Orthodoxy and Catholicism: attitudes and opinions about religion, the main differences from the Orthodox Church

As soon as you spoke about the Spirit, which should not be said, it became clear to you that you had been abandoned by the Spirit. Just as one who closes his eyes has darkness within himself, so one who is separated from the Spirit, becoming outside the one who enlightens, is overcome by spiritual blindness.

Saint Basil the Great

Photo by Boris Chubatyuk

Godson. Today I would like to talk about what are the differences between the faith in the Holy Trinity among us, Orthodox Christians, and among Western Christians?

Godfather. The main difference in the belief in the Trinity of Catholics, most Protestant communities, on the one hand, and Orthodoxy, on the other, is that these Western Christians accept the dogma of the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and from the Son (the so-called “filioque”). This is what it says in the Catholic Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, who is from the Father and Son outgoing.

Godson. This seems strange to me and seems clearly contrary to what we know about the Trinity from the works of the Holy Fathers.

Godfather. Absolutely right. Firstly, it must be said that “filioque” means the introduction of two Principles of being in the Trinity. So in connection with this, St. Mark of Ephesus wrote: “The Spirit,” says the Theologian of Nyssa (St. Gregory of Nyssa. – Auto. ), - comes from the Fatherly Hypostasis." If He also comes from the Hypostasis of the Son, then what else does this mean, if not that He comes from two Hypostases? And the fact that He comes from two Hypostases, what else but that that He has two principles of His Being? Thus, as long as the Latins maintain that the Holy Spirit also comes from the Son, they will not escape duality." (On the procession of the Holy Spirit precisely from hypostases
The Father is clearly stated by the following statement of St. Gregory the Theologian: “For us there is one God, for there is one Divinity and those Persons who come from Him belong to One.” This “One,” of course, is nothing other than the First Person of the Most Holy Trinity – God the Father.) And this introduction of two principles certainly contradicts the teachings of the Church, since there are many sayings of the holy fathers who lived in the times before the division of the Church into Orthodox and Catholic, which clearly indicate to us the existence of a single principle in the Trinity.

Godson.(St. Mark of Ephesus in his treatises “Confession of the Right Faith” and “Sum of Sayings about the Holy Spirit” (published in the book by A. Pogodin) specially collected a large number of patristic sayings that clearly testify to this truth. Here are just a few: “The same source ( that is, the only Guilt) of the prenatural Divinity is the Father, and this distinguishes it from the Son and the Spirit" (St. Dionysius the Areopagite); "The one unborn and the only source of the Divinity is the Father" (St. Athanasius the Great); "The only Guilty One is the Father" (St. John of Damascus )). However, this discrepancy with the patristic tradition is far from the only malignant consequence of all such consequences arising from the “filioque”.

Godfather. I would like to know about them in detail. Firstly, from the fact that in the Trinity there are two
beginning, it follows that there are several Gods in the Trinity, as clearly follows from the patristic teaching. Saint Basil the Great wrote this: “There are not two Gods; because there are not two Fathers. He who introduces two principles preaches two Gods” (Conversation 24). Saint Gregory the Theologian wrote about the Holy Trinity: “The Divinity is the Three infinite, infinite co-naturalness, where each, intelligibly conceived in Himself, is God, as the Father and the Son, the Son and the Holy Spirit, with the preservation of personal properties in each, and the Three, intelligibly represented together, also God; the first because of consubstantiality, the last because of unity of command" (Homily 40). (Since each of the three Persons is of divine nature, then from the above statement of St. Gregory and from the presence of dual leadership (which follows from the “filioque”), the presence of polytheism in the Trinity follows with logical necessity.) Thus, based on the teachings of these two great saints, we can state that the filioque, destroying unity of command (monarchy), destroys the central dogma of Christianity - monotheism. From the presence of two Gods in the Trinity, it necessarily follows that there is a difference between Them in their properties, and from this, in turn, follows, firstly, in the Holy Trinity and, secondly, the fact that one of the Divine Persons is not God. (Because if there is a property in which two Gods differ, then one of them lacks a certain quality that the other has, which means that the first is imperfect and, therefore, is not God. Unlimited perfection is an integral property of the Divine. (" The Divinity is perfect and without deficiency, both in terms of goodness and wisdom and power, beginningless, infinite, eternal, indescribable and - just to say - perfect in all respects.") From this again follows the complexity in the Most Holy Trinity, but in in an even more crude sense (since in the Trinity there is something divine and something else by nature - that is, non-divine, created). complex, but not simple it cannot be, since simplicity is an inherent property of God. This is how the Monk John of Damascus wrote about this: “The Divinity is simple and uncomplicated. That which consists of many and different things is complex. So, if uncreatedness, and beginninglessness, and incorporeality, and goodness, and creative power, and the like, we call essential differences in God, then consisting of so many will not be simple, but complex, that (to talk about the Divine) is a matter of extreme wickedness."

Godson. This means that Catholics do not believe in the Trinity as the One God?

Godfather. This question must be answered in each specific case, and the answer is not simple, since, on the one hand, they recognize One God in the Trinity, on the other hand, their doctrine of the Trinity (including the “filioque”) actually turns out to be ditheism, with all the ensuing consequences. For a person to really believe in the one true God, it is necessary that his concepts about this one God be correct, otherwise he believes in something else (in the image of his fantasy), and not in the real One God. If you wish, you can call anything God (including onions, as the ancient Egyptians did). And such an erroneous belief in God, in which “something” is blasphemously called God, turns out to be faith in a “filioque.”
In addition to the indicated reason, one more reason can be pointed out, due to which the dogma of the “filioque” leads to the destruction of the dogma that the Trinity is one God. If the Holy Spirit comes from the Father and from the Son, then we must necessarily assume the presence in the Holy Spirit of its two “parts”, having their origin respectively from the Father and from the Son (for example, St. Photius wrote about this: “To all that has been said, if The Son is begotten of the Father, and the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son; then, as ascending from two principles, He would inevitably be composite."

Godson. And that means the Holy Spirit will be difficult?

Godfather. There may be two options for complexity here. To understand this, we must first answer the following question: is each of the “parts” God or not?

Godson. Let's say not.

Godfather. Then among these two parts there is at least one, which by its nature is not God, but something other. And this automatically leads to the complexity of the nature of the Holy Spirit and, because of this, to the denial of His divinity (since the complexity of nature in God is excluded - see above), that is, to the heresy of Macedonius, who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and from this again it follows that that the entire Trinity cannot be the One God, since there is something of a non-divine nature in it.

Godson. And if each of the “parts” is God, then what?

Godfather. Then the Holy Spirit will not be a Person in the strict sense of the word.

Godson. Why?

Godfather. Since, according to the holy fathers, a face designates something that is not subject to any further division: " Face but denotes the indivisible, that is, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit, Peter, Paul." And since in the event that a “filioque” takes place, the Holy Spirit turns out to be divisible in some respect, then we have a contradiction with the patristic teaching about the Holy Spirit both about the Person and about the Trinity as a whole, since then in It there are no longer three completely defined indivisible Persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), but at least four (Father, Son and two parts).
But that's not all the troubles. For the Trinity to be One God, necessary, so that there would be no more than three and no less than three Persons, as St. Gregory the Theologian teaches us: “... The Divinity emerged from singularity because of wealth, transgressed duality, because It is higher than matter and form from which bodies are composed, and was determined by triplicity (the first, which exceeds the composition of duality), because of perfection, so as not to be meager and not to spill into infinity. The first would show lack of sociability, the last would be disorder; one would be completely in the spirit of Judaism, the other - paganism and polytheism. This means that with such an interpretation of the “filioque” there is no One God in the Trinity.

Godson. So, there are two arguments why Catholics and other Western Christians who recognize the “filioque” do not believe in the Trinity as the One God?

Godfather. Obviously this is true, but there is also a third argument. Saint Dionysius the Areopagite and Saint Athanasius the Great claim that everything Divine in the Trinity comes from the Person of God the Father (see the above quotes). From this it follows that everything that happens, but does not possess this property, is not God.

Godson. So, there is another argument, according to which the “filioque” is simply nothing more than Doukhoborism, the Macedonian heresy?

Godfather. Exactly. “And we, together with the divine Dionysius, say that the Father is the only Source of the prenatural Divinity; and they (who signed the Florentine Union. - Firstly, it must be said that “filioque” means the introduction of two Principles of being in the Trinity. So in connection with this, St. Mark of Ephesus wrote: “The Spirit,” says the Theologian of Nyssa (St. Gregory of Nyssa. –) together with the Latins they say that the Son is the source of the Holy Spirit, it is obvious that this excludes the Spirit from the Divinity,” as St. Mark of Ephesus wrote in connection with this. And, as we have already found out, it follows from this that the Trinity also turns out to be not God, but something else.
Finally, there is one more argument, and perhaps it is the simplest of those listed. If the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and from the Son, then it is obvious that the procession from the Father turns out to be in some respects inferior, insufficient. "Why does the Spirit also proceed from the Son? After all, if the procession from the Father is perfect (and it is perfect, for God perfect from God perfect

Godson.), what is this “proceeding from the Son” and what is it for? After all, it would be unnecessary and useless,” St. Photius wrote in this regard.

Godfather. Obviously so. other, in its nature different from the Divinity, and, therefore, the Trinity is not the true God (for the same reasons as in the first argument).
No matter what Western Christians tell us, true faith in God always presupposes faith in His very specific properties: “To believe in God means to have living confidence in His being, properties and actions, and to accept with all your heart His revealed word about the salvation of the human race.” . The simplicity of His nature and perfection are His inalienable characteristics. Perhaps faith in the Trinity, which includes faith in the “filioque” (the faith of Catholics and many Protestants), cannot be called complete atheism, but faith in God, the One in the Trinity, cannot in any way be called, since the acceptance of the “filioque” and genuine faith in the One God in the Trinity are logically incompatible. To conclude our conversation, I would like to quote the wonderful words of St. Hippolytus, Pope of Rome: "...Otherwise we cannot recognize the one God, unless we truly believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" ("Orthodox-Dogmatic Theology". Archbishop Macarius. M., 1868. T. 1. § 28). Distortions of the teaching about the Holy Spirit, as St. Basil teaches us, inevitably lead to the loss of grace, and this constitutes a sufficient condition for the appearance of countless and varied “deviations from the norm” in the spiritual life of the majority of Western Christians.

(The proposed material is presented in more detail in the article: N. Kolchurinsky “Conversations about the Holy Trinity.” www.um-islam.nm.ru.)

1. Literature Saint Mark of Ephesus. Syllogical chapters against the Latins ( Pogodin A.
Saint Mark of Ephesus and the Union of Florence. M., 1994).
3. 2. Quote. based on the treatise of St. Mark of Ephesus "Syllogical chapters against the Latins." Venerable John of Damascus.
An accurate exposition of the Orthodox faith. Book 1. Ch. 5.
5. 4. Ibid. Book 1. Ch. 9. Saint Photius.
6. 2. Quote. based on the treatise of St. Mark of Ephesus "Syllogical chapters against the Latins." District message // Alpha and Omega. 1999. No. 3.
7. An accurate exposition of the Orthodox faith. Book 2. Ch. 48. Saint Gregory the Theologian.
Word 22.
8. District message. (Quoted from the book by A. Pogodin).

9. Long Christian Catechism (“On the First Member”).

Sponsor of the publication of the article: the website of the independent financial consultant “IN DEBT”. If you are looking for where to get a cash loan secured by security, then visit the website of a financial consultant at http://VDOLG.info. By taking advantage of the site's offer, you can send out free advertisements to banks for a loan, or place an advertisement about your desire to receive money as a loan from private investors. Also, at your service are the latest news from the world of finance and useful articles that will help you keep abreast of the latest events and feel more confident in matters of borrowing and lending.

Until 1054, the Christian Church was one and indivisible. The schism occurred due to disagreements between Pope Leo IX and the Patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cyroularius. The conflict began due to the closing of several Latin churches by the latter in 1053. For this, the papal legates excommunicated Kirularius from the Church. In response, the patriarch anathematized the papal envoys. In 1965, the mutual curses were lifted. However, the schism of the Churches has not yet been overcome. Christianity is divided into three main directions: Orthodoxy, Catholicism and Protestantism.

Eastern Church

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, since both of these religions are Christian, is not very significant. However, there are still some differences in teaching, performance of sacraments, etc. We'll talk about which ones a little later. First, let's make a short overview of the main directions of Christianity.

Orthodoxy, called the orthodox religion in the West, is currently practiced by about 200 million people. Approximately 5 thousand people are baptized every day. This direction of Christianity spread mainly in Russia, as well as in some CIS countries and Eastern Europe.

The baptism of Rus' took place at the end of the 9th century on the initiative of Prince Vladimir. The ruler of a huge pagan state expressed a desire to marry the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Vasily II, Anna. But for this he needed to convert to Christianity. An alliance with Byzantium was extremely necessary to strengthen the authority of Rus'. At the end of the summer of 988, a huge number of Kiev residents were baptized in the waters of the Dnieper.

Catholic Church

As a result of the schism in 1054, a separate denomination arose in Western Europe. Representatives of the Eastern Church called her “Catholicos”. Translated from Greek it means “universal”. The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism lies not only in the approach of these two Churches to some dogmas of Christianity, but also in the history of development itself. The Western confession, compared to the Eastern one, is considered much more rigid and fanatical.

One of the most important milestones in the history of Catholicism was, for example, the Crusades, which brought a lot of grief to the common population. The first of them was organized at the call of Pope Urban II in 1095. The last - the eighth - ended in 1270. The official goal of all crusades was the liberation of the “holy land” of Palestine and the “Holy Sepulcher” from the infidels. The actual one is the conquest of lands that belonged to Muslims.

In 1229, Pope George IX issued a decree establishing the Inquisition - a church court for apostates from the faith. Torture and burning at the stake - this is how extreme Catholic fanaticism was expressed in the Middle Ages. In total, during the existence of the Inquisition, more than 500 thousand people were tortured.

Of course, the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy (this will be discussed briefly in the article) is a very large and deep topic. However, in general terms, its traditions and basic concept can be understood in relation to the Church’s relationship with the population. The Western confession has always been considered more dynamic, but at the same time aggressive, in contrast to the “calm” Orthodox one.

Currently, Catholicism is the state religion in most European and Latin American countries. More than half of all (1.2 billion people) modern Christians profess this particular religion.

Protestantism

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism also lies in the fact that the former has remained united and indivisible for almost a millennium. In the Catholic Church in the 14th century. there was a split. This was connected with the Reformation - a revolutionary movement that arose at that time in Europe. In 1526, at the request of German Lutherans, the Swiss Reichstag issued a decree on the right of free choice of religion for citizens. In 1529, however, it was abolished. As a result, a protest followed from a number of cities and princes. This is where the word “Protestantism” comes from. This Christian movement is further divided into two branches: early and late.

At the moment, Protestantism is widespread mainly in the Scandinavian countries: Canada, USA, England, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. In 1948, the World Council of Churches was created. The total number of Protestants is about 470 million people. There are several denominations of this Christian movement: Baptists, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Calvinists.

In our time, the World Council of Protestant Churches pursues an active peacemaking policy. Representatives of this religion advocate easing international tension, support the efforts of states to defend peace, etc.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism

Of course, over the centuries of schism, significant differences have arisen in the traditions of the churches. They did not touch upon the basic principle of Christianity - the acceptance of Jesus as the Savior and Son of God. However, in relation to certain events of the New and Old Testaments, there are often even mutually exclusive differences. In some cases, the methods of conducting various kinds of rituals and sacraments do not agree.

Christian cross: differences

Disagreements regarding the descent of the Holy Spirit are the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table also shows many other, albeit not very significant, but still discrepancies. They arose a long time ago, and, apparently, none of the churches expresses any particular desire to resolve these contradictions.

There are also differences in the attributes of different directions of Christianity. For example, the Catholic cross has a simple quadrangular shape. The Orthodox have eight points. The Orthodox Eastern Church believes that this type of crucifix most accurately conveys the shape of the cross described in the New Testament. In addition to the main horizontal crossbar, it contains two more. The top one represents a tablet nailed to the cross and containing the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The lower oblique crossbar - a support for Christ's feet - symbolizes the “righteous standard”.

Table of differences between crosses

The image of the Savior on the crucifix used in the Sacraments is also something that can be attributed to the topic “the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.” The western cross is a little different from the eastern one.

As you can see, with regard to the cross there is also a very noticeable difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The table shows this clearly.

As for Protestants, they consider the cross to be a symbol of the Pope, and therefore practically do not use it.

Icons in different Christian directions

So, the difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism (the table of comparisons of crosses confirms this) with regard to attributes is quite noticeable. There are even greater differences in these directions in icons. The rules for depicting Christ, the Mother of God, saints, etc. may differ.

Below are the main differences.

The main difference between an Orthodox icon and a Catholic one is that it is painted in strict accordance with the canons established in Byzantium. Western images of saints, Christ, etc., strictly speaking, have nothing to do with the icon. Typically, such paintings have a very broad subject and were painted by ordinary, non-church artists.

Protestants consider icons to be a pagan attribute and do not use them at all.

Monasticism

With regard to leaving worldly life and devoting oneself to serving God, there is also a significant difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism and Protestantism. The comparison table above shows only the main differences. But there are other differences, also quite noticeable.

For example, in our country, each monastery is practically autonomous and subordinate only to its own bishop. Catholics have a different organization in this regard. The monasteries are united into so-called Orders, each of which has its own head and its own charter. These associations may be scattered throughout the world, but nevertheless they always have a common leadership.

Protestants, unlike Orthodox and Catholics, completely reject monasticism. One of the inspirers of this teaching, Luther, even married a nun.

Church Sacraments

There is a difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in relation to the rules for conducting various kinds of rituals. Both of these Churches have 7 sacraments. The difference lies primarily in the meaning attached to the main Christian rituals. Catholics believe that the sacraments are valid whether a person is in tune with them or not. According to the Orthodox Church, baptism, confirmation, etc. will be effective only for believers who are completely disposed towards them. Orthodox priests even often compare Catholic rituals with a certain pagan magical ritual that operates regardless of whether a person believes in God or not.

The Protestant Church practices only two sacraments: baptism and communion. Representatives of this trend consider everything else superficial and reject it.

Baptism

This main Christian sacrament is recognized by all churches: Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism. The only differences are in the methods of performing the ritual.

In Catholicism, it is customary for infants to be sprinkled or doused. According to the dogmas of the Orthodox Church, children are completely immersed in water. Recently there has been some movement away from this rule. However, now the Russian Orthodox Church is again returning in this rite to the ancient traditions established by Byzantine priests.

The difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism (crosses worn on the body, like large ones, may contain the image of an “orthodox” or “Western” Christ) in relation to the performance of this sacrament is therefore not very significant, but it still exists.

Protestants usually perform baptism with water. But in some denominations it is not used. The main difference between Protestant baptism and Orthodox and Catholic baptism is that it is carried out exclusively for adults.

Differences in the Sacrament of the Eucharist

We have examined the main differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. This refers to the descent of the Holy Spirit and the virginity of the birth of the Virgin Mary. Such significant differences have emerged over centuries of schism. Of course, they also exist in the celebration of one of the main Christian sacraments - the Eucharist. Catholic priests administer communion only with unleavened bread. This church product is called wafers. In Orthodoxy, the sacrament of the Eucharist is celebrated with wine and ordinary yeast bread.

In Protestantism, not only members of the Church, but also anyone who wishes, are allowed to receive communion. Representatives of this direction of Christianity celebrate the Eucharist in the same way as the Orthodox - with wine and bread.

Modern relations of the Churches

The split in Christianity occurred almost a thousand years ago. And during this time, churches of different directions failed to agree on unification. Disagreements regarding the interpretation of Holy Scripture, paraphernalia and rituals, as you can see, have persisted to this day and have even intensified over the centuries.

The relations between the two main faiths, Orthodox and Catholic, are also quite ambiguous in our time. Until the middle of the last century, serious tension remained between these two churches. The key concept in the relationship was the word “heresy.”

Recently this situation has changed a little. If earlier the Catholic Church considered Orthodox Christians almost a bunch of heretics and schismatics, then after the Second Vatican Council it recognized the orthodox Sacraments as valid.

Orthodox priests did not officially establish a similar attitude towards Catholicism. But the completely loyal acceptance of Western Christianity has always been traditional for our church. However, of course, some tension between Christian directions still remains. For example, our Russian theologian A.I. Osipov does not have a very good attitude towards Catholicism.

In his opinion, there is a more than worthy and serious difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Osipov considers many saints of the Western Church to be almost crazy. He also warns the Russian Orthodox Church that, for example, cooperation with Catholics threatens the Orthodox with complete subjugation. However, he also repeatedly mentioned that there are wonderful people among Western Christians.

Thus, the main difference between Orthodoxy and Catholicism is the attitude towards the Trinity. The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from the Father. Western - both from the Father and from the Son. There are other differences between these faiths. However, in any case, both churches are Christian and accept Jesus as the Savior of mankind, whose coming, and therefore Eternal life for the righteous, is inevitable.

Christianity is the largest world religion in terms of number of believers. His followers live on all continents.

However, there is no integrity in the religion. It consists of three main branches - Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Protestantism.

History of the schism

In the early period of its existence, the Christian church represented a single whole. Believers performed the same rituals and recognized the same theological traditions. After the division of the Roman Empire into two parts: Western and Eastern, a gradual transformation of the general religious organization began. In Constantinople, its own religious center was formed, headed by a patriarch. The initial close cooperation between the leaders of the Roman and Constantinople branches gave way to rivalry. As a result, the church split into two parts. Relations were officially severed in 1054. There were three significant reasons for this:

1. Declaration of the Catholic Pope himself as the head of the entire Christian Church.
2. Rome's claims to leadership in world Christianity.
3. Making changes to the text, which Eastern believers considered inviolable.

The clergy of both Christian branches anathematized each other. It was officially abolished only in 1964. However, the schism in the church was not eliminated. Centuries of isolated existence led to the formation of noticeable differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism in theology, sacraments, and religious paraphernalia.

Number of believers and geography of denominations

Eastern Christians, after separation, they began to call the western branch the Greek word “catholikos” (“universal”). Currently, Catholicism is the most widespread of the Christian churches. Its adherents number over 1.2 billion people. Catholics recognize the Pope as their supreme head, who is called the vicar of God on Earth.

Followers of Christianity of the Eastern rite, Catholics call orthodox (“correct”) or Orthodox. There are approximately 200 million of them in the world. Orthodoxy became widespread among the Slavic peoples of the CIS countries, as well as in a number of European countries. The Orthodox Church is divided into 15 local churches and has no unified leadership. The Orthodox call Jesus Christ the head of the church.

Differences

Theology

For clergy and laity The Creed is of paramount importance. This is the main dogma of Christianity, on which all doctrine is based. Both faiths recognize the trinity of God, incarnate in the image of the Holy Trinity:

• Father;
• Son;

However, the Orthodox believe that the Holy Spirit comes from the Father. Catholics believe that it is equally inherent in both the Father and the Son.

The view of the Mother of God - the Virgin Mary is also different. In the understanding of Orthodox believers, Mary was born and died like ordinary people.

After death she was taken to heaven. She is glorified, first of all, as the Mother of God.

For Catholics, the Mother of God is initially holy and sinless. They believe that her birth was virginal, like Jesus Christ. In addition, the Virgin Mary was ascended to heaven alive when her earthly life came to an end. The cult of the Virgin Mary is extremely widespread in Western countries. In both faiths, believers recite the Hail Mary prayer, but with a noticeable difference in form.

Orthodox believe that after death, according to one's deeds, a person goes to heaven (for the righteous) or hell (for sinners). Catholics, in addition, highlight purgatory- a place where souls stay after the Last Judgment, awaiting paradise.

In matters of faith, Eastern Christians recognize the commandments adopted at the first 7 Ecumenical Councils before the collapse of the common church. Western Christians follow the regulations of all past Ecumenical Councils. The last, 21st Ecumenical Council, which convened in 1962, allowed services in Catholic churches to be held in national languages ​​along with Latin.

Additional included in Catholic Bibles 7 more apocryphal (non-canonical) books located between the Old and New Testaments. In the Orthodox Bible 9. Christians believe that they were inspired by the Word of God.

Construction of churches, regulations of service, clergy

The differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism are clearly visible in the structure of churches and the rules for conducting church services.

Orthodox cathedrals have a traditional orientation of the altar to the east, towards Jerusalem. The inner part of the altar is separated from the temple premises by an iconostasis. Only clergy have the right to enter the altar. The arrangement of the interior space in churches differs in the location of the altar. Sometimes it stands in the central part and is separated from the general space by a partition.

The Orthodox call the main daily service the Divine Liturgy, while the Catholics call it the Mass. Eastern Christians stand during church services, showing their humility before God. To demonstrate unconditional submission to God's Will, believers kneel. In Catholic churches, it is customary to listen to the priest's sermon while sitting on the benches. During prayers, the laity stand on special stands.

Both churches have a common opinion on the need for clergy, as a conductor between God and people. In the Orthodox faith, clergy are divided into 2 groups. The “white” clergy are those who have parishes under their control and marry. “Black” - those who take a vow of celibacy, monastics. The highest ranks are elected exclusively from among the “black” clergy. In the Catholic world, all priests take a vow of celibacy (celibacy) before taking office.

Sacraments

From birth to death, Catholics and Orthodox Christians are accompanied by 7 sacred sacraments:

1. baptism;
2. anointing;
3. eucharist();
4. confession;
5. wedding;
6. unction;
7. ordination (ordination to the priesthood).

In Catholicism, it is generally accepted that a sacrament has power regardless of the desire or disposition of a person. Orthodox priests hold the exact opposite view - the sacrament is invalid if a person is not tuned in to it.

Significant differences are noticeable during rituals.. During baptism into the Orthodox faith, a person is completely immersed in water. Western Christians practice sprinkling with water. Confirmation in Orthodoxy follows immediately after baptism. Catholics arrange a separate ceremony - confirmation, when a child reaches conscious age (10–13 years). Unction, that is, anointing with oil, is also different. Among the Orthodox it is performed on a sick person, and among Catholics on a dying person.

Communion is a meal of bread and wine. By eating them, Christians remember the death of Jesus on the cross. Communion in the two Christian denominations is markedly different. Catholic priests distribute thin flatbreads of unleavened bread called wafers to the laity. Only the clergy are awarded communion with wine and bread. Orthodox believers receive wine, bread, and warm water at the time of communion. Yeast dough is used to bake bread.

Things turned out differently attitude towards marriage in two faiths. For Catholics, marriage is indissoluble. According to Orthodox canons, in the event of a confirmed fact of adultery, the injured spouse has the right to enter into a new marriage.

As a sign of respect for the Holy Trinity, Christians make the sign of the cross at the entrance and exit of the temple. Methods of baptism vary. Orthodox believers traditionally place a cross with three fingers held together, from right to left. Catholics perform the sign in the opposite direction. They can make the sign of the cross with folded fingers or an open palm.

Holidays and fasting

Christmas, Easter and Pentecost- the most revered Christian holidays. The Western and Eastern faiths adhere to different chronology systems, so the dates of the holidays do not coincide. The difference concerns primarily Easter and Christmas. The onset of the Holy Resurrection of Christ is calculated according to the calendar, so in 70% of cases it will be different. Orthodox Christians traditionally celebrate Christmas on January 7, and Catholics on December 25. Each church has its own revered holidays.

The date of the beginning of Lent in Catholicism is considered to be Ash Wednesday, and in Orthodoxy it is Clean Monday.

Attributes

The main symbolic sign of Christianity is the cross. It symbolizes the crucifixion on which Jesus Christ suffered death. The appearance of the cross and the image of Christ on it differ greatly in different faiths.

Catholics have a cross with four ends. The Orthodox have 8 ends, since they exactly copy the crucifix. Three vertical bars have been added to the main vertical bar. The top one symbolizes a tablet with the inscription “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” The lower one served as a support for the legs. It is called the “righteous standard”: one side is raised as a sign of the repentance of the thief who believed in the Mission, and the other side is lowered to the ground, pointing to hell for the second villain.

On Catholic crosses, Christ is depicted as a man suffering unimaginable suffering. His legs are nailed with one nail. On the Orthodox cross, Jesus looks like a man who has overcome death. His legs are nailed individually.

The way of depicting Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, saints, and scenes based on biblical subjects is different. Orthodox iconography adheres to strict canonical requirements. In Catholicism, there is a more free approach to drawing. Differences also affected the use of sculptures. They predominate in churches, but in churches they are practically absent.

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. On February 12, at the Jose Marti International Airport 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 is 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.

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 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 commonality 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 the Orthodox Creed, which we read every morning, the following is said 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.

Other:

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 guarantee 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.

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.

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 church by the 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, in both 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 the dissolvability of church marriage: Catholics consider marriage to be fundamentally indissoluble (in this case, a concluded 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; holidays of the Position of the Venerable Robe of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Origin of the Venerable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross, etc. 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.

The doctrine of the Catholic Church emphasizes the reality of the existence of Divine Persons, truly distinguished from each other.

Although God is one, there are three Persons in Him, which are really different from each other. This means that “Father”, “Son”, “Holy Spirit” are not only three different names, but real Persons.

To define the unity of God and His trinity, the Church uses the concepts:

• nature (or essence, being, nature),
• person (otherwise, personality or hypostasis),
• internal interpersonal relationships.

According to the teachings of the Church, in God there is one nature (essence, being), and the Persons really differ from each other only in their relationships. “Everything is one in God “where there is no question of opposing relationships.” In other words, everything is one and common in God with the exception of the relationship of the Father to the Son, the Son to the Father and the Holy Spirit to the Father and Son.

The Divine Persons do not differ from each other in Their nature. “The Father is the same as the Son, the Son is the same as the Father, the Son and the Father are the same as the Holy Spirit, that is, one God by nature.” “Each of the three persons is this reality, that is, the Divine essence, being or nature.” There is only one common Divine Being for all Persons of the Holy Trinity.

When Jesus said: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), He meant the one Divine nature, which is common and one for all the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity. “The Divine Persons do not share a single Divinity, but each of Them is God as a whole.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 253)

The Father differs from the Son and from the Holy Spirit not by His Divine nature, but by the fact that He is not born or emanated from anyone. Only the Father gives birth to the Son, who became man for our salvation.

The Son of God is eternally born of God the Father, and in this way He really differs from Him and from the Holy Spirit. This is the only difference. Neither the Father nor the Holy Spirit is begotten as the Son. The holy evangelist John calls the Son of God the Word: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). In this Word, the Father eternally and completely expresses Himself, that is, gives birth to the Son.

The Church's faith in the true Divinity of the Son of God, begotten from eternity of the Father, is expressed by the Nicene-Constantinople Creed:

I believe “and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, unmade, consubstantial with the Father, through whom all things were created.”

The Holy Spirit differs from other Divine Persons in that He comes from the Father and the Son. The Nicene-Constantinople Creed expresses this with the words: “And in the Holy Spirit (I believe), the Lord who gives life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; To whom, together with the Father and the Son, is due worship and glory.” The Holy Spirit is Love, possessing His own personality, by which the Father loves the Son, and the Son loves the Father.

The Orthodox Church teaches that the Holy Spirit does not proceed from the Father and the Son (in Latin Filioque), but from the Father through the Son. According to the teaching of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, these two ways of understanding the procession of the Holy Spirit, the Eastern and Latin traditions, do not contradict each other, but are complemented.

“The Eastern tradition primarily reflects the nature of the first cause of the Father in relation to the Spirit. Confessing the Spirit as the One who “proceeds from the Father” (John 15:26), she affirms that the Spirit proceeds from the Father through the Son. Western tradition expresses first of all the consubstantial communion between the Father and the Son, saying that the Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son (Filioque). She says this “in accordance with law and reason,” for the eternal order of the Divine Persons in their consubstantial communion implies that the Father is the first cause of the Spirit as the “beginningless beginning,” but also that, as the Father of the Only Begotten Son, He, together with Him, constitutes “the one beginning, from whom proceeds the Holy Spirit." This legitimate complementarity, if it does not become a subject of aggravation, does not affect the essence of faith in the reality of the same confessed mystery. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 248)

The Catholic Church believes that the Son, born from eternity from the Father, received from Him absolutely everything, and also that the Holy Spirit can proceed from Him, as He proceeds from the Father.

“The Latin tradition of the Creed professes that the Spirit proceeds “from the Father and the Son (Filioque).” The Council of Florence (1438) explains: “The being and being of the Holy Spirit proceeds simultaneously from the Father and the Son, and He eternally proceeds from One and the other as from one beginning and with one breath... And since everything that the Father has, the Father Himself has given to the Only Begotten Son, giving birth to Him - everything except His Fatherhood - insofar as the Son himself eternally receives this procession of the Holy Spirit from the Son from the Father, from Whom he is eternally born.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 246)

Really different from each other, the Persons of the Most Holy Trinity are inseparable, since They possess one single Divine nature. They are one God. “Because of this unity, the Father is wholly in the Son, wholly in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit wholly in the Father, wholly in the Son.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 255)

Where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is present, the Father and the Holy Spirit are also present. This mystery of the inseparability of the Divine Persons was meant by Jesus when he said: “Believe Me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me” (John 14:11); “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30); “He who sees Me sees Him who sent Me” (John 12:45).