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Aug 30, 2022 · The beliefs and practices of the Orthodox East and Roman Catholic West may seem similar on the surface, but in reality, they are quite different. In this post, we list some of the differences between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches.
- 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’.
- Celibate for the priests. In the Roman Catholic Church, priests and bishops must observe celibacy before and after ordination, while deacons must only observe it after 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.
- 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”.
Theological differences between the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem – a centre of Christian pilgrimage long shared and disputed among the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Catholic Churches.
Contemporary relations between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches have been characterised by a push towards ecumenism and dialogue. The Second Vatican Council was instrumental in changing the Catholic Churches pastoral approach to dealing with the Orthodox.
May 31, 2023 · The Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church both believe in the Trinity, the inspiration of the Bible, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy disagree about the procession of the Holy Spirit and the authority of the pope and have different rites or liturgies.
Orthodoxy here refers to the two great bodies of Christianity that use the term to characterize their theologies and liturgies: the churches of Eastern Orthodoxy and the churches that constitute the so-called Oriental Orthodox communion.
