All About Catholic and Orthodox Christianity
The historical split and current differences
Christianity grew rapidly in the Roman Empire after Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection. In 380 AD, it became the official state religion of the empire when Emperor Constantine legalized it.
As centuries passed, Christianity didn’t just spread; it also evolved. This expansion led to the development of Eastern Christianity, which was distinct from the Western form practised around Rome. However, these geographical distinctions were more about location than differences in beliefs and customs.
Catholic and Orthodox
In 1054, a significant event shook the foundations of Christianity: the East-West Schism. This was when Eastern (Orthodox) and Western (Catholic) Christianity officially split. It wasn’t just a sudden decision but resulted from long-standing disagreements and tensions. These disagreements were about politics, how to practice the faith, and even about how to interpret certain religious teachings.
The split created two main branches: the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The Orthodox Church didn’t follow the Pope in Rome. Instead, it had a decentralized system where each Orthodox church had its own leader, known as a patriarch. The bishops of their…
