Why believers in Orthodox churches are the whole service, and in Catholic churches you can sit down

Christianity created Western civilization, historians and theologians claim. In 1054 the church was divided. There were Catholics and Orthodox. Adherents of the Eastern rite obeyed the Byzantine Patriarch, the Western – the Pope. Over the centuries, the differences between the two branches multiplied, and with it disputes. Who is closer to the truth? Let us consider this issue with love and respect for both faiths.



GettyImages Catholics and Orthodox Orthodox Orthodoxy and Catholicism are pillars of Christianity. Both trends reveal deeply Christian morality. Despite the age-old competition, there are not so many great ideological differences here. Below you will find the main ones.

The Virgin Mary was born without original sin In this dogma the Catholics firmly believe. Yes, she was conceived by ordinary people - Joachim and Anna. But the Virgin did not inherit Adam’s sin through divine will. It was the future birth of Christ that liberated her from this legacy. On December 8, the countries of Western Christianity even celebrate the elevation of Mary to the sacred rank.

Orthodox Christians believe that the Mother of God was born an ordinary woman. Her mission was to protect humanity before the face of God.



Catholics and Orthodox: how to be baptized Representatives of both faiths imply the same symbols when baptized. The three fingers reflect the indivisible Trinity, the remaining two reflect the divine and human nature of Christ. Catholics make the sign of the cross with two fingers, clamping three. The Orthodox do the opposite.

Orthodox and Catholics have different attitudes to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. Both religions agree that God is one. At the same time, he exists in three hypostases equal to each other: in the person of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the same time, each of them has an individual existence.

The Eastern Church believes that the Holy Spirit comes only from God the Father. We believe that the Holy Spirit comes to us from the Father and the Son. Centuries later, this topic is still quite controversial, and the two dogmas have not yet found common ground.

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Orthodoxy has a categorical view of the fate of sinners after death. They go to hell where they will burn to the end of time. In Western tradition, it is believed that all people go to heaven. One amendment. To be cleansed, every sinner must first go to hell, then wash away his sins in purgatory. Only then will he be able to rest in paradise.

The Patriarch and Pope Catholics consider the Pope to be the successor of the Apostle Peter, who was the Vicar of Christ. In other words, this office gives the pope lifelong status as the viceroy of God on earth. The Orthodox Patriarch does not receive such high regalia.



In Orthodoxy we are convinced that a simple sinful person is not allowed to call himself a vicegerent of the Lord. This is another point of irreconcilable discussions between the two faiths. Among the many titles of the Pope, there is one special one: the slave of God’s slaves. He points out his true role and mission to serve his flock.
Why do Catholics sit and Orthodox Christians stand?

This question is not as simple as it seems. Christmas and Easter services, as well as worship services in monasteries, can last for long hours. Not only the grandmother, but not every young woman will stand from beginning to end.



Until the beginning of the sixth century, Eastern Christians prayed sitting down. Since not every church had shops, parishioners often sat down on the floor. But in Orthodox monasteries, the requirements for monks and clergy were much stricter. They had to do all the service on their feet. The Parathians were supposed to follow their example. Over time, the Orthodox Church has secured the format of the service “on the feet”.

Yes, there are shops in temples. But they are designed for the elderly and sick people. If a healthy boy or child performs a service sitting, he will be looked at obliquely. It's more of an exception to the rule. Even grandparents try to serve on their feet.



Catholics and Orthodox: a look at the situation Thus the Orthodox show that they are drawn to the Lord. Sitting on a bench is like waiting for God to come down to you. By giving up comfort, you are doing a feat.

The comfort of sitting is somewhat similar to gluttony. When you eat well, you want to eat a drink. And there and to prodigal thoughts at hand. It's like this: you lose concentration. You're getting sleepy. What kind of prayer is that?

Catholics don’t see anything wrong with comfort when they pray. This way you can completely relax your body and turn your thoughts to the Lord. If you stand, you will get tired faster and start to get distracted.

Catholics believe that we come into contact with God through our souls and thoughts. It is important to create conditions so that the body does not distract from the main thing. By the way, Catholics give praise while reading the Gospel.



We will not go into this discussion and look for the right side. In our opinion, this does not matter much. Catholics and Orthodox pay much attention to this difference. Unfortunately, his goal is to put a competitive denomination in a bad light. To prove that the other does not understand the Lord.

In our opinion, ardent prayer from the heart itself has much more weight than the form of serving. Peace in the soul and love for others are more important. Agreed? Share your opinion in the comments.