering with thick loaves of bread made with yeast.” The Greek word for this bread, prosphoron, means ‘offering’.
View of the Lord's Supper
The Lord's Supper
The Eucharist, meaning to thank, is a memorial in which the bread and cup become the body and blood of Christ.
The Orthodox Church teaches that the bread and cup literally turn into the body and blood of Christ, but it does not attempt to explain exactly how it occurs.
Calendar
differences
Until 1923, all eastern churches used the ‘Old’ Julian Calendar (introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC) which is at present runs 13 days behind the ‘New’ Roman Catholic calendar (introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582). This meant that the West and East celebrated church feasts such as Christmas and Epiphany on different dates. Many Orthodox Churches have since adopted the new calendar, which means that the feasts now coincide except for Easter which they still calculate according to the old calendar. Accordingly, Orthodox and Roman Catholic Easters may be celebrated up to five weeks apart.