What faith are Catholics? Catholics and Orthodox - what's the difference? The main reasons for the division of the church into Catholic and Orthodox

How is Catholicism different from Orthodoxy? When did the division of the Churches occur and why did this happen? How should an Orthodox person react to all this correctly? We tell you the most important things.

The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism is a great tragedy in the history of the Church

The division of the United Christian Church into Orthodoxy and Catholicism happened almost a thousand years ago - in 1054.

The One Church consisted, as the Orthodox Church still does, of many local Churches. This means that the Churches, for example, the Russian Orthodox or the Greek Orthodox, have some external differences in themselves (in the architecture of churches; singing; the language of services; and even in how certain parts of the services are conducted), but they are united in the main doctrinal issues, and there is Eucharistic communion between them. That is, a Russian Orthodox can receive communion and confess in a Greek Orthodox church and vice versa.

According to the Creed, the Church is one, because the head of the Church is Christ. This means that there cannot be several Churches on earth that would have different creed. And it was precisely because of disagreements in doctrinal issues that in the 11th century there was a division into Catholicism and Orthodoxy. As a consequence of this, Catholics cannot receive communion and confession in Orthodox churches and vice versa.

Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Moscow. Photo: catedra.ru

What are the differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism?

Today there are a lot of them. And they are conventionally divided into three types.

1. Doctrinal differences- because of which, in fact, the split occurred. For example, the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope among Catholics.
2. Ritual differences. For example, Catholics have a different form of Communion from us or the vow of celibacy (celibacy) that is obligatory for Catholic priests. That is, we have fundamentally different approaches to some aspects of the Sacraments and Church life, and they can complicate the hypothetical reunification of Catholics and Orthodox. But they were not the reason for the split and they are not the ones preventing us from reuniting again.
3. Conditional differences in traditions. For example - org A we are in temples; benches in the middle of the church; priests with or without beards; different shape priests' vestments. In other words, external features that do not at all affect the unity of the Church - since some similar differences are found even within the Orthodox Church in different countries. In general, if the difference between Orthodox and Catholics were only in them, the United Church would never have been divided.

The division between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, which occurred in the 11th century, became for the Church, first of all, a tragedy, which was and is acutely experienced by both “us” and Catholics. Over the course of a thousand years, attempts at reunification were made several times. However, none of them turned out to be truly viable - and we will also talk about this below.

What is the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy - why did the Church actually divide?

Western and Eastern Christian Churches - such a division has always existed. The Western Church is conditionally the territory of modern Western Europe, and later - all colonized countries Latin America. The Eastern Church is the territory of modern Greece, Palestine, Syria, and Eastern Europe.

However, the division we are talking about was conditional for many centuries. Too different peoples and civilizations inhabit the Earth, so it is natural that the same teaching in different points Lands and countries could have some characteristic external forms and traditions. For example, the Eastern Church (the one that became Orthodox) has always practiced a more contemplative and mystical lifestyle. It was in the East in the 3rd century that the phenomenon of monasticism arose, which then spread throughout the world. The Latin (Western) Church has always had an image of Christianity that is outwardly more active and “social.”

In the main doctrinal truths they remained common.

Venerable Anthony the Great, founder of monasticism

Perhaps disagreements that later became insurmountable could have been noticed much earlier and “agreeed upon.” But in those days there was no Internet, there were no trains and cars. Churches (not only Western and Eastern, but simply separate dioceses) sometimes existed on their own for decades and rooted certain views within themselves. Therefore, the differences that caused the division of the Church into Catholicism and Orthodoxy turned out to be too deep-rooted at the time of the “decision making”.

This is what the Orthodox cannot accept in Catholic teaching.

• the infallibility of the Pope and the doctrine of the primacy of the Roman throne
• changing the text of the Creed
• doctrine of purgatory

Papal infallibility in Catholicism

Each church has its own primate - head. In Orthodox Churches this is the patriarch. The head of the Western Church (or the Latin Cathedra, as it is also called) was the pope, who now presides over the Catholic Church.

The Catholic Church believes that the Pope is infallible. This means that any judgment, decision or opinion that he voices before the flock is the truth and law for the entire Church.

The current Pope is Francis

According to Orthodox teaching, no person can be higher than the Church. For example, an Orthodox patriarch - if his decisions run counter to the teachings of the Church or entrenched traditions - may well be deprived of his rank by decision bishops' cathedral(as happened, for example, with Patriarch Nikon in the 17th century).

In addition to the infallibility of the pope, in Catholicism there is a doctrine of the primacy of the Roman throne (Church). Catholics base this teaching on an incorrect interpretation of the words of the Lord in a conversation with the apostles in Caesarea Philippi - about the alleged superiority of the Apostle Peter (who later “founded” the Latin Church) over the other apostles.

(Matthew 16:15–19) “He says to them: Who do you say that I am? Simon Peter answered and said: You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Then Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven; and I say to you: you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it; And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”.

You can read more about the dogma of papal infallibility and the primacy of the Roman throne.

The difference between Orthodox and Catholics: the text of the Creed

The different text of the Creed is another reason for disagreement between Orthodox and Catholics - although the difference is only one word.

The Creed is a prayer that was formulated in the 4th century at the First and Second Ecumenical Councils, and it put an end to many doctrinal disputes. It states everything that Christians believe.

What is the difference between the texts of Catholics and Orthodox? We say that we believe “And in the Holy Spirit who proceeds from the Father,” and Catholics add: “...from “the Father and the Son who proceeds...”.”

In fact, the addition of just this one word “And the Son...” (Filioque) significantly distorts the image of the entire Christian teaching.

The topic is theological, difficult, and it’s better to read about it right away, at least on Wikipedia.

The doctrine of purgatory is another difference between Catholics and Orthodox

Catholics believe in the existence of purgatory, but Orthodox Christians say that nowhere - not in any of the books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old or New Testaments, and even in none of the books of the Holy Fathers of the first centuries - is there any mention of purgatory.

It is difficult to say how this teaching arose among Catholics. However, now Catholic Church fundamentally proceeds from the fact that after death there is not only the Kingdom of Heaven and hell, but also a place (or rather, a state) in which the soul of a person finds himself who died in peace with God, but is not holy enough to be in Paradise. These souls, apparently, will definitely come to the Kingdom of Heaven, but first they need to undergo purification.

Orthodox Christians view the afterlife differently than Catholics. There is Heaven, there is hell. There are ordeals after death in order to strengthen oneself in peace with God (or to fall away from Him). There is a need to pray for the dead. But there is no purgatory.

These are the three reasons why the difference between Catholics and Orthodox is so fundamental that a division of the Churches arose a thousand years ago.

At the same time, over 1000 years of separate existence, a number of other differences arose (or took root), which are also considered to be what distinguishes us from each other. Some concerns external rituals - and this may seem to be quite a serious difference - and some concerns external traditions that Christianity acquired here and there.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism: differences that don't really separate us

Catholics receive communion differently than we do - is that true?

Orthodox Christians partake of the Body and Blood of Christ from the chalice. Until recently, Catholics received communion not with leavened bread, but with unleavened bread - that is, unleavened bread. Moreover, ordinary parishioners, unlike clergy, received communion only with the Body of Christ.

Before talking about why this happened, it should be noted that this form of Catholic Communion in Lately no longer the only one. Now in Catholic churches other forms of this Sacrament also appear - including the “familiar” one for us: Body and Blood from the chalice.

And the tradition of Communion, different from ours, arose in Catholicism for two reasons:

1. Regarding the use of unleavened bread: Catholics proceed from the fact that in the time of Christ, Jews at Easter did not break leavened bread, but unleavened bread. (The Orthodox proceed from the Greek texts of the New Testament, where, when describing the Last Supper, which the Lord celebrated with his disciples, the word “artos” is used, meaning leavened bread)
2. Regarding parishioners receiving Communion only with the Body: Catholics proceed from the fact that Christ abides equally and fully in any of the parts of the Blessed Sacrament, and not only when they are united. (The Orthodox are guided by the text of the New Testament, where Christ directly speaks about His Body and Blood. Matthew 26:26–28: “ And while they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take, eat: this is My Body.” And taking the cup and giving thanks, he gave it to them and said, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”»).

They sit in Catholic churches

Generally speaking, this is not even a difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy, since in some Orthodox countries- for example, in Bulgaria - it is also customary to sit, and in many churches there you can also see a lot of benches and chairs.

There are many benches, but this is not a Catholic, but an Orthodox church - in New York.

There is an org in Catholic churches A n

The organ is part of the musical accompaniment of the service. Music is one of the integral parts of the service, because if it were otherwise, there would be no choir, and the entire service would be read. Another thing is that we Orthodox Christians are now accustomed to just singing.

In many Latin countries, an organ was also installed in churches, because it was considered a divine instrument - its sound was so sublime and unearthly.

(At the same time, the possibility of using the organ in Orthodox worship was also discussed in Russia at the Local Council of 1917-1918. A supporter of this instrument was the famous church composer Alexander Grechaninov.)

Vow of celibacy among Catholic priests (Celibacy)

In Orthodoxy, a priest can be either a monk or a married priest. We are quite detailed.

In Catholicism, any clergyman is bound by a vow of celibacy.

Catholic priests shave their beards

This is another example of different traditions, and not of any fundamental differences between Orthodoxy and Catholicism. Whether a person has a beard or not does not in any way affect his holiness and does not say anything about him as a good or bad Christian. Just in Western countries For some time now, it has been customary to shave the beard (most likely, this is the influence of the Latin culture of Ancient Rome).

Nowadays no one forbids Orthodox priests from shaving their beards. It’s just that a beard on a priest or monk is such an ingrained tradition among us that breaking it can become a “temptation” for others, and therefore few priests decide to do it or even think about it.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh is one of the most famous Orthodox pastors of the 20th century. For some time he served without a beard.

Duration of services and severity of fasts

It so happens that over the past 100 years, the Church life of Catholics has become significantly “simplified” - so to speak. The duration of services has been shortened, fasts have become simpler and shorter (for example, before communion it is enough not to eat food for only a few hours). Thus, the Catholic Church tried to reduce the gap between itself and the secular part of society - fearing that excessive strictness of the rules might scare away modern people. Whether this helped or not is difficult to say.

The Orthodox Church, in its views on the severity of fasts and external rituals, proceeds from the following:

Of course, the world has changed a lot and it will now be impossible for most people to live as strictly as possible. However, the memory of the Rules and strict ascetic life is still important. “By mortifying the flesh, we free the spirit.” And we must not forget about this - at least as an ideal to which we must strive in the depths of our souls. And if this “measure” disappears, then how to maintain the required “bar”?

This is only a small part of the external traditional differences that have developed between Orthodoxy and Catholicism.

However, it is important to know what unites our Churches:

• presence of Church Sacraments (communion, confession, baptism, etc.)
• veneration of the Holy Trinity
• veneration of the Mother of God
• veneration of icons
• veneration of holy saints and their relics
• common saints for the first ten centuries of the Church's existence
• Holy Bible

In February 2016, the first ever meeting between the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church and the Pope (Francis) took place in Cuba. An event of historical proportions, but there was no talk of the unification of the Churches.

Orthodoxy and Catholicism - attempts to unite (Union)

The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism is a great tragedy in the history of the Church, which is acutely experienced by both Orthodox and Catholics.

Several times over 1000 years, attempts were made to overcome the schism. The so-called Unions were concluded three times - between the Catholic Church and representatives of the Orthodox Church. They all had the following in common:

• They were concluded primarily for political rather than religious reasons.
• Each time these were “concessions” on the part of the Orthodox. Typically in the following form: external shape and the language of worship remained familiar to the Orthodox, but in all dogmatic disagreements the Catholic interpretation was taken.
• Having been signed by some bishops, they were, as a rule, rejected by the rest of the Orthodox Church - the clergy and the people, and therefore turned out to be essentially unviable. The exception is the last Union of Brest-Litovsk.

These are the three Unions:

Union of Lyons (1274)

She was supported by the emperor of Orthodox Byzantium, since unification with Catholics was supposed to help restore the shaken financial position empires. The union was signed, but the people of Byzantium and the rest of the Orthodox clergy did not support it.

Ferraro-Florentine Union (1439)

Both sides were equally politically interested in this Union, since the Christian states were weakened by wars and enemies (the Latin states - by the crusades, Byzantium - by the confrontation with the Turks, Rus' - by the Tatar-Mongols) and the unification of states on religious grounds would probably help , everyone.

The situation repeated itself: the Union was signed (although not by all representatives of the Orthodox Church who were present at the council), but it remained, in fact, on paper - the people did not support the unification on such conditions.

Suffice it to say that the first “Uniate” service was performed in the capital of Byzantium in Constantinople only in 1452. And less than a year later it was captured by the Turks...

Union of Brest (1596)

This Union was concluded between Catholics and the Orthodox Church of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (the state that then united the Lithuanian and Polish principalities).

The only example where the union of Churches turned out to be viable - albeit within the framework of just one state. The rules are the same: all services, rituals and language remain familiar to the Orthodox, however, at the services it is not the patriarch who is commemorated, but the pope; The text of the Creed is changed and the doctrine of purgatory is accepted.

After the division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, part of its territories was ceded to Russia - and along with it a number of Uniate parishes were ceded. Despite the persecution, they continued to exist until the middle of the 20th century, until they were officially banned by the Soviet government.

Today there are Uniate parishes on the territory of Western Ukraine, the Baltic states and Belarus.

The separation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism: how to deal with this?

We would like to bring short quote from the letters of Orthodox Bishop Hilarion (Troitsky), who died in the first half of the 20th century. Being a zealous defender of Orthodox dogmas, he nevertheless writes:

“Unfortunate historical circumstances tore the West away from the Church. Over the centuries, the church's perception of Christianity has gradually become distorted in the West. The teaching has changed, life has changed, the very understanding of life has retreated from the Church. We [the Orthodox] have preserved the church's wealth. But instead of lending to others from this unexpendable wealth, we ourselves in some areas still fell under the influence of the West with its theology alien to the Church.” (Letter five. Orthodoxy in the West)

And here is what Saint Theophan the Recluse answered to one woman a century earlier when she asked: “Father, explain to me: none of the Catholics will be saved?”

The saint replied: “I don’t know whether Catholics will be saved, but I know one thing for sure: that without Orthodoxy I myself will not be saved.”

This answer and the quote from Hilarion (Troitsky) perhaps very accurately indicate the correct attitude of an Orthodox person towards such a misfortune as the division of the Churches.

Read this and other posts in our group at

In the CIS countries, most people are familiar with Orthodoxy, but know little about other Christian denominations and non-Christian religions. Therefore the question is: “ How does the Catholic Church differ from the Orthodox Church?“or, more simply, “the difference between Catholicism and Orthodoxy” - Catholics are asked very often. Let's try to answer it.

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 from 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 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.

Now we can talk about the differences:

1) So, the first difference between the Catholic and Orthodox Churches is in different understandings 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 in that The Holy Spirit comes 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 confesses 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)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 a ritual that 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 Orthodox liturgy is very different from the Mass of the Roman rite, it is very similar to the Catholic liturgy of the Byzantine rite. 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 proclaimed the dogma of the infallibility of the Pope o in matters of faith and morals in those cases where 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;

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, preserving apostolic succession and true sacraments. Both Catholics and Orthodox Christians have the same Creed.

Despite their differences, Catholics and Orthodox Christians throughout the world profess 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.

Video lectures on the Dogmas of the Catholic Church

Along with Protestantism and Orthodoxy, Catholicism is one of the most extensive movements of the Christian church.

Appearing in apostolic times, over thousands of years it covered the entire planet and became widely known both due to the principles of its doctrine and thanks to its comprehensive organizational structure. What is Catholicism? What are its characteristic features and who are called Catholics?

What does the word "Catholicism" mean?

The development of the modern Catholic Church began in the 1st century AD, and the word itself "Catholicism" was first used in 110 in the message of Bishop Ignatius the God-Bearer to the population of the city of Smyrna (now Izmir).

The term comes from Latin catholicismus, which means "general" or "according to everything" . From the second half of the 2nd century the concept was used to refer to the orthodox (non-heretical) church, and in the 4th century many early writers and historians used it to refer to all Christianity.

Until the Great Schism of 1054, Catholics viewed the history of Christianity as their own history. After the division of the Christian Church into Catholic and Orthodox, adherents of Catholicism set the goal of conquering the Holy Land from the Arabs, as a result of which the era of the Crusades began in Europe from the end of the 11th century.

In the 13th century, many monastic orders appeared in the Catholic Church (Franciscans, Augustinians, Dominicans), which played an important role in the fight against heretical movements. For many years, Catholics spread their religion in European countries ah, subjecting to the Inquisition anyone who did not follow their creeds.


Catholicism is different today liberal views and maintains dialogue with other Christian movements.

What is Catholicism?

Catholicism is the largest denomination of Christianity and presents itself as the only holistic and universal church led by Jesus Christ. The visible head of the doctrine is the Pope, who rules the Holy See and its sovereign territory, the Vatican.

Subordinate to the Pope are over 3 thousand jurisdictions around the world, divided into archdioceses, dioceses, apostolic vicariates and a number of other organizations. The clergy of the Catholic Church includes black clergy (monks) and white clergy, that is, priests who serve churches.

All ministers in Catholicism receive one of three sacred degrees - bishop, priest or deacon, and unordained ministers are elevated to the level of readers or acolytes.

Who are Catholics?

Catholics include religious group people professing Catholic teachings. As the largest branch of Christianity, Catholicism currently has over 1.2 billion people living primarily in Europe.


The Catholic faith is accepted by residents of most European countries, including Italy, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and France. Many Catholics are concentrated in China, Australia, and the Philippines. In Africa their number reaches 175 million.

Beliefs in Catholicism

The Catholic religion is based on the Bible and Sacred Tradition, formed over the centuries as a result of the ecumenical councils. Like all Christians, Catholics believe in the oneness of God and widely revere not only Jesus Christ, but also the Virgin Mary.

According to Catholic teaching, the grace of God is communicated to people through 7 sacraments, which include baptism, church marriage, confirmation, communion, confession, ordination and unction. In addition, Catholics believe in purgatory, where the souls of people are cleansed of sins after death, and recognize the doctrine of indulgence - temporary release from punishment for sins in case of repentance.

How is Catholicism different from Orthodoxy?

Despite the fact that Catholicism and Orthodoxy are Christian religions, there are a number of differences between them. In particular, they believe that Christ was conceived in the marriage of Mary and Joseph, and Catholics believe in the virgin birth of the Virgin Mary.


In Orthodoxy, the Holy Spirit is believed to come from God alone, while in Catholicism it is seen to come from both the Lord and his Son. Representatives of the Catholic Church welcome the dogma of the bodily Ascension Mother of God, and in the Orthodox community neither her Ascension nor her Dormition are recognized as dogmas.

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 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.

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. 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.

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

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 suggest that there are souls in an 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;

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 the left side in Christianity is associated with the devil, and the right 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 on Ash Wednesday, and in the Byzantine rite it begins on Clean Monday.

16. In the Western ritual, prolonged kneeling is customary, in the Eastern - prostrations, in connection with which benches with shelves for kneeling appear in Latin churches (believers sit only during Old Testament and Apostolic readings, sermons, offers), and for the Eastern rite it is important that there is sufficient space left in front of the worshiper for bowing 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. In the Basics social concept 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.

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.

Catholicism as one of the main trends in Christianity was finally formed as a result of the first major schism (division of churches) in Christianity in 1054. It is widespread mainly in Western (France, Belgium, Italy, Portugal) and Eastern (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Lithuania , partially Latvia and western regions of Ukraine) Europe, in most countries South America; almost half of believers profess it North America. There are also Catholics in Asia and Africa, but the influence of Catholicism here is insignificant.

It has much in common with Orthodoxy (belief in two sources of doctrine - Holy Scripture, Holy Tradition, the Divine Trinity, the saving mission of the church, the immortality of the soul, the afterlife) and at the same time differs from other directions in Christianity in the system of doctrine, cult, and peculiar adaptation to rapid changes in social activity and new religious consciousness. He supplemented the Creed with new dogmas that the Orthodox Church does not know.

The main dogmas of Catholicism, which distinguish it from other movements in Christianity, are the dogma of the procession of the Holy Spirit not only from God the Father, but also from God the Son, as well as the infallibility of the Pope. The papacy achieved the adoption of this dogma only in 1870 by the Ecumenical Council in the Vatican. In the struggle for spiritual and temporal power, popes entered into numerous alliances with kings, enjoyed the tutelage of powerful feudal lords, and intensified their political outpouring.

Another dogma of Catholicism about “purgatory” was adopted in 1439 at the Council of Florence. Its essence lies in the fact that after death a person’s soul ends up in “purgatory” - a place between hell and heaven, has the opportunity to be cleansed of sins, after which it goes to hell or heaven. Dates are cleared through various tests. Relatives and friends of the deceased, with the help of prayers and donations to the church, can ease the test of the soul that is in “purgatory” and speed up its exit from there. So, the fate of the soul was determined not only by a person’s behavior in earthly life, but also by the material capabilities of the deceased’s loved ones.

A very important provision in Catholicism is the special role of the clergy, according to which a person cannot earn God’s mercy on his own, without the help of the clergy, who have significant advantages over the laity and should have special rights and privileges. In particular, Catholic doctrine prohibits believers from reading the Bible, since this is the exclusive right of the clergy. Catholicism considers canonical only the Bible written in Latin, which it does not possess most of believers. Clergy have special rights to receive the sacrament. If the laity commune only with the “body of God” (bread), then the clergy - with his blood (wine), which emphasizes his special merits before God. Celibacy is mandatory for all clergy.

Catholic dogmatics establishes the need for systematic confession of believers before the clergy. Every Catholic should have his own confessor and regularly report to him about his thoughts and actions; Without systematic confession, salvation is impossible. Thanks to this requirement, the Catholic clergy penetrates into the personal lives of believers, whose every step is under the control of a priest or monk. Systematic confession allows the Catholic Church to influence society, especially women.

The doctrine claims that Christ, the Mother of God and the saints have such a number of awards that they will be enough to provide otherworldly bliss to all existing and future humanity. God has placed all this potential at the disposal of the Catholic Church; she may delegate at her discretion certain part these works to believers for the atonement of sins and personal salvation, but believers must pay the church for this. The sale of Divine grace was in charge of a special tribunal under the pope. There, for money, you could get an indulgence - a papal letter that gave believers absolution or determined the time during which they could sin.

There are many peculiarities in the Catholic cult, which is characterized by pomp and solemnity. The service is accompanied by organ music, solo and choral chants. It happens on Latin. It is believed that during the liturgy (Mass) the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Jesus Christ occurs. That is why salvation is impossible outside the sacrament of the Eucharist (communion), and therefore outside the church.

The cult of the Virgin Mary, or Madonna, plays a very important role. Christianity borrowed it from ancient religions, the Mother of God was revered as the Mother Goddess. Goddess of fertility. IN Christian religion The Mother of God is represented by the immaculate virgin Mary, who gave birth to the child Jesus, the Son of God, by the Holy Spirit. In Catholicism, the veneration of the Mother of God has been elevated to a dogma, and her cult, to some extent, has even pushed into the background the cult of God the Father and Christ himself. The Catholic Church claims that in the Virgin Mary women have their intercessor before God, that she can help them in everything life situations. At the Third Ecumenical Council (Ephesus, 431), Mary was recognized as the Mother of God, and in 1854, proof of her virgin birth and bodily ascension to heaven was accepted. Catholics believe that Mary ascended to heaven not only with her soul, but also with her body. Even a special theological direction was formed - Mariology.

The cult of saints and the worship of relics and relics became widespread. During the existence of the Catholic Church, up to 20 thousand Saints and almost 200 thousand Blesseds were proclaimed. This process has intensified in recent decades. Pope Pius XI declared 34 saints and 496 beatified during the 17 years of his pontificate, while Pius XII declared an average of 5 saints and 40 beatifieds annually.

Catholic ideology is extremely fluid. This can be clearly seen in the decisions of the Second Vatican Council, which revised many ideas, ceased to correspond to the task of preserving religion, and adopted 16 documents that reveal the essence of modern Catholic modernism.

The Conciliar Constitution on Liturgy allows for the simplification of many rituals and their adaptation to conditions. In particular, it is allowed to conduct part of the mass not in Latin, but in the local language using national music; It is recommended to devote more time to sermons, and to hold worship services several times a day, so that those employed in production can attend them at a convenient time.

The Council made recommendations on the inclusion of elements of local religions in the Catholic cult, rapprochement with other Christian churches, recognition of the sacraments and rituals performed on Catholics in other Christian denominations. In particular, the baptism of Catholics in Orthodox churches, and Orthodox - in Catholic churches, is recognized as valid. Catholics in China were allowed to worship Confucius, honor their ancestors according to Chinese custom, and the like.

Unlike other movements in Christianity, Catholicism has an international control center - the Vatican and the head of the church - the Pope, who is elected for life. Back in 756, on a small territory of modern Italy, a church state arose - the Papal States. It existed until 1870. During the unification of Italy, it was included in the Italian state. After World War I, the papacy entered into an alliance with the existing regime in Italy. Pius XI in 1929 concluded the Lateran Agreement with the Mussolini government, according to which the papal state - the Vatican - was revived. Its area is 44 hectares. It has all the attributes of a state (coat of arms, flag, anthem, armed forces, money, prison), diplomatic relations with 100 countries of the world. Under the pope, there is a government (Roman, curia), which is headed by a cardinal - Secretary of State (he and the Minister of Foreign Affairs), as well as an advisory body - the synod. The Vatican leads 34 international political non-church associations, coordinates the activities of many newspapers and magazines, and educational institutions.

Enemies of Catholicism religious teachings were called heresies, and their supporters - heretics. The Church waged an extremely cruel fight against them. For this purpose, a special church court was introduced - the Inquisition. Those accused of apostasy from the teachings of the church were thrown into prison, tortured, and sentenced to be burned at the stake. The Inquisition acted with particular cruelty in Spain. The list of “religious criminals” approved by her was so large that few people did not fall under its influence (not only heretics, but also those who protected and hid them).

The hierarchy of the Catholic Church is based on strict centralization and unconditional subordination of the lower church bodies to the higher ones. The Catholic hierarchy is headed by the Sacred College of Cardinals. A cardinal is the highest spiritual person after the pope. Some of them live permanently in Rome and head Vatican institutions, others are in different countries where they lead local organizations on behalf of Vata Kanu. Cardinals are appointed by the pope. The permanent institution of the Vatican is the Secretariat of State. He knows diplomatic affairs with countries with which the Vatican has relations. Permanent ambassadors are papal nuncios. Italy and the Vatican also exchange ambassadors. In the absence of permanent diplomatic relations, the Vatican sends temporary representatives - legates.

Orders of monks operate according to special charters and have a strictly centralized structure. They are headed by generals, general masters, to whom are subordinate the provincials (provincial priors), masters, and the masters are abbots and conventual priors. All of them are dominated by the general chapter - a meeting of leaders of different ranks, which takes place every few years. The orders are subordinate directly to the Pope, no matter in which country they are located. One of the first among them was the Benedictine order, founded in Italy in the 6th century. Benedikt Nuriysky. He enjoyed particular influence in the 10th-11th centuries. Now the Benedictines exist in the countries of Europe and America, they have their own schools and universities, and periodicals.

In the XI-XIII centuries. Many monastic orders arose. Among them, an important place belongs to the so-called mendicant orders; Franciscan, founded in the 18th century. Saint Francis - 27 thousand people; Dominican - 10 thousand people. To join the Carmelite and Augustinian orders, one had to renounce personal property and live on alms. The Franciscan Order received certain privileges from the pope - the right to preach and perform the sacraments, and freely teach at universities. The Inquisition was in his hands. The Order of the Dominicans (brothers-preachers), founded in 1215 by Dominic, was called upon to launch a struggle against medieval heresy, primarily against the Albigensians - participants in the heretical movement of the 12th-13th centuries. in France, directed against the dominant position of the Catholic Church in the economic and spiritual life of the medieval city.

In 1534, the Jesuit Order (Society of Jesus) arose, founded by Ignatius Sebaceous (1491-1556) to fight the Reformation. Being one of the militant organizations of the Catholic Church, it persecuted scientists, suppressed free thought, compiled an index of prohibited books, and contributed to the consolidation of unlimited papal power. Jesuits, in addition to three monastic vows (celibacy, obedience, poverty), swear absolute obedience to the Pope, and cannot even mentally question his beliefs1. The charter of the order states: in order not to make mistakes in life, it is necessary to call white black, if the church requires it. Based on this provision, the Jesuit Order developed moral standards. The Jesuit order differs from others in that it does not require its members to live in monasteries or wear monastic clothing. They may also be secret members of the order. Therefore, data on its number are approximate (up to 90 thousand people).

There are now about 180 monastic orders. Uniting almost one and a half million monks, they play an important role in the implementation of Vatican policies and missionary activities.

The entire territory of the spread of Catholicism is divided into regions (archdioceses). Currently, thanks to countries in Africa and Asia, their number is growing. Large dioceses have suffragan bishops (assistant bishops). In countries with big amount diocese and with the autonomy of the national church, the eldest over all bishops is the reserve. In the absence of such autonomy, each bishop is directly subordinate to Rome.

The Vatican institutions include 9 congregations, tribunals and several secretariats. Congregations are unique ministries headed by a group of cardinals (3-4 people) and a head - a prefect. The most important of them are; Congregation of the Holy Office and Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (carries out missionary activities mainly in Asia and Africa). This is the richest congregation, which receives various subsidies from Catholic businessmen, even representatives of other religious movements (Baptists) to create a network of seminaries, universities, and schools in which the local population is educated in the spirit of Catholic teaching. The congregation has its own publishing house, almshouses, and schools.

Catholicism has successfully “fitted” into industrial and post-industrial societies. Adaptation of the Church to the conditions of mature capitalism was founded by Pope Leo XIII in the encyclical "On New Things", which was, in fact, the first social encyclical. It formulates the attitude of the Catholic Church to the new realities of industrial society at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. She condemned the class struggle, proclaimed the inviolability of private property, protection of wage earners, and the like.

New social realities that emerged in the middle of the 20th century influenced the activities of Pope John XXIII. In attempts to prevent the threat of the death of humanity in a nuclear war, the support of the Catholic Church for the principle of peaceful coexistence of states with different social systems played a major role. The Pope advocated a ban nuclear weapons, supported the joint actions of believers and non-believers in defense of peace. The Vatican began to take a more far-sighted and realistic position on the problems of Africa, Latin America, and Asia. Timely differentiation from classical colonialism had a beneficial effect on the spread of Catholicism in the countries of Africa and Latin America.

Adaptation of Catholicism to the realities of post-industrial society, accounting social processes; unfolded in the last quarter of the 20th century, associated with the name of Pope John Paul II, in whose activities three directions are clearly visible: the first concerns domestic policy churches; the second - social issues; third - foreign policy. In internal church politics, he adheres to traditional positions: he categorically condemns divorce, abortion, attempts to equalize the rights of female nuns with priests, and the participation of church leaders in political activity etc. The Pope sharply condemned the tendencies towards pluralism that were evident in the Jesuit order. According to his instructions, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly the Inquisition) condemned individual Jesuits in the USA, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands. At the same time, at the meetings of the Pontifical Academy in the Vatican, in honor of the centenary of the birth of the outstanding scientist Albert Einstein, John Paul II himself made a speech, recognizing the condemnations of his time as erroneous and unfair Galileo Galilei by the Inquisition.

The family is not left without the attention of the Catholic Church. A wide range of her problems is examined in the program “Family and Faith,” designed for spouses, parents and children. They formulate the view of the Catholic Church on the causes of crises in the family and the alienation of children from their parents.

At the end of the 50s, a reorientation of the Vatican’s European policy began: the idea of ​​“small Europe” was replaced by the desire to expand a “united Europe”. With the accession of John Paul II to the throne, this understanding was based on the thesis of the common Christian roots of European nations. The UNESCO platform and international cultural forums are used to promote the concept of “neo-Europeanism”.

Europe, according to the Pope, is a complex of nations that have become so through evangelization. The internal unity of Europe is not only a cultural but also a social necessity. Europe also plays a leading role in the global context, thanks to its specific cultural tradition and inexhaustible strength. In real Europe there are no contradictions between East and West; it is the only family of peoples with various complementary characteristics. The rapprochement and integration of European nations must develop simultaneously in both religious and cultural aspects.

To justify neo-Europeanism, John Paul II created his own concept of the nation. In the foreground in it are the people, then the fatherland, religion, art, national culture. Europe, united by a common origin, cultural history and traditions, values ​​and fundamental principles of the organization of life, can be saved from internal dangers and apocalyptic conflicts.

European: culture is based on a great heritage - Jewish, Greek, Roman, Christian. But this heritage is experiencing a deep crisis. Therefore, the creation of a “new Europe” is associated with the hope of religious revival. In the words of John Paul II, "rebirth in the Christian spirit is one means of saving Europe." In 1985, the Pope issued the encyclical "Apostles of the Slavs", the main idea of ​​which is the need to unite European countries on the basis of Christian culture. The path to unity between East and West, says the Vatican, is unification Christian Churches into the universal church and general evangelization, the essence of which is the establishment, first of all, of the moral superiority of the Catholic Church. This clearly shows political goals. Promoting the unity of Europe, John Paul II emphasizes the advantage of the Roman Catholic Church, since the "apostles of the Slavs" supposedly worked with the blessing and under the control of Popes Nicholas I, Adrian II and John VIII, being subjects of the Great Empire. Historical documents testify, however, that Cyril and Methodius contacted Rome on diplomatic issues.

80s of XX century. became landmarks for Catholicism. At the Extraordinary Synod of Bishops, dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Second Vatican Council, church affairs in the 20 years after the council were analyzed in the context of the evolution of modern society. Among the problems were complications in the relationship of the church with the world. Rich countries learned secularism, atheism, practical materialism. This has caused a deep crisis of fundamental moral values. In developing countries, poverty, hunger, and misery reign. The Synod came to the conclusion that the desire for renewal is only external structures led to the oblivion of the Church of Christ. In the declaration “God's Call to All People,” the synod calls on everyone (not just Catholics) to participate in the creation of a “civilization of solidarity and love,” because only through religious revival can the apocalyptic state of modern culture be overcome.

Catholic theologian Karl Rahner assesses the current situation of the Catholic Church this way: “Today one can hear from the Church many statements in the name of the spirit of Vatican II, which have nothing to do with this spirit. There is too much Conservatism in the modern Church. The Church authorities of Rome seem to more susceptible to returning to the good old days than to a real understanding of the situation modern world and humanity. We have not yet achieved a synthesis between true spirituality and real responsibility to a world facing catastrophe. On the threshold of the third millennium, there is an ever-growing desire among Catholics to create a broad platform for uniting all people good will based on universal human values ​​for the salvation and enrichment of the spiritual culture of humanity."

After the proclamation of state independence, the revival of Catholic communities and churches began in Ukraine, and relations with the Vatican somewhat revived.

Questions and tasks to consolidate knowledge

1. Describe the main dogmatic and canonical differences between

Catholicism and Orthodoxy.

2. What were the features of the Catholic Church’s struggle against heresies?

3. How does the attitude of Catholic and Orthodox churches to trends in human development?

4. To what extent, in your opinion, does the structure and management system of the Catholic Church correspond to the requirements of centralization and freedom of national religious entities?

5. What were the positions of the Catholic communities on different stages history of Ukraine?

Abstract topics

1. Socio-political orientations in Catholicism.

2. Catholic monastic orders: history and modernity.

3. Social doctrine of Catholicism, stages of its development.

4. Karyology as a branch of Catholic theology.

5. History of the papacy.

6. Pontificate of Pope John Paul II.

7. Catholicism in Ukraine.

Literature,

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Gergey E. History of the papacy. - M, 1996..

Wojtyła K. John Paul II century. Love and responsibility. - M., 1993.

Second Vatican Council. Constitution. Decrees. Declarations. - M., Brussels, 1992.

John Paul II. Unity in diversity. - M., 1994.

John Paul II. Cross the threshold of hope. - Lviv: Luminaire, 1995.

Catholicism. Dictionary. - M., 1991.

Kartashov AB Ecumenical councils. - M., 1994.

Kovalsky Ya.V. Dads and gentlemen. - M., 1991.

Lozinsky S.G. History of the Papacy. - M., 1986.

Rashkova R.T. The Vatican and modern culture. - M., 1998..

Rozhkov V. Essays on the history of the Roman Catholic Church. - M., 1994.

Church and social problems: encyclical "The Hundredth Year". International scientific conference. - Lvov, 1993.