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Old 05-17-2010, 02:10 PM
For the Cause's Avatar
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Default The Difference Between the Western Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church?

Hi... I'm doing a project for religion on the difference and similarity of the Roman Catholic and the Greek Orthodox and I can't seem to find answers for these two questions.
Discuss the areas of difference and similarity of:
1) The Feasts and Holy Days Celebrated
2) The Signs, Symbols, Holy Pictures and Prayer Aids used
If you could please give me a link to good websites or possibly a good, detailed but pretty straight forward answers, I would be so eternally grateful. Thanks!
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Old 05-18-2010, 02:10 PM
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According to http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-some-differences-between-the-eastern-orthodox-and-the-roman-catholic-church.htm,
the differences are Catholic Church recognizes Pope, the different Language of Church Services and the difference in the concept of original sin. Oh well, also the holy day for Catholic is Sunday but Orthodox on Thursday: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_the_differences_between_the_Eastern_Ortho dox_church_and_Roman_Catholic_church.
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Old 05-23-2010, 02:10 PM
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The Orthodox and Catholic Churches were one and the same until they separated from one another in 1054 mainly over the role of the Pope.

There are very few theological differences. The main difference is that the Orthodox Churches (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11329a.htm) use the Byzantine Rite (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04312d.htm) and the Catholic Church use the Roman or Latin Rite.

Pope John Paul II said of the Orthodox Churches in Orientale Lumen, "A particularly close link already binds us. We have almost everything in common."

For the entire document, see: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_apl_02051995_orientale-lumen_en.html

With love in Christ.
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Old 05-26-2010, 02:10 PM
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I am Orhtodox and a former high Anglican with Catholic relatives so I can claim some knowledge. First some links
http://www.oca.org/QAIndex.asp?SID=3
http://www.lasvegasorthodox.com/library/index.html
Next Thursday is not special for us- Sunday is the day of Resurrection thus the day we celebrate Devinne Litrugy.
First in the Orhtodox church we use two different calandars- some of use likethe Russians use the Julian Calandar which palces Christmas on Janurary 7th while others like the OCA ue the Gregorian and celebrate Christmas on December 25th. The dates we use for Easter which we call Paskha (which means pass over in Greek) is differnt from the westren since we did not change from the Julian calndar dates.
Next we have more fasts than the west- for example advent- 40 days before Christmas is a fast in the Orthodox Church
and we fast wensday and friday. Unline the west where the fasting rules state the bare minum-no meat besides fish ours state what you should aspire to- one almost vegan meal a day.. or less with wine oil and fish being alowed on special days. next signs and prayer aides..The first thin you will notice when walking into an Orhtodox Church will be the Icons which are very stylized painting depecting Christ the saints and events from the Bible and Liturgical season. Unlike the Catholics we don't use statues and have never used realy realistic looking art- like michalagelo or any of the other Renisance painters. Next when Litrugy begins it will be Acapella Most Orhtodox Christians cross ourselves right to left- the Copts left to right. We also use threbarred crosses
http://www.ocf.org/OrthodoxPage/icons/clip/cross.gif
http://www.flickr.com/photos/57416344@N00/102297477/
http://www.jerusalem-gifts.com/media/1-10b_orthodox_cross.JPG
aslo we use noted prayer ropes which in the Slavic specificly Russian Traditon are called Chotki and instead of the Rosary say "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have Mercy on me a sinner" Now on to our Church structre- as you know in the west you have Cardnilas and the Pope basicly running evry thing- with us every thing is done colectivly by the regional councils of bishops which are chaired by a Primate called either a Archbishop Metroplitan or Patriarch who at the end of the day has only one vote and simply precides over the meetings. Our eccumincal Patriarch in the Eastern Church is the Patriarch of Constantiople he can call every Bishop in for a meeting if he did his name would be listed firt followed by the Pope of Alexandria Patriarch of Antioch Jerusalem then the others. There are tholgical issues as well- like we don't have purgatory -we do pray for the dead as judement has not happeend yet. Next we don't call Marry the immacualte conception since our view of original sin is differnt- and for her to be with out any original sin mean eather she is not part of the Human race so Christ would not be human- simply devine and Marian- or Mary would have to be devine both of wich would be considered herasy. Next we say the creed diferntly as the Catholics added words to the part that talks about the Holy Spirit- the Filioque.
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