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145-810: Within Christianity, veneration is practiced by groups such as the Eastern Orthodox Church , the Oriental Orthodox Church , the Roman Catholic , and Eastern Catholic Churches , all of which have varying types of canonization or glorification procedures. In the Catholic and Orthodox Churches, veneration is shown outwardly by respectfully bowing or making the sign of the cross before a saint's icon , relics , or statue, or by going on pilgrimage to sites associated with saints. In general, veneration

290-636: A sect or a denomination but simply continuing the Christian church , and, despite their varied origins, by adherence to the Byzantine rite ". Those churches are negatively defined by their rejection of papal immediate and universal supremacy . The seven ecumenical councils recognised by the Eastern Orthodox churches are: Nicaea I , Constantinople I , Ephesus , Chalcedon , Constantinople II , Constantinople III , and Nicaea II . Those churches consider

435-610: A designation for the universality of the Christian Church, centred around Christ. Therefore, the Eastern Orthodox notion of catholicity is not centred around any singular see, unlike the Catholic Church which has one earthly centre. Due to the influence of the Catholic Church in the west, where the English language itself developed, the words "catholic" and "catholicity" are sometimes used to refer to that church specifically. However,

580-660: A dispute about the relation between the divine and human natures of Jesus . Eventually this led to each group anathematising the other. Those that remained in communion with the other patriarchs (by accepting the Council of Chalcedon) are known today as the Greek Orthodox Church of Alexandria , where the adjective "Greek" refers to their ties to the Greek-speaking culture of the Byzantine Empire. Those who disagreed with

725-553: A greater degree; both remain distinct from latria . In Catholicism , veneration is a type of honor distinct from the true worship (veritable adoration) , which is due to God alone. According to Mark Miravelle, of the Franciscan University of Steubenville , the English word "worship" has been associated with both veneration and adoration: As Thomas Aquinas explained, adoration, which is known as latria in classical theology,

870-642: A long and widespread tradition of saint veneration. In major Buddhist traditions, Theravada and Mahayana , those who have achieved a high degree of enlightenment are recognized as arhats . Mahayana Buddhism particularly gives emphasis to the power of saints to aid ordinary people on the path to enlightenment . Those who have reached enlightenment, and have delayed their own complete enlightenment in order to help others, are called Bodhisattvas . Mahayana Buddhism has formal liturgical practices for venerating saints, along with very specific levels of sainthood. Tibetan Buddhists venerate especially holy lamas , such as

1015-540: A moral disorder", does not deprive the sinner of friendship with God, and consequently the eternal happiness of heaven. In the Old Testament , God promised to send his people a savior. The church believes that this savior was Jesus whom John the Baptist called "the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world". The Nicene Creed refers to Jesus as "the only begotten son of God, ... begotten, not made, consubstantial with

1160-453: A part of nature, but that God created nature and all that exists. God is viewed as a loving and caring God who is active both in the world and in people's lives, and desires humankind to love one another. Catholics believe that Jesus is God incarnate , " true God and true man " (or both fully divine and fully human ). Jesus, having become fully human, suffered our pain, finally succumbed to His injuries and gave up his spirit when he said, "it

1305-436: A person must be in a state of grace , which means that they cannot be conscious of having committed a mortal sin . They must also have prepared spiritually for the sacrament, chosen a sponsor or godparent for spiritual support, and selected a saint to be their special patron. Soteriology is the branch of doctrinal theology that deals with salvation through Christ . Eternal life, divine life , cannot be merited but

1450-679: A pilgrimages (e.g. those of Saint Peter's tomb (Vatican), Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua (Italy), Santiago de Compostela Cathedral (Spain), or Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Israel)). It is also usual to make a pilgrimage to places associated with the life of a saint, such as the Cave of Santo Hermano Pedro (Spain), the Cave of the Apocalypse (Greece) or the Aya Tekla Church (Turkey). Veneration of images and relics; Lord of Miracles (Peru),

1595-615: A special way to honour the saint on whose day they received the sacrament of baptism . It is the most solemn day of the year for all Serbs of the Orthodox faith and has played a role of vital importance in the history of the Serbian people. Slava remains a celebration of the conversion of the Serbian people, which the church blessed and proclaimed a church institution. The missionaries to the East and South Slavs had great success in part because they used

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1740-458: A violation of conscience or divine law. Catholics make a distinction between two types of sin. Mortal sin is a "grave violation of God's law" that "turns man away from God", and if it is not redeemed by repentance it can cause exclusion from Christ's kingdom and the eternal death of hell. In contrast, venial sin (meaning "forgivable" sin) "does not set us in direct opposition to the will and friendship of God" and, although still "constituting

1885-769: Is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the God-bearer and honoured in devotions . The Churches of Constantinople, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Antioch—except for some breaks of communion such as the Photian schism or the Acacian schism — shared communion with the Church of Rome until the East–West Schism in 1054. The 1054 schism was the culmination of mounting theological, political, and cultural disputes, particularly over

2030-597: Is a free gift of God. The crucifixion of Jesus is explained as an atoning sacrifice , which, in the words of the Gospel of John , "takes away the sins of the world". One's reception of salvation is related to justification . According to church teaching, in an event known as the "fall of the angels", a number of angels chose to rebel against God and his reign. The leader of this rebellion has been given many names including " Lucifer " (meaning "light bearer" in Latin), " Satan ", and

2175-476: Is also defined in the Coptic liturgy, where it is mentioned "He made it [his humanity] one with his divinity without mingling, without confusion and without alteration", and "His divinity parted not from his humanity for a single moment nor a twinkling of an eye." They do not accept the teachings of Eutyches , or Eutychianism . Both the Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox churches formally believe themselves to be

2320-491: Is an accepted version of this page Autocephaly recognized by some autocephalous Churches de jure : Autocephaly and canonicity recognized by Constantinople and 3 other autocephalous Churches: Spiritual independence recognized by Georgian Orthodox Church: Semi-Autonomous: The Eastern Orthodox Church , officially the Orthodox Catholic Church , and also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply

2465-756: Is an ancient part of the tradition. It is common for some Jews to visit the graves of many righteous Jewish leaders. The tradition is particularly strong among Moroccan Jews, and Jews of Sephardi descent, although also by some Ashkenazi Jews as well. This is particularly true in Israel, where many holy Jewish leaders are buried. The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron , Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and that of Maimonides in Tiberius are examples of burial sites that attract large pilgrimages in

2610-433: Is created in the image and likeness of God, man can know with certainty of God's existence from his own human reason. But while "Man's faculties make him capable of coming to a knowledge of the existence of a personal God", in order "for man to be able to enter into real intimacy with him, God willed both to reveal himself to man , and to give him the grace of being able to welcome this revelation in faith." In summary,

2755-465: Is documented in the third century. Over time, the honor also began to be given to those Christians who lived lives of holiness and sanctity. Various denominations venerate and determine saints in different ways, with some having a formal canonization or glorification process. It is also the first step to becoming a saint. Christian theologians have long adopted the terms latria for the type of worship due to God alone, and dulia and proskynesis for

2900-504: Is expressed most fundamentally in scripture and worship, and the latter most essentially through baptism and in the Divine Liturgy . The lines of even this test can blur, however, when differences that arise are not due to doctrine, but to recognition of jurisdiction. As the Eastern Orthodox Church has spread into the west and over the world, the church as a whole has yet to sort out all the inter-jurisdictional issues that have arisen in

3045-575: Is finished." He suffered temptations , but did not sin . As true God, he defeated death and rose to life again. According to the New Testament , "God raised Him from the dead," he ascended to heaven , is "seated at the right hand of the Father" and will return again to fulfil the rest of Messianic prophecy , including the resurrection of the dead , the Last Judgment and final establishment of

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3190-587: Is in English Orthodoxy , while the Georgians use the title Martlmadidebeli . The term "Eastern Church" (the geographic east in the East–West Schism) has been used to distinguish it from western Christendom (the geographic West, which at first came to designate the Catholic communion, later also the various Protestant and Anglican branches). "Eastern" is used to indicate that the highest concentrations of

3335-512: Is in himself." This would lead to the conclusion that we come to a knowledge of the immanent Trinity through the study of God's work in the " Economy " of creation and salvation. The central statement of Catholic faith, the Nicene Creed , begins, "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all things visible and invisible." Thus, Catholics believe that God is not

3480-756: Is known as Sola scriptura . Catholics do not believe the Bible contains all revealed truths necessary for salvation. The Catholic Bible includes all books of the Jewish scriptures, the Tanakh , along with additional books. This bible is organised into two parts: the books of the Old Testament primarily sourced from the Tanakh (with some variations), and the 27 books of the New Testament containing books originally written primarily in Greek . The Catholic biblical canon include other books from

3625-504: Is monophysite and prefers the term " miaphysite ", to denote the "united" nature of Jesus (two natures united into one) consistent with Cyril's theology: "The term union ... signifies the concurrence in one reality of those things which are understood to be united" and "the Word who is ineffably united with it in a manner beyond all description" ( Cyril of Alexandria , On the Unity of Christ ). This

3770-608: Is not practiced by Protestants and Jehovah's Witnesses , as many adherents of both groups believe the practice amounts to idolatry. Common Lutherans and Anglicans have a positive attitude toward the veneration of saints and practice the naming of churches after saints, as well as keeping certain feasts. Hinduism has a long tradition of veneration of saints, expressed toward various gurus and teachers of sanctity, both living and dead. Branches of Buddhism include formal liturgical worship of saints, with Mahayana Buddhism classifying degrees of sainthood. In Islam, veneration of saints

3915-477: Is practiced by some of the adherents of traditional Islam ( Sufis , for example), and in many parts of places like Turkey, Egypt, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Other sects, such as Wahhabists etc., abhor the practice. In Judaism, there is no classical or formal recognition of saints, but there is a long history of reverence shown toward biblical heroes and martyrs. Jews in some regions, for example in Morocco, have

4060-516: Is practised by a vicariate of the Antiochian Orthodox church. In keeping with the church's teaching on universality and with the Nicene Creed, Eastern Orthodox authorities such as Raphael of Brooklyn have insisted that the full name of the church has always included the term " Catholic ", as in "Holy Orthodox Catholic Apostolic Church". The official name of the Eastern Orthodox Church

4205-481: Is recognised by them as primus inter pares ("first among equals"), a title formerly given to the patriarch of Rome. As one of the oldest surviving religious institutions in the world, the Eastern Orthodox Church has played an especially prominent role in the history and culture of Eastern and Southeastern Europe . Eastern Orthodox theology is based on the Scriptures and holy tradition , which incorporates

4350-586: Is seen as transcending time and uniting the participants with those already in the heavenly kingdom. Elements in the liturgy are meant to symbolize eternal realities; they go back to early Christian traditions which evolved from the Jewish-Christian traditions of the early church. The first part of the Liturgy, or "Liturgy of the Catechumens", has scripture readings and at times a homily. The second part derives from

4495-454: Is the "Orthodox Catholic Church". It is the name by which the church refers to itself and which is issued in its liturgical or canonical texts. Eastern Orthodox theologians refer to the church as Catholic. This name and longer variants containing "Catholic" are also recognised and referenced in other books and publications by secular or non-Eastern Orthodox writers. The catechism of Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow published in

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4640-401: Is the worship and homage that is rightly offered to God alone. It is the manifestation of submission, and acknowledgement of dependence, appropriately shown towards the excellence of an uncreated divine person and to his absolute Lordship. It is the worship of the creator that God alone deserves. Veneration, known as dulia in classical theology, is the honor and reverence appropriately due to

4785-590: Is traditionally used) was not synonymous with adoration, but could be used to introduce either adoration or veneration. Hence Catholic sources will sometimes use the term "worship" not to indicate adoration, but only the worship of veneration given to Mary and the saints. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church : The Christian veneration of images is not contrary to the first commandment which proscribes idols. Indeed, "the honor rendered to an image passes to its prototype", and "whoever venerates an image venerates

4930-605: Is useless, and your trust in God is useless". The death and resurrection of Jesus are the most important events in Christian Theology , as they form the point in scripture where Jesus gives his ultimate demonstration that he has power over life and death and thus the ability to give people eternal life . Generally, Christian churches accept and teach the New Testament account of the resurrection of Jesus. Some modern scholars use

5075-746: The Apostles travelled extensively throughout the Roman Empire , including Asia Minor, establishing churches in major communities , with the first churches appearing in Jerusalem and the Holy Land , then in Antioch , Ethiopia , Egypt , Rome , Alexandria , Athens , Thessalonica , Illyricum , and Byzantium , which centuries later would become prominent as the New Rome . Christianity encountered considerable resistance in

5220-538: The Catholic Church . In Hungarian, the church is still commonly called "Eastern Greek" ( Hungarian : Görögkeleti ). This identification with Greek, however, became increasingly confusing with time. Missionaries brought Eastern Orthodoxy to many regions without ethnic Greeks, where the Greek language was not spoken. In addition, struggles between Rome and Constantinople to control parts of Southeastern Europe resulted in

5365-686: The Christianisation of Bulgaria in 864, the disciples of Cyril and Methodius in Bulgaria , the most important being Clement of Ohrid and Naum of Preslav , were of great importance to the Orthodox faith in the First Bulgarian Empire . In a short time they managed to prepare and instruct the future Bulgarian clergy into the biblical texts and in AD 870 the Fourth Council of Constantinople granted

5510-611: The Christological controversies of the 4th and 5th centuries to become statements of faith. The Apostles Creed ( Symbolum Apostolorum ) was developed between the 2nd and 9th centuries. Its central doctrines are those of the Trinity and God the Creator. Each of the doctrines found in this creed can be traced to statements current in the apostolic period. The creed was apparently used as a summary of Christian doctrine for baptismal candidates in

5655-538: The Council of Chalcedon in 451, though not accepted by the Oriental Orthodox Churches, taught Christ "to be acknowledged in two natures, inconfusedly, unchangeably, indivisibly, inseparably": one divine and one human, and that both natures are perfect but are nevertheless perfectly united into one person . The Athanasian Creed says: "We worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity; neither confounding

5800-575: The Dalai Lama , as saints. Veneration towards those who were considered holy began in early Christianity , with the martyrs first being given special honor. Official commemoration of saints in churches began as early as the first century . The apostle Paul mentioned saints by name in his writings. Icons depicting saints were created in the catacombs. The Orthodox Church of Byzantium began official church commemoration very early and even in Rome, commemoration

5945-541: The Eastern Catholic Churches , these are often called the holy mysteries rather than the sacraments . Sunday is a holy day of obligation , and Catholics are required to attend Mass . At Mass, Catholics believe that they respond to Jesus' command at the Last Supper to "do this in remembrance of me." In 1570 at the Council of Trent , Pope Pius V codified a standard book for the celebration of Mass for

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6090-592: The Eastern Christians which recognise the seven ecumenical councils and usually are in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate , the Patriarchate of Alexandria , the Patriarchate of Antioch , and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem . The Eastern Orthodox churches "are defined positively by their adherence to the dogmatic definitions of the seven [ecumenical] councils, by the strong sense of not being

6235-533: The Holy Spirit through sacred scripture, developed in sacred tradition and entirely rooted in the original deposit of faith . This developed deposit of faith is protected by the "magisterium" or College of Bishops at ecumenical councils overseen by the pope, beginning with the Council of Jerusalem ( c.  AD 50 ). The most recent was the Second Vatican Council (1962 to 1965); twice in history

6380-724: The Kingdom of God . According to the gospels of Matthew and Luke , Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born from the Virgin Mary . Little of Jesus' childhood is recorded in the canonical gospels, although infancy gospels were popular in antiquity. In comparison, his adulthood, especially the week before his death, are well documented in the gospels contained within the New Testament. The biblical accounts of Jesus' ministry include: his baptism , healings , teaching, and "going about doing good". Jesus told his apostles that after his death and resurrection he would send them

6525-596: The Last Supper as celebrated by the early Christians. The belief is that by partaking of the Communion bread and wine, the Body and Blood of Christ , they together become the body of Christ on earth, the church. In the Latin Church, the annual calendar begins with Advent , a time of hope-filled preparation for both the celebration of Jesus' birth and his Second Coming at the end of time. Readings from " Ordinary Time " follow

6670-404: The Middle East , which are decreasing due to forced migration driven by increased religious persecution . Eastern Orthodox communities outside Western Asia , Asia Minor , Caucasia and Eastern Europe , including those in North America , Western Europe , and Australia , have been formed through diaspora , conversions , and missionary activity. The Eastern Orthodox Church is defined as

6815-437: The Mother of God " Theotokos " was the subject of three other dogmas : Protodulia is the special veneration given to Saint Joseph, the foster father of Jesus, within Josephology . This veneration of Saint Joseph is distinct from hyperdulia, which is reserved for Mary, and latria , the worship due to the God alone. While Saint Joseph is venerated for his role in the Holy Family , the title of protodulia signifies that among

6960-447: The Nicene Creed , and referred to in Orthodox worship, e.g. in the litany of the catechumens in the Divine Liturgy. With the mutual excommunications of the East–West Schism in 1054, the churches in Rome and Constantinople each viewed the other as having departed from the true church , leaving a smaller but still-catholic church in place. Each retained the "Catholic" part of its title, the " Roman Catholic Church" (or Catholic Church) on

7105-398: The Orthodox Church , is the second-largest Christian church , with approximately 230 million baptised members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via local synods . The church has no central doctrinal or governmental authority analogous to the pope of the Catholic Church . Nevertheless, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople

7250-458: The Protestant Reformation , the specific traditional practices which Salafism has tried to curtail in both Sunni and Shia contexts include those of the veneration of saints , visiting their graves , seeking their intercession , and honoring their relics . As Christopher Taylor has remarked: "[Throughout Islamic history] a vital dimension of Islamic piety was the veneration of Muslim saints…. [due, however to] certain strains of thought within

7395-448: The Quinisext Council "shar[es] the ecumenical authority of Constantinople III. "By an agreement that appears to be in place in the [Eastern] Orthodox world, possibly the council held in 879 to vindicate the Patriarch Photius will at some future date be recognized as the eighth [ecumenical] council" by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Western Rite Orthodoxy exists both outside and inside Eastern Orthodoxy . Within Eastern Orthodoxy, it

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7540-434: The Roman Catechism , a more lengthy statement on The Honour and Invocation of the Saints is available. The Roman Catholic tradition has a well established philosophy for the veneration of Mary in the Catholic Church via the field of Mariology with Pontifical schools such as the Marianum specifically devoted to this task. For the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, in addition to the dogma of her Divine Motherhood,

7685-417: The Roman Rite . Everything in this decree pertained to the priest celebrant and his action at the altar. The participation of the people was devotional rather than liturgical. The Mass text was in Latin , as this was the universal language of the church. This liturgy was called the Tridentine Mass and endured universally until the Second Vatican Council approved the Mass of Paul VI , also known as

7830-464: The Rosary , Stations of the Cross , and Eucharistic adoration , declaring they should all derive from the Eucharist and lead back to it. The church community consists of the ordained clergy (consisting of the episcopate , the priesthood , and the diaconate ), the laity , and those like monks and nuns living a consecrated life under their constitutions . According to the Catechism , Christ instituted seven sacraments and entrusted them to

7975-461: The Septuagint canon, which Catholics call deuterocanonical . Protestants consider these books apocryphal . Some versions of the Bible have a separate apocrypha section for the books not considered canonical by the publisher. Catholic theology distinguishes two senses of Scripture : the literal and the spiritual. The literal sense of understanding scripture is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis , following

8120-401: The Syriac Orthodox Church from the Byzantine Patriarchate of Antioch . Those who disagreed with the Council of Chalcedon are sometimes called " Oriental Orthodox " to distinguish them from the " Eastern Orthodox ", who accepted the Council of Chalcedon. Oriental Orthodox are also sometimes referred to as "non-Chalcedonians", or "anti-Chalcedonians". The Oriental Orthodox Church denies that it

8265-418: The Virgin of Guadalupe and Saint Jude Thaddaeu (Mexico), Holy Dexter (Hungary), Reliquary of the Three Kings (Germany), etc. In the Syriac Orthodox Church liturgical service, the Hail Mary is pronounced as a prefatory prayer after the Our Father , and before the priest's entrance to the chancel. The name of the Blessed Virgin Mary has also been probably used for the sanctification of altars , above

8410-524: The authority of the pope , between those churches. Before the Council of Ephesus in AD 431, the Church of the East also shared in this communion, as did the various Oriental Orthodox Churches before the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451, all separating primarily over differences in Christology . The Eastern Orthodox Church is the primary religious denomination in Russia , Ukraine , Romania , Greece , Belarus , Serbia , Bulgaria , Georgia , Moldova , North Macedonia , Cyprus , Montenegro , one of

8555-410: The devil . The sin of pride, considered one of seven deadly sins , is attributed to Satan for desiring to be God's equal. According to Genesis , a fallen angel tempted the first humans, Adam and Eve , who then sinned, bringing suffering and death into the world. The Catechism states: The account of the fall in Genesis 3 uses figurative language, but affirms a primeval event at the beginning of

8700-514: The divine liturgy , other liturgical texts, and the Gospels along with some other scriptural texts into local languages; with time, as these translations were copied by speakers of other dialects, the hybrid literary language Church Slavonic was created. Originally sent to convert the Slavs of Great Moravia , Cyril and Methodius were forced to compete with Frankish missionaries from the Roman diocese; their disciples were driven out of Great Moravia in AD 886 and emigrated to Bulgaria . After

8845-426: The grave of Schneerson include Jews of Orthodox, Reform and Conservative background, as well as non-Jews. Visitors typically recite prayers of psalms and bring with them petitions of prayers written on pieces of paper which are then torn and left on the grave. In Jainism, it recognizes the tirthankaras , which are beings who have achieved transcendence and liberation ( moksha ) and are, therefore, teachers who taught

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8990-401: The magisterium of the Catholic Church . This article serves as an introduction to various topics in Catholic theology, with links to where fuller coverage is found. Major teachings of the Catholic Church discussed in the early councils of the church are summarized in various creeds , especially the Nicene (Nicene-Constantinopolitan) Creed and the Apostles' Creed . Since the 16th century

9135-403: The pentarchy , and other autocephalous and autonomous churches, reflect a variety of hierarchical organisation . It recognises seven major sacraments , of which the Eucharist is the principal one, celebrated liturgically in synaxis . The church teaches that through consecration invoked by a priest , the sacrificial bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ. The Virgin Mary

9280-410: The " Nestorian " churches resulted from the reaction of the Council of Ephesus (431), which are the earliest surviving Eastern Christian churches that keep the faith of only the first two ecumenical councils, i.e., the First Council of Nicaea (325) and the First Council of Constantinople (381) as legitimate. "Nestorian" is an outsider's term for a tradition that predated the influence of Nestorius ,

9425-436: The "Advocate" ( Greek : Παράκλητος , romanized :  Paraclete ; Latin : Paracletus ), the " Holy Spirit ", who "will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you". In the Gospel of Luke , Jesus tells his disciples "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" The Nicene Creed states that

9570-410: The 19th century is titled: The Longer Catechism of the Orthodox, Catholic, Eastern Church ( Russian : Пространный христианский катехизис православныя, кафолическия восточныя Церкви ). From ancient times through the first millennium, Greek was the most prevalent shared language in the demographic regions where the Byzantine Empire flourished, and Greek, being the language in which the New Testament

9715-402: The 530s the Church of the Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sophia) was built in Constantinople under Emperor Justinian I . Beginning with subsequent Byzantine architecture , Hagia Sophia became the paradigmatic Orthodox church form and its architectural style was emulated by Ottoman mosques a thousand years later. Being the episcopal see of the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople , it remained

9860-456: The Bulgarians the oldest organised autocephalous Slavic Orthodox Church, which shortly thereafter became Patriarchate. The success of the conversion of the Bulgarians facilitated the conversion of the East Slavs . A major event in this effort was the development of the Cyrillic script in Bulgaria , at the Preslav Literary School in the ninth century; this script, along with the liturgical Old Church Slavonic , also called Old Bulgarian ,

10005-435: The Catholic Church. The first known use of the phrase "the catholic Church" ( he katholike ekklesia ) occurred in a letter written about AD 110 from one Greek church to another ( Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrnaeans ). The letter states: "Wheresoever the bishop shall appear, there let the people be, even as where Jesus may be, there is the universal [katholike] Church." Thus, almost from the beginning, Christians referred to

10150-426: The Catholic Church. These are Baptism , Confirmation (Chrismation) , the Eucharist , Penance , the Anointing of the Sick , Holy Orders and Matrimony . The Catholic Church teaches that "The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself." While man may turn away from God, God never stops calling man back to him. Because man

10295-425: The Christian Church as the "one, holy, catholic (from the Greek καθολική, 'according to the whole, universal' ) and apostolic Church". The Eastern Orthodox Church claims that it is today the continuation and preservation of that same early church. A number of other Christian churches also make a similar claim: the Roman Catholic Church , the Anglican Communion , the Assyrian Church , and the Oriental Orthodox . In

10440-428: The Christian Church is "universal", unseparated, and comprehensive, including all who share that faith. Orthodox bishop Kallistos Ware has called that "simple Christianity". That is the sense of early and patristic usage wherein the church usually refers to itself as the "Catholic Church", whose faith is the "Orthodox faith". It is also the sense within the phrase "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church", found in

10585-643: The Christmas Season, but are interrupted by the celebration of Easter in Spring, preceded by 40 days of Lenten preparation and followed by 50 days of Easter celebration. The Easter (or Paschal) Triduum splits the Easter vigil of the early church into three days of celebration, of Jesus the Lord's Supper , of Good Friday (Jesus' passion and death on the cross ), and of Jesus' resurrection . The season of Eastertide follows

10730-647: The Church of the West, the Catholic Church, and the Eastern Byzantine churches, now the Orthodox. There were doctrinal issues like the filioque clause and the authority of the Roman Pope involved in the split, but these were greatly exacerbated by political factors of both Church and state, and by cultural and linguistic differences between Latins and Greeks. Regarding papal supremacy , the Eastern half grew disillusioned with

10875-467: The Eastern Orthodox Church presence remain in the eastern part of the Christian world, although it is growing worldwide. Orthodox Christians throughout the world use various ethnic or national jurisdictional titles, or more inclusively, the title "Eastern Orthodox", "Orthodox Catholic", or simply "Orthodox". What unites Orthodox Christians is the catholic faith as carried through holy tradition . That faith

11020-623: The Eastern Orthodox position. They are the Synods of Constantinople, in 1484 , 1583, 1755 , 1819, and 1872 , the Synod of Iași in 1642, and the Pan-Orthodox Synod of Jerusalem in 1672 . Another council convened in June 2016 to discuss many modern phenomena, other Christian confessions, Eastern Orthodoxy's relation with other religions and fasting disciplines. Constantinople is generally considered to be

11165-667: The Eastern Orthodox view, the Assyrians and Orientals left the Orthodox Church in the years following the Third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus (431) and the Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon (451), respectively, in their refusal to accept those councils' Christological definitions. Similarly, the churches in Rome and Constantinople separated in an event known as the East–West Schism , traditionally dated to

11310-449: The Eastern and Western halves of the Church were in perpetual conflict, particularly during the periods of Eastern iconoclasm and the Photian schism . Catholic theology God Schools Relations with: Catholic theology is the understanding of Catholic doctrine or teachings, and results from the studies of theologians . It is based on canonical scripture , and sacred tradition , as interpreted authoritatively by

11455-515: The Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. There are additional Christian churches in the east that are in communion with neither the Catholic Church nor the Eastern Orthodox Church, who tend to be distinguished by the category named " Oriental Orthodox ". While the Eastern Orthodox Church continues officially to call itself "Catholic", for reasons of universality , the common title of "Eastern Orthodox Church" avoids casual confusion with

11600-546: The Eucharist is celebrated. Catholics regard the Eucharist as "the source and summit of the Christian life", and believe that the bread and wine brought to the altar are changed, or transubstantiated , through the power of the Holy Spirit into the true body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ. Since his sacrifice on the Cross and that of the Eucharist "are one single sacrifice ", the church does not purport to re-sacrifice Jesus in

11745-527: The Father. Through him all things were made." In a supernatural event called the Incarnation , Catholics believe God came down from heaven for our salvation, became man through the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of a virgin Jewish girl named Mary . They believe Jesus' mission on earth included giving people his word and example to follow, as recorded in the four Gospels . The church teaches that following

11890-484: The Holy Spirit is one with God the Father and God the Son (Jesus); thus, for Catholics, receiving the Holy Spirit is receiving God, the source of all that is good. Catholics formally ask for and receive the Holy Spirit through the sacrament of Confirmation (Chrismation) . Sometimes called the sacrament of Christian maturity, Confirmation is believed to bring an increase and deepening of the grace received at Baptism , to which it

12035-483: The Holy Spirit maintains the unity and consistency of holy tradition to preserve the integrity of the faith within the church, as given in the scriptural promises. Orthodoxy asserts that its shared beliefs, and its theology, exist within holy tradition and cannot be separated from it, and that their meaning is not expressed in mere words alone; that doctrine cannot be understood unless it is prayed; and that it must also be lived in order to be prayed, that without action,

12180-490: The Islamic tradition itself, particularly pronounced in the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries ... [some modern day] Muslims have either resisted acknowledging the existence of Muslim saints altogether or have viewed their presence and veneration as unacceptable deviations." While Orthodox and Organized Judaism don't countenance the veneration of saints per se, veneration and pilgrimage to burial sites of holy Jewish leaders

12325-573: The Jain path. Away from the evolution of the cosmos and the cosmic event , they do not intervene in any way in it; they serve only as examples to follow. The latter is manifested in the offering ceremonies ( devapuja ), which constitute more of a renunciation on the part of the believer than a surrender, since the tirthankaras are totally indifferent to the affairs of men and the Jains assume that they are indifferent to them. Eastern Orthodox Church This

12470-623: The Levant. A number of influential schools of thought had arisen, particularly the Alexandrian and Antiochian philosophical approaches. Other groups, such as the Arians , had also managed to gain influence. However, their positions caused theological conflicts within the church, thus prompting the Emperor Constantine to call for a great ecumenical synod in order to define the church's position against

12615-554: The Mass, but rather to re-present (i.e., make present) his sacrifice "in an unbloody manner". In the Eastern Catholic Churches , the term Divine Liturgy is used in place of Mass , and various Eastern rites are used in place of the Roman Rite. These rites have remained more constant than has the Roman Rite, going back to early Christian times . Eastern Catholic and Orthodox liturgies are generally quite similar. The liturgical action

12760-481: The Messiah, Jesus was anointed by God as ruler and savior of humanity, and hold that Jesus' coming was the fulfillment of messianic prophecies of the Old Testament . The Christian concept of the Messiah differs significantly from the contemporary Jewish concept . The core Christian belief is that, through the death and resurrection of Jesus , sinful humans can be reconciled to God and thereby are offered salvation and

12905-549: The Near East. In America, the only such example is the grave site of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson , at the Ohel , in the cemetery in Queens where he is buried alongside his father-in-law. During his lifetime, Schneerson himself would frequently visit the gravesite (Ohel) of his father-in-law, where he would read letters and written prayers, and then place them on the grave. Today, visitors to

13050-558: The New Order of the Mass (Latin: Novus Ordo Missae ), which may be celebrated either in the vernacular or in Latin. The Catholic Mass is separated into two parts. The first part is called Liturgy of the Word; readings from the Old and New Testaments are read prior to the gospel reading and the priest's homily . The second part is called Liturgy of the Eucharist, in which the actual sacrament of

13195-557: The Persons nor dividing the Substance." Christianity regards the Bible , a collection of canonical books in two parts (the Old Testament and the New Testament ), as authoritative. It is believed by Christians to have been written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit . Protestants believe the Bible contains all revealed truths necessary for salvation . This concept

13340-526: The Pope's centralisation of power, as well as his blatant attempts of excluding the Eastern half in regard to papal approvals. It had previously been the case that the emperor would have a say when a new Pope was elected, but towards the high Middle Ages, the Christians in Rome were slowly consolidating power and removing Byzantine influence. However, even before this exclusionary tendency from the West, well before 1054,

13485-540: The Roman Empire , mostly because its adherents refused to comply with the demands of the Roman state—often even when their lives were threatened—by offering sacrifices to the pagan gods. Despite persecution, skepticism, and initial social stigma, the Christian Church spread, particularly following the conversion of Emperor Constantine I in AD 312. By the fourth century , Christianity was present in numerous regions well beyond

13630-499: The Son. Regardless of this apparent difference in their origins, the three 'persons' are each eternal and omnipotent . This is thought by Trinitarian Christians to be the revelation regarding God's nature which Jesus Christ came to deliver to the world, and is the foundation of their belief system. According to a prominent Catholic theologian of the 20th century: "In God's self communication to his creation through grace and Incarnation, God really gives himself, and really appears as he

13775-515: The Triduum and climaxes on Pentecost , recalling the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Jesus' disciples in the upper room . The Trinity refers to the belief in one God, in three distinct persons or hypostases . These are referred to as ' the Father ' (the creator and source of all life), 'the Son ' (who refers to Jesus Christ ), and ' the Holy Spirit ' (the bond of love between Father and Son, present in

13920-476: The areas where they arose, before they grew significant enough to require an ecumenical council. There are seven councils authoritatively recognised as ecumenical by the Eastern Orthodox Church: There are also two other councils which are considered ecumenical by some Eastern Orthodox: In addition to these councils, there have been a number of other significant councils meant to further define

14065-753: The centre and the "cradle of Orthodox Christian civilisation ". From the mid-5th century to the early 13th century, Constantinople was the largest and wealthiest city in Europe. Eastern Christian culture reached its golden age during the high point of the Byzantine Empire and continued to flourish in Ukraine and Russia, after the fall of Constantinople . Numerous autocephalous churches were established in Europe: Greece, Georgia, Ukraine, as well as in Russia and Asia. In

14210-414: The church and of the church by God), especially in worship, yield the pair "correct belief" and "true worship". Together, these express the core of a fundamental teaching about the inseparability of belief and worship and their role in drawing the church together with Christ. All Slavic churches use the title Pravoslavie ( Cyrillic : Православие ), meaning "correctness of glorification", to denote what

14355-401: The church has produced catechisms which summarize its teachings; in 1992, the Catholic Church published the official Catechism of the Catholic Church . The Catholic Church understands the living tradition of the church to contain its doctrine on faith and morals and to be protected from error, at times through infallibly defined teaching. The church believes in revelation guided by

14500-410: The church teaches: "Man is by nature and vocation a religious being. Coming from God, going toward God, man lives a fully human life only if he freely lives by his bond with God". The church teaches God revealed himself gradually, beginning in the Old Testament , and completing this revelation by sending his son , Jesus Christ , to Earth as a man . This revelation started with Adam and Eve , and

14645-529: The church. They are vehicles through which God's grace flows into the person who receives them with the proper disposition. In order to obtain the proper disposition, people are encouraged, and in some cases required, to undergo sufficient preparation before being permitted to receive certain sacraments. And in receiving the sacraments, the Catechism advises: "To attribute the efficacy of prayers or of sacramental signs to their mere external performance, apart from

14790-534: The churches of Rome. The Nicene Creed , largely a response to Arianism , was formulated at the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople in 325 and 381 respectively, and ratified as the universal creed of Christendom by the Council of Ephesus in 431. It sets out the main principles of Catholic Christian belief. This creed is recited at Sunday Masses and is the core statement of belief in many other Christian churches as well. The Chalcedonian Creed , developed at

14935-519: The continuation of the true church. In the ninth and tenth centuries, Christianity made great inroads into pagan Europe, including Bulgaria (864) and later Kievan Rus' (988). This work was made possible by Cyril and Methodius of Thessaloniki , two brothers chosen by Byzantine emperor Michael III to fulfil the request of Rastislav of Moravia for teachers who could minister to the Moravians in their own language. Cyril and Methodius began translating

15080-451: The conversion of some churches to the Catholic Church, which then also used "Greek Catholic" to indicate their continued use of the Byzantine rites. Today, only a minority of Eastern Orthodox adherents use Greek as the language of worship. "Eastern", then, indicates the geographical element in the church's origin and development, while "Orthodox" indicates the faith, as well as communion with

15225-490: The dogmatic decrees of the seven ecumenical councils , and the teaching of the Church Fathers . The church teaches that it is the one, holy, catholic and apostolic church established by Jesus Christ in his Great Commission , and that its bishops are the successors of Christ's apostles . It maintains that it practises the original Christian faith, as passed down by holy tradition. Its patriarchates , descending from

15370-495: The eighth-century as a group of "special people chosen by God and endowed with exceptional gifts, such as the ability to work miracles." The classical Sunni scholars came to recognize and honor these individuals as venerable people who were both "loved by God and developed a close relationship of love to Him." The vast majority of saints venerated in the classical Sunni world were the Sufis , who were all Sunni mystics who belonged to one of

15515-523: The essential doctrines of the Christian faith, and are commemorated by Christians during Good Friday and Easter , as well as on each Sunday and in each celebration of the Eucharist, the Paschal feast . Arguments over death and resurrection claims occur at many religious debates and interfaith dialogues. As Paul the Apostle , an early Christian convert, wrote, "If Christ was not raised, then all our preaching

15660-552: The example of Jesus helps believers to grow more like him, and therefore to true love, freedom, and the fullness of life. The focus of a Christian's life is a firm belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the " Messiah " or " Christ ". The title "Messiah" comes from the Hebrew word מָשִׁיחַ ( māšiáħ ) meaning anointed one . The Greek translation Χριστός ( Christos ) is the source of the English word " Christ ". Christians believe that, as

15805-399: The excellence of a created person. Excellence exhibited by created beings likewise deserves recognition and honor. Historically, schools of theology have used the term "worship" as a general term which included both adoration and veneration. They would distinguish between "worship of adoration" and "worship of veneration". The word "worship" (in a similar way to how the liturgical term "cult"

15950-465: The expansion, leaving some areas of doubt about what is proper church governance. Moreover, as in the ancient church persecutions, the aftermath of persecutions of Christians in communist nations has complicated some issues of governance that have yet to be completely resolved. All members of the Eastern Orthodox Church profess the same faith, regardless of race or nationality, jurisdiction or local custom, or century of birth. Holy tradition encompasses

16095-562: The findings of the Council of Chalcedon were the majority in Egypt. Today they are known as the Coptic Orthodox Church , having maintained a separate patriarchate. The Coptic Orthodox Church is currently the largest Christian church in Egypt and in the whole Middle East. There was also a similar, albeit smaller scale, split in Syria ( Patriarchate of Antioch ), which resulted in the separation of

16240-458: The four orthodox legal schools of Sunni law . Veneration of saints eventually became one of the most widespread Sunni practices for more than a millennium, before it was opposed in the twentieth century by the Salafi movement , whose various streams regard it as "being both un-Islamic and backwards ... rather than the integral part of Islam which they were for over a millennium." In a manner similar to

16385-413: The fourth century onwards led to the calling of ecumenical councils . In the Orthodox Church, an ecumenical council is the supreme authority that can be invoked to resolve contested issues of the faith. As such, these councils have been held to resolve the most important theological matters that came to be disputed within the Christian Church. Many lesser disagreements were resolved through local councils in

16530-526: The graves of St. Stephen , St. Felix of Nola , St. Gervasius , and many others, in post-Biblical times. Such miraculous events are seen as divine favor for the veneration of relics. Hinduism has a longstanding and living tradition of reverence toward sants (saints) and mahatmas (ascended masters) , with the line often blurring between humanity and divinity in the cases of godmen and godwomen . The Bhakti movements popularized devotion to saintly figures such as sadhus , babas , and gurus as models showing

16675-594: The growing, often widely diverging, philosophical and theological interpretations of Christianity. He made it possible for this council to meet not only by providing a location, but by offering to pay for the transportation of all the existing bishops of the church. Most modern Christian churches regard this synod, commonly called the First Council of Nicaea or more generally the First Ecumenical Council , as of major importance. Several doctrinal disputes from

16820-549: The hearts of humankind). Together, these three persons form a single Godhead . The word trias , from which trinity is derived, is first seen in the works of Theophilus of Antioch . He wrote of "the Trinity of God (the Father), His Word (the Son) and His Wisdom (Holy Spirit)". The term may have been in use before this time. Afterwards it appears in Tertullian . In the following century

16965-500: The history of man. Original sin does not have the character of a personal fault in any of Adam's descendants. It is a deprivation of original holiness and justice, but human nature has not been totally corrupted: it is wounded in the natural powers proper to it, subject to ignorance, suffering and the dominion of death, and inclined to sin—an inclination to evil that is called concupiscence. Christians classify certain behaviors and acts to be "sinful," which means that these certain acts are

17110-567: The interior dispositions that they demand, is to fall into superstition." Participation in the sacraments, offered to them through the church, is a way Catholics obtain grace , forgiveness of sins and formally ask for the Holy Spirit . These sacraments are: Baptism , Confirmation (Chrismation) , the Eucharist , Penance and Reconciliation , the Anointing of the Sick , Holy Orders , and Matrimony . In

17255-455: The issues go as deep as the schisms. The depth of this meaning in the Eastern Orthodox Church is registered first in its use of the word " Orthodox " itself, a union of Greek orthos ("straight", "correct", "true", "right") and doxa ("common belief", from the ancient verb δοκέω-δοκῶ which is translated "to believe", "to think", "to consider", "to imagine", "to assume"). The dual meanings of doxa , with "glory" or "glorification" (of God by

17400-579: The main religious sects in Albania , Bosnia and Herzegovina , Kosovo , Lebanon , a significant sect in Syria , Iraq and other countries in the Middle East . Roughly half of Eastern Orthodox Christians live in the post Eastern Bloc countries, mostly in Russia. The communities in the former Byzantine regions of North Africa , the Eastern Mediterranean are among the oldest Orthodox communities from

17545-455: The more prominent dictionary sense given for general use is still the one shared by other languages, implying breadth and universality, reflecting comprehensive scope. In a Christian context, the Christian Church, as identified with the original church founded by Christ and his apostles, is said to be catholic (or universal) in regard to its union with Christ in faith. Just as Christ is indivisible, so are union with him and faith in him, whereby

17690-482: The name of all other saints. In the Eastern Orthodox Church , veneration of the saints is important element of worship. Most services are closed with the words “Most holy Theotokos, save us!" and would use Troparions and Kontakions to venerate the saint of the day. This practice of venerating saints both through praise and by means of their icons is defended in St John Damascene 's book On Holy Images , and

17835-455: The one hand, and the " Orthodox Catholic Church" on the other, each of which was defined in terms of inter-communion with either Rome or Constantinople. While the Eastern Orthodox Church recognises what it shares in common with other churches, including the Catholic Church, it sees catholicity in terms of complete union in communion and faith, with the Church throughout all time, and the sharing remains incomplete when not shared fully. Paul and

17980-586: The origin of which might lie in certain sections of the School of Antioch or via Nestorius' teachers Theodore of Mopsuestia or Diodore of Tarsus . The modern incarnation of the " Nestorian Church " is commonly referred to as "the Assyrian Church" or fully as the Assyrian Church of the East . The church in Egypt ( Patriarchate of Alexandria ) split into two groups following the Council of Chalcedon (451), over

18125-528: The people's native language rather than Greek , the predominant language of the Byzantine Empire, or Latin , as the Roman priests did. Perhaps the greatest legacy of their efforts is the Russian Orthodox Church, which is the largest of the Orthodox churches. In the 11th century, what was recognised as the Great Schism took place between Rome and Constantinople , which led to separation between

18270-400: The person portrayed in it". The honor paid to sacred images is a "respectful veneration", not the adoration due to God alone: Religious worship is not directed to images in themselves, considered as mere things, but under their distinctive aspect as images leading us on to God incarnate. The movement toward the image does not terminate in it as image, but tends toward that whose image it is. In

18415-401: The pope defined a dogma after consultation with all the bishops without calling a council. Formal Catholic worship is ordered by means of the liturgy , which is regulated by church authority. The celebration of the Eucharist , one of seven Catholic sacraments , is the center of Catholic worship. The church exercises control over additional forms of personal prayer and devotion including

18560-460: The prayer is idle, empty, and in vain, and therefore the theology of demons. The Eastern Orthodox Church considers itself to be both orthodox and catholic. The doctrine of the Catholicity of the Church , as derived from the Nicene Creed , is essential to Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology . The term Catholicity of the Church ( Greek Καθολικότης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ) is used in its original sense, as

18705-500: The promise of eternal life in heaven. Catholics believe in the resurrection of Jesus. According to the New Testament , Jesus , the central figure of Christianity, was crucified , died, buried within a tomb, and resurrected three days later. The New Testament mentions several resurrection appearances of Jesus on different occasions to his twelve apostles and disciples, including "more than five hundred brethren at once", before Jesus' Ascension . Jesus's death and resurrection are

18850-423: The rules of sound interpretation. The spiritual sense has three subdivisions: the allegorical, moral, and anagogical (meaning mystical or spiritual) senses. Catholic theology adds other rules of interpretation which include: There are seven sacraments of the church, of which the source and summit is the Eucharist . According to the Catechism , the sacraments were instituted by Christ and entrusted to

18995-501: The saints, he holds a unique and preeminent place, second only to Mary. The Church regards him as a powerful intercessor and protector of the Church, and his virtues—obedience, humility, and care for Jesus and Mary—are celebrated. The theological grounding for protodulia is rooted in several papal documents and the long-standing tradition of the Church: In the Catholic Church, there are many different forms of veneration of saints, such as

19140-483: The sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them.' (Acts 19:11, 12, NIV ). The deuterocanonical Book of Sirach also briefly discusses venerating the memory of patriarchs and prophets: "Let us now praise men of renown, and our fathers in their generation" (44:1). "And their names continue for ever, the glory of the holy men remaining unto their children" (44:15) St. Augustine , St. Ambrose , and others, give accounts of miracles that occurred at

19285-417: The understandings and means by which that unity of faith is transmitted across boundaries of time, geography, and culture. It is a continuity that exists only inasmuch as it lives within Christians themselves. It is not static, nor an observation of rules, but rather a sharing of observations that spring both from within and also in keeping with others, even others who lived lives long past. The church proclaims

19430-411: The veneration given to angels, saints, relics and icons. Catholic and Eastern Orthodox theologies also include the terms hyperdulia and protodulia for the types of veneration, the former specifically paid to Mary , while the latter to Saint Joseph and John the Baptist . The Catholic theologian Thomas Aquinas specifies that hyperdulia is the same type of veneration as dulia , only given in

19575-509: The veneration of saints in a manner similar to Catholicism. In terms of venerating relics of saints, two verses are frequently mentioned: 'Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.' (2 Kings 13:21, NIV ). 'God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to

19720-420: The way to liberation. Islam has had a rich history of veneration of saints (often called wali , which literally means "Friend [of God]"), which has declined in some parts of the Islamic world in the twentieth century due to the influence of the various streams of Salafism . In Sunni Islam , the veneration of saints became a very common form of religious celebration early on, and saints came to be defined in

19865-498: The word was in general use. It is found in many passages of Origen . According to this doctrine, God is not divided in the sense that each person has a third of the whole; rather, each person is considered to be fully God (see Perichoresis ). The distinction lies in their relations, the Father being unbegotten; the Son being eternal yet begotten of the Father; and the Holy Spirit 'proceeding' from Father and ( in Western theology ) from

20010-425: The world's largest cathedral for nearly a thousand years, until Seville Cathedral was completed in 1520. Hagia Sophia has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world ", and architectural and cultural icon of Byzantine and Eastern Orthodox civilisation , and it is considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture and is said to have "changed the history of architecture". There are

20155-513: The worship of God. In his Institutes of the Christian Religion , John Calvin writes that "(t)he distinction of what is called dulia and latria was invented for the very purpose of permitting divine honours to be paid to angels and dead men with apparent impunity". Veneration is, therefore, considered a type of blasphemy by Luther and some Protestants. However, some Protestant streams, particularly Anglicanism and Lutheranism , allow

20300-493: The year 1054, although it was more a gradual process than a sudden break. To all these churches, the claim to catholicity (universality, oneness with the ancient Church) is important for multiple doctrinal reasons that have more bearing internally in each church than in their relation to the others, now separated in faith. The meaning of holding to a faith that is true is the primary reason why anyone's statement of which church split off from which other has any significance at all;

20445-405: Was cojoined in the early church. Spiritual graces or gifts of the Holy Spirit can include wisdom to see and follow God's plan, right judgment, love for others, boldness in witnessing the faith, and rejoicing in the presence of God. The corresponding fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. To be validly confirmed,

20590-491: Was declared official in Bulgaria in 893. The work of Cyril and Methodius and their disciples had a major impact on the Serbs as well. They accepted Christianity collectively along familial and tribal lines, a gradual process that occurred between the seventh and ninth centuries. In commemoration of their baptisms, each Serbian family or tribe began to celebrate an exclusively Serbian custom called Slava (patron saint) in

20735-621: Was not broken off by their original sin . Rather, God promised to send a redeemer. God further revealed himself through covenants between Noah and Abraham . God delivered the law to Moses on Mount Sinai , and spoke through the Old Testament prophets . The fullness of God's revelation was made manifest through the coming of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Creeds (from Latin credo meaning "I believe") are concise doctrinal statements or confessions, usually of religious beliefs. They began as baptismal formulas and were later expanded during

20880-489: Was the subject of the Second Council of Nicaea . In Protestant churches, veneration is sometimes considered to amount to the sin of idolatry , and the related practice of canonization amounts to the heresy of apotheosis . Protestant theology usually denies that any real distinction between veneration and worship can be made, and claims that the practice of veneration distracts the Christian soul from its true object,

21025-524: Was written, was the primary liturgical language of the church. For this reason, the eastern churches were sometimes identified as "Greek" (in contrast to the "Roman" or "Latin" church , which used a Latin translation of the Bible), even before the Great Schism of 1054. After 1054, "Greek Orthodox" or "Greek Catholic" marked a church as being in communion with Constantinople, much as "Catholic" did for communion with

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