Catholicism is the largest and most influential branch of Christianity. The number of its adherents exceeds 1.2 billion people. The history of the Catholic Church began with the Great Schism, when Christianity was divided into two branches. It is read that its founder and head is Jesus Christ, while the visible leader is the Pope. He heads the Holy See in the Vatican. Today Catholicism is spread all over the world, even in Russia there are hundreds of thousands of believers. But we know little about this religion, considering it a historical opponent of Orthodoxy traditional for us. That is why there are many myths about the Catholic Church, which we will try to debunk.
The church forbids reading the Bible. The first Christian Bible was just created by the Catholic Church. The material for this book was collected by scientists in the 2nd and 3rd centuries, then it was approved by the Supreme Catholic Councils of Hippo and Carthage. And the very first printed Bible was created by the Catholic Church, represented by the Catholic inventor Gutenberg. The first Bible with chapters and numbered verses was created by Stephen Langton, Archbishop of Canterbury. And during each Mass, the priest reads aloud excerpts from the Bible. Usually these are quotations from the main part of the text and two parts from the Gospel. In the modern Catholic mass, two parts from the common Bible and only one from the Gospel are read. Today, the holy book is in every home of believers; it is studied in Catholic schools. And this myth itself appeared because Bibles were often locked in churches. But they did this not to forbid people from reading the book, but to protect it from theft. Usually we are talking about old handwritten Bibles, very rare and therefore valuable. People believe that the Bible is banned because of its inclusion in the Index of Banned Books. However, in this case we are talking about Protestant versions, markedly edited or poorly translated. The most famous such edition is the King James Bible; Catholics have already abandoned its use.
Lay Catholics are not allowed to read the Bible on their own. Once such a ban really was, but it was formal. At first, there was a ban on reading the Bible in vernacular languages. The translations had to be approved by the church. The same Cyril and Methodius for their work with the Slavic language previously received permission. But this made it possible to avoid errors and heresy. There were few who could read the Bible in Latin, and many did not always know their native language. In the church, the priest told and interpreted episodes from the book, which were then retold to relatives and children. So the flock, without even reading the Bible, generally knew it. And the ban made it possible to avoid heresy due to the ignorance of ordinary people. Now, not only is there no ban, but the priests also urge you to read as often as possible and think about the texts. But in fairness it should be noted that Catholics are far from Protestants in terms of reading the Bible.
Catholics practice idolatry. There is an opinion that the fact of worshiping the Virgin Mary means nothing more than idolatry. In fact, there are three types of denominations in Catholic theology. Latria provides for the worship of one God, a departure from this norm is considered a mortal sin. Hyperdulia is the veneration of the Virgin Mary, but it is veneration, not idolatry. A special type of religion is the worship of angels and saints. This division was approved by the Second Council of Nicaea as early as 787 AD. This council was specially assembled in order to condemn those who considered it idolatry to treat icons and statuettes of saints. If a Catholic kneels in front of a statue during prayer, then he does not pray and does not worship it, but a Protestant with a Bible in his hands, kneeling, worships. Those images of saints that Catholics have simply remind of the holiness of this character.
Catholics are not true Christians. It was the Catholics who were the first Christians. A study of early Christian texts reveals that the doctrines and teachings are exactly the same as what the Catholic Church preaches today. We are talking about bishops, virgin nuns, confession, priests, baptism, the Bishop of Rome as the head of the whole religion. The sayings of the early church fathers, who were apostles, are very reminiscent of the modern doctrines of Catholicism. Most historians admit that it was the Catholic Church that was the first Christian, it is not difficult to prove this with the help of ancient texts.
The Pope is completely infallible. According to Catholics, their head can be sinless only under certain conditions. He must make his statements according to the canons of faith and morality, his decrees must concern the whole church and unite it, and he must speak not personally for himself, but on behalf of the entire Papacy. Therefore, the Pope's talk about science issues admits his mistakes. But in matters of religion, subject to the above points, he speaks on behalf of God. That is why Catholics must believe the Pope. At the end of his infallible statement is the phrase "let there be anathema."
The Catholic Church is against science and does not believe in evolution. It should be borne in mind that many major scientific discoveries appeared due to education in the Catholic world. For example, the Belgian priest Georges Lemaitre was the person who first put forward the Big Bang Theory. When she reached Einstein, he rejected it, declaring the correctness of mathematics, but at the same time disgusting physics. Ultimately, the master accepted the theory of the priest. And the Catholic Church does not reject the theory of evolution, as do many American Protestant or Evangelical churches. Since the emergence of this theory, the Catholic Church has not officially spoken out on this issue. For the first time, any public statement on this topic was made by Pope Pius XII. He said that the church does not forbid the teaching of evolution. It explores how human bodies were created, and faith says that souls were created by God. In 2004, a special theological commission made statements about the logic of the Big Bang theory and the theory of evolution. There are only discrepancies in the rates and mechanisms of development of life on the planet. Currently, Catholic schools around the world, including in the States, teach precisely the scientific approach to the emergence of life, this is an integral part of the curriculum.
With the help of indulgence, you can pay off sins with money. First you need to understand what in general is indulgence. The Catholic Church teaches believers that they receive two types of punishment for sins. The eternal, provides for hell after death, and the temporal is punishment during life or in purgatory after death. To avoid hell, a person needs to repent, then he will be forgiven. But temporary punishment will not disappear anywhere. An indulgence is such a special blessing that allows you to cancel a temporary punishment. To do this, you need to do some good deeds or read certain prayers. In the Middle Ages, cunning bishops really sold fake indulgences for money, directing funds to the needs of the church. Official Rome struggled with such abuses for a long time, it took almost three hundred years to eradicate such a business. And real indulgences existed from the very beginning, the church still issues them today. But it has nothing to do with making money.
The Catholic Church was founded by Emperor Constantine in 325. In 313, this emperor announced the tolerant attitude of the authorities towards Christianity. This was secured by the Edict of Milan, which meant the abolition of fines for this religion. And at the age of 40, Constantine himself was baptized, and then convened the First Council of Nicaea. Because of the importance of this event, it is believed that the emperor created the church. But before this meeting there were others, however, not so large-scale and famous. And the structure of the church has already been formed. At that council, Constantine was a mere observer, and the decisions were made by the bishops and representatives of the Pope. Prior to the Council of Nicaea, celibacy among priests, infant baptism was already the norm, and the structure of bishops and priests had existed for 300 years.
Catholic priests are not allowed to marry. Before debunking the myth of the existence of celibacy, it is worth understanding the very nature of Catholicism. There are two church sections under the jurisdiction of the Pope - the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Catholic. All of them follow the general canons. The differences lie in the style of worship and external rules. So, in the Eastern Church, priests are allowed to marry, but in this status he will no longer be able to become Pope. It happens that pastors convert to Catholicism from other religions already married, for example, from the Anglican Church. They keep their rank, so married priests are not uncommon in the Roman Catholic Church.
The church added several books to the Bible. The Catholic version of the Old Testament has 7 more books than the Protestant one. This difference gave rise to the myth that Rome added some information to the Bible. In fact, these books were considered official in Christianity even before the advent of Protestantism. And already Martin Luther removed the unnecessary parts of the Bible in his opinion. Some of them confirm those doctrines which the reformer abandoned. The Catholic Church uses the "Greek edition" used by the apostles in their sermons. But Luther chose the Jewish Masoretic canon, dating from 700-1000 AD. The Protestants rejected the Book of Judith, the two books of Maccabees, the Book of the Wisdom of Jesus, the Book of Tobit, the Book of the Prophet Baruch and the son of Sirach. But Luther preserved the Catholic New Testament in its entirety. Interestingly, the holiday of Hanukkah, often mentioned in the Maccabean books, did not make it into the Jewish or Protestant New Testament.
The papacy was invented already in the Middle Ages. The Pope was the Bishop of Rome, from the very beginning Christians considered him the head of the church. This is evidenced by ancient documents, and the Bible itself. The Gospel says that the first Bishop of the Roman Church was Peter himself, who remained in this post until his death in 64. Saint Irenaeus of Lyon became the second Pope. Then Cletus was in this post, the fourth was Clement, who created a diocese against heresy. And Papa Lin made a rule that women should cover their heads in church. It is still in effect.
The Catholic Church introduced many new dogmas. The dogmas were not invented at all, but derived according to the law of the corresponding development. The Church used to believe in some postulates, they just weren't dogmas. And new dogmas do not appear out of nowhere, but on the basis of Holy Scripture. It took time to explain and clarify them, so that the believers had clarity in their heads. At one time, the dogma of the Trinity was considered new; it was derived on the basis of Christian teaching. The Church already believed in this, but over time it fixed this postulate. In Catholicism, until the information is fully verified, dogmas will not be introduced.
The Virgin Mary in Catholicism is revered more than God. If you study Chin Mass, then everything becomes clear. The Virgin Mary is mentioned there in passing, but the name of Christ is constantly heard. Catholics love the Mother of God very much, as children love their mother, seeing in her an intercessor and comforter. The Catholic Church will never honor Mary the way Jesus honored her, the way God the Father rewarded her by making her the mother of his son, and the way the Holy Spirit chose her to conceive.
Catholics pray to the living Pope. The Pope is the visible head of the church, he is obeyed and respected. And prayers to the Pope of Rome are offered not to the living one, but to one of the dead and recognized as saints or blessed.
Catholics believe that the Mother of God was conceived similarly to Christ. Indeed, there is a dogma about the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, in this case, it does not mean that the case was without a man. The Mother of God was not touched by original sin, which is why conception can be considered immaculate. She did not have the sinful nature of an ordinary person, she received the same nature that she had before the fall. And the personal righteousness of the Virgin Mary is the result of her free choice. For the sake of the future sacrifice of Christ, God gave her mercy and did not touch her with original sin, so that Mary would become the abode for the Divine Infant.
Catholics have changed the Creed. At one time, the Filioque problem arose, about changing the creed. But it is rather not theological, but philological, based on different translations. Catholics do not consider the Son to be a separate source of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Trinity is a kind of flower. The Father is the root, everything grows on it. The stem is a son, he is a kind of intermediary between people and his father. The Holy Spirit is a flower that comes from both the Father and the Son, from the root through the stem. So the Filioque did not change the creed, but simply clarified it.
Catholics do not have to confess before Communion. The church does not allow a single person to take communion without confession, because he may have a mortal sin in his soul. But if this is not the case, then confession before each Communion is not required. The fact is that everyday sins that maintain a connection with God can be forgiven during the general confession and the same Communion. The Orthodox Church practices this in the same way.
Catholics do not fast before Communion. Catholics have a Eucharistic fast before communion, which is an hour before communion. But it is recommended to fast an hour before mass. This is done so that people can take communion more often. Once upon a time, mass was served only early in the morning, and the fast was either in the morning, or from midnight. Then the mass was allowed to be served in the evening, and such a long refusal of food lost its meaning. The fast was reduced first to three hours, and then to an hour. Yes, and food in the stomach cannot desecrate the Communion, besides, for the first time it happened at all during a hearty dinner. Fasting is a disciplinary measure that can be easily changed. The church believes that people should take communion as often as possible, this is not a reward for spirituality, but medicine.
Catholics do not give communion to small children. Here it is worth making clarifications. In the Latin Rite, Catholics do not allow children under the age of discernment to participate in the rite. The child must be able to distinguish ordinary bread from Eucharistic bread, understand the difference between good and evil, be able to confess. Someone already meets these standards at the age of 5, and someone at 16 is not ready to approach the sacrament responsibly. It is believed that before the first confession, children should spend a year or two in Sunday school. The child needs to know the basic creeds, the essence of the sacraments and the basic prayers. But in the Byzantine rite, babies receive communion from the very moment of baptism and chrismation. It is logical that Communion still takes place at a conscious age. But another practice also has the right to life: surrounded by loved ones, although children do not understand everything, they feel that this is important and good. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Catholics use only unleavened bread. This statement is true only for the Latin Rite. There, unleavened bread is a tribute to the Jewish tradition of using unleavened bread on Passover. During the Last Supper, Christ performed the same ancient Jewish rites, but with different words, giving them a new meaning. By the Jewish Passover, all leavened bread was destroyed, so the choice of unleavened bread is not accidental. And in Eastern traditions they use yeast bread, which is a symbol of the resurrection of Christ. It's beautiful, but the tradition is different. In fact, these are all details - during the war, priests served masses and liturgies with sawdust bread, while Armenians use undiluted wine. The essence of the Eucharist is not at all what kind of wine or bread is used.
Catholics sit for the entire service. This myth can be debunked if you attend a divine service at least once. The benches here are not for beauty, but they are not used for the entire service. The procession of priests meets standing, the faithful sit down while reading passages of the Old Testament. But when reading the Gospel, everyone stands. People also celebrate the Eucharistic Liturgy on their feet, kneeling at the most important moments. After Communion, it is also recommended to pray on your knees. In total, it is possible to sit a maximum of a third of the time. But you can listen to the Liturgy of the Hours while sitting, but even there it is recommended to get up during prayers and hymns. The benches are there so that people can listen better. On major holidays, not everyone manages to sit down; on Easter, they even stand in the central aisle. But this does not bother anyone - they do not come here for gatherings.
Catholic services are conducted in Latin. In the Western Rites of the Catholic Church, Latin is indeed the primary language. But if necessary, it is allowed to serve in national languages. In reality, it is they who sound most often, people simply do not understand Latin anymore. At the request of the priest, only some selected main masses are celebrated in this language. Armenian Catholics use Old Armenian, Greek Catholics use Church Slavonic, Ukrainian, Russian, and so on, depending on the country. Yes, and other ceremonies are served in their native language. The church wants the service to be understandable to uneducated parishioners, so this step was taken.
During Mass, Catholics play musical instruments. This is not always the case. If there are no musicians, then the service will still take place. And there are quiet masses, where extraneous sounds, in principle, are not provided. And this has its own charm.
Catholic sacraments are invalid. Catholics and Orthodox mutually recognize all seven sacraments. The point is not that the sacraments are invalid, but that there is no Eucharistic communion, that is, the joint conduct of the liturgy by the priests.
Catholics have a different calendar. Many Catholics live by the Gregorian calendar, but there are also those who choose the Julian. And we are talking not only about Catholics of the Eastern rite in the CIS countries, but also about some believers in the Latin rite. So, in the Holy Land, it was decided to switch to the Julian calendar, so that there would be unity with the Orthodox living there. But how much of a fundamental question is this, is the truth hidden in which calendar is used?
For Catholics, Christmas is more important than Easter. No Christian church can say that. If there were no Good Friday and Easter, then Christmas would lose its meaning. Christmas is a beloved and expected holiday, but Easter is the real pinnacle of the Liturgical year. Preparing for it is the most important thing of the year. And the myth could have appeared due to the fact that in the West before Christmas people are seized by a real hysteria regarding gifts. This holiday is a favorite family holiday even among atheists. People no longer really remember what they are celebrating. But these are the problems of a society that has adopted the church holiday. And in Catholicism, the importance and primacy of Easter is not in doubt.
Catholics don't have posts. If in the Orthodox tradition it is customary to fast on Wednesday, Friday and there are four more multi-day fasts, then Catholics with the Latin rite do not have a couple of summer fasts at all. There is a pre-Easter Great Lent and a pre-Christmas Advent, which can hardly be called a fast. Rather, it is a cursed period. But until recently, fasting among Catholics was very severe, the church simply realized that such a practice is harmful both to the physical and spiritual health of people. Abstinence led to gluttony, which is generally sinful and dangerous to health. Is this what God wants? Currently, strict fasting exists for all believers aged 18-60. This is Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Lent and Good Friday. Some Catholics, out of old memory, observe other days, but this is already a personal initiative. The Church usually sets a mandatory minimum for believers - two days must be spent in strict fasting without meat, with prayers in the mornings and evenings, mass on Sunday, confession and communion once a year at Easter time. But Catholics of the Byzantine rite, Greek Catholics or Uniates, fast, like the Orthodox. The Church has allowed traditions to be preserved.
Gays are ordained and married in the Catholic Church. The Church forbids same-sex marriages, condemning such relationships themselves. By itself, a homosexual will not be excommunicated, but he must live in chastity. If he does not give in to his desires, then this is not a sin in itself. An open homosexual cannot be ordained as a priest, he is considered unhealthy and cannot serve in the church. Distinguish between orientation and behavior. Homosexuality can be occasional and transient, which is noted at the age of formation of sexual identity. You can go through it. The other extreme is ingrained and habitual behavior. Orientation itself requires caution in choosing the path, but it is not a barrier to faith. The church does not turn away from its parishioners, trying to help them in the fight against sin, especially teenagers who are going through this test. But the Catholic Church will not encourage sin either.
Catholics are allowed to have both Orthodox and other Christians as godparents. This is not true, only Catholics can be godparents. Other believers may be admitted to the ceremony as witnesses.
Catholics even baptize animals. This does not exist in nature. And the myth itself appeared thanks to the tradition existing in some countries to bring pets to the temple on the day of St. Francis of Assisi for blessing. The fact is that this Catholic saint was very fond of animals. At the request of this patron, the creatures are sprinkled with water, blessing. But this step is akin to sprinkling a home or vehicle.
A person must adopt the appropriate faith if he wants to marry a Catholic. This is not at all necessary. The bishop can issue a permit for a mixed marriage, and after 2-3 months of preparation for the sacrament of marriage, a wedding can be performed. When filling out the marriage protocol, it turns out if there are any obstacles to marriage. The Catholic side undertakes to preserve the faith and do everything possible so that posterity is baptized and brought up in it. The other side makes a promise that the spouse will not be hindered in his faith, and also what is known about the promise to raise children in the Catholic faith.
The Catholic Church forbids contraception. The Church prohibits the use of artificial contraceptives and reproductive technologies. The marital act is considered sacred, and nothing should violate its integrity and focus on the birth of children. However, it is allowed to plan your family by studying your body and the laws of the reproductive system. In many parishes, young people are taught this before the wedding. Such methods require discipline, but their exact observance allows you to achieve the desired result.
Catholics are not allowed to divorce. But this statement is not a myth. There is no such thing as divorce in the Catholic Church. It will not work to get married a second time, but if you live with someone else without a wedding, then this sin can lead to excommunication from Communion. It happens that spouses, for some serious reason, cannot continue their life together. It can be facts of violence, drugs, alcohol, betrayal. Then the church gives people the opportunity to live separately, while none of the parties can enter into a new marriage. A marriage may also be declared invalid, but this is not a divorce either. The church simply claims that there was no marriage as such, since its essence was initially violated. For example, one of the spouses hid the truth about his health, someone was not free to choose, forced to make it, someone had a connection on the side, an unwillingness to accept children sent by God. But this procedure is quite long and complicated. To count on such a form of “divorce”, you will have to prove that such conditions have developed.
Catholics believe that only they can be saved. The Catholic Church believes that there are grains of truth in other religions, treating them with respect. No one is denied salvation if a person fulfilled God's will within the framework of his worldview and upbringing. You just need to voluntarily accept the Lord and the fact that it is the Catholic Church that owns the fullness of the truth and the means to salvation. Those who did not know and did not understand this, do not bear any guilt. But those who knew about the depth of the Catholic Church and the truth of her faith, but from some motives left it, will not be able to be saved. The closer a denomination is in its doctrine to the Catholic Church, the more means there are for salvation. Church commemoration and burial are denied only to the most principled heretics, but not in the form of punishment, but because they themselves made their choice, refusing to cooperate with the church. However, no one claims that these people will certainly go to hell.
As a result of the Union of Brest, Catholics of the Eastern rite appeared. The Eastern Catholic rite actually has more than 20 different rites. And this is by no means only Slavic-Byzantine, there is also Armenian, Coptic. In addition, there are Eastern Catholic churches that have never entered into a schism with Rome at all. This is, for example, the Italo-Albanian Catholic Church of the Byzantine rite. A single doctrine and church administration in the Catholic Church has always been practiced, even taking into account different liturgical rites and traditions.
What the Orthodox call a church, the Catholics call it a church. The very word "church" in Polish means "church". At one time, polonism took root well in Russia. There were times when only foreigners or their descendants could profess Catholicism in our country, this niche was filled by the Poles. At present, the majority of Russian Catholics are Russians, whose foreign roots can no longer be found. They calmly use the familiar words “temple”, “cathedral”, “church”. And in Western countries, Catholic churches are not called churches.
Catholics deceive believers, luring them into their faith. This myth is easy to debunk if you know how difficult it is to keep this faith. New converts have to undergo catechesis from several months to up to three years. All this time, people should study in detail the teachings of the Catholic Church, learn to seek the will of God in their lives, reflect and make decisions about their spiritual life, and take responsibility for them. And this is tiring, because it is much easier when you are directly told what exactly needs to be done. Those wishing to accept Catholicism need a strong motivation, otherwise the test may not be passed. New converts are not allowed to participate in the sacraments, but there are no restrictions on everything else. It is allowed to attend all services, participate in events, communicate with monks and priests. This makes it possible to touch the inner life of the church, to try on the future image of a parishioner. And if a person suddenly changes his mind about making such a choice, no one will stop him. If a believer becomes a Catholic, then there is no time for democracy - it is necessary to accept the entire dogma.
Catholic crosses are different from Orthodox ones. So to argue is not entirely correct. There is a Latin tradition of the image of the cross. It is depicted as four-pointed, with three nails and without a lower crossbar. In Byzantine or Orthodox, it looks different. For Catholics, it doesn’t matter at all which cross to wear: Orthodox, Celtic, Armenian, or even Franciscan in the form of the letter “T”. Some choose a medallion or amulet instead; there can be as many symbols as you like.
After the destruction of Jerusalem in 78 AD. The Jerusalem Church temporarily ceased to exist, and the Roman community and the authority of its bishop began to come to the fore. Based on the central position of Rome as the capital of the empire and on the origin of the see from the supreme apostles, the Roman bishops already from the 3rd century. begin to speak out about their dominant position in the Church, in which the bishops of the eastern provinces did not agree with them.
In general, the Apostolic canons and the canons of the ancient councils do not allow either the autocracy of the pre-eminent bishop, or, even more so, absolutism in the Church. The highest authority for resolving religious and canonical issues belongs to the Council of Bishops - Local or, if circumstances so require, Ecumenical.
Nevertheless, the political circumstances developed in such a way that the influence of the Roman bishop continued to grow. This was facilitated by the invasion of the barbarians in the con. 4th century and migration of the peoples of Europe. Waves of barbarians moved through the ancient Roman provinces, washing away all traces of Christianity. Among the newly formed states, Rome acts as the bearer of the apostolic faith and tradition. The rise of the authority of the Roman bishop was also facilitated by religious unrest in the Byzantine Empire from the 4th to the 8th centuries, when the Roman bishops acted as defenders of Orthodoxy. Thus, gradually, the conviction began to grow among the Roman bishops that they were called to lead the life of the entire Christian world. A new impetus to strengthen the despotic claims of the Roman bishops in the IV century. the decree of the emperor Gratian appeared, recognizing in the person of the pope (“pope” - father, this title was worn by the Roman and Alexandrian bishops) “the judge of all bishops.” Already in the 5th century Pope Innocent declared that “nothing can be decided without intercourse with the Roman see, and, especially in matters of faith, all bishops must turn to the Apostle. Peter", that is, to the Bishop of Rome. In the 7th century Pope Agathon demanded that all the decrees of the Roman Church be accepted by the whole Church, as rules approved by the words of St. Peter. In the 8th century Pope Stephen wrote: “I am Peter the Apostle, by the will of Divine mercy, called Christ, the Son of the living God, appointed by His authority to be the enlightener of the whole world.”
In the fifth century, at the Ecumenical Councils themselves, the popes dare to proclaim their supreme ecclesiastical authority. Of course, they do not declare here personally, but through their legates. Legate Philip at the Third Ecumenical Council says:
“No one doubts, and all ages know that the holy and blessed Peter, the head of the Apostles, the pillar of faith, the foundation of the Catholic Church, received the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race, and that the power to bind and untie sins has been transferred to him. To this day and forever, he lives in his successors and exercises the power of a judge.
We see the same at the IV Ecumenical Council. The papal legate Paskhazin said: "We have in our hands the command of the most holy and apostolic husband of the pope of the city of Rome, who (Rome) is the head of all the churches." And on another occasion, the same Paskhazin calls the Apostle Peter "the rock and the affirmation of the Catholic Church and the foundation of the right faith"
These increasing pretensions of the popes were at first not taken seriously by the Eastern bishops and did not divide the Church. All were bound by the unity of faith, the sacraments, and the consciousness of belonging to the one Apostolic Church. But, unfortunately for the Christian world, this unity was broken by the Roman bishops in the 11th and subsequent centuries by distortions and innovations in the field of dogmatic (dogmatic) and canonical (church laws). The alienation of the Roman Church began to deepen by their introduction of new dogmas, first about the procession of the Holy Spirit “and from the Son,” with the inclusion of these words in the Creed, then about the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, about purgatory, about “super-due merits”, about the pope , as the "viceroy" of Christ, the head of the entire Church and secular states, about the infallibility of the Roman bishop in matters of faith. In a word, the very doctrine of the nature of the Church began to be distorted. As a justification for the doctrine of the primacy of the Roman bishop, Catholic theologians refer to the words of the Savior spoken by St. Peter: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Mt 16:18). The Holy Fathers of the Church have always understood these words in the sense that the Church is based on faith in Christ, which St. Peter, not on his personality. The apostles did not see in ap. Peter his head, and at the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem in 51, the Apostle presided. Jacob. As for the succession of power, dating back to St. Peter, it is known that he ordained bishops in many cities, not only in Rome, but also in Alexandria, Antioch, etc.
Increasing claims to the primacy of the Roman bishop and the introduction of the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit “and from the Son” led to the falling away of the Roman (Catholic) Church from the Church of Christ. The official date of falling away is 1054, when Cardinal Humbert placed St. Sophia in Constantinople, a papal message that cursed all those who disagreed with the Roman Church.
In the religious life of Europe in the XI century. marked by the victory of the papacy over secular power. Rome becomes the ruler of the world. The desire for secular power and participation in the political struggle was not the work of individual popes, but flowed from the entire papal system. Pope Pius IX declared it obligatory for a believing Catholic to recognize the temporal power of the Bishop of Rome. At the behest of the pope, entire nations, taking up the sword and the cross, go to fight against anyone whom the pope calls his enemy. In the XIII century. the pope not only distributes royal crowns, resolves the disputes of princes, but with one word initiates or stops wars, appoints or deposes kings and emperors, resolves their subjects from the oath, etc.
In their struggle for power, the popes did not let up, but used every opportunity to remind them of their "primacy" and "infallibility." So, Pope Boniface VIII in 1302 writes in his bull: “We also announce that St. the apostolic throne and the Roman pontiff have supremacy over the whole world, and that this Roman pontiff is the successor of St. Peter, prince of the apostles, vicar of Christ on earth, head of the entire Church and father and teacher of all Christians. Similar words can be found in the decrees of the Vatican Council in 1870. In the Code of Canon Law, published in 1917 by Pope Benedict XV, it is said: the whole Church." Starting from the 11th century, the Orthodox Church was forced to rebuff the ambitious harassment of the Roman bishops, protecting the principle of canonical independence of local churches, established by the apostles.
In the struggle for secular power over the world, the bishop of Rome comes into conflict with Christian teaching, for the sword does not suit the “viceroy” of the meek Jesus and deeply distorts the essence of episcopal ministry. Many representatives of the Church and individual peoples began to realize this. From the 14th century the religious and moral decline of the papacy began. His power is becoming more and more secular, with its intrigues, pomp and greed for earthly riches. The majority of the population began to groan under the oppressive yoke of the representatives of the papal court. One German historian says: “The clergy treats the study of theology with contempt, neglects the Gospel and the writings of Sts. fathers; it is silent about faith, piety and other virtues; it does not speak of the merits of the Savior and His miracles. And such people are entrusted with the highest positions in the Church, calling them shepherds of souls!”
The results soon showed. In the beginning. 16th century Protestantism was born in Germany - a protest against the abuses of the Roman bishop and, in particular, the criminal Inquisition and the sale of indulgences (absolution for monetary bribes). Over the centuries, Protestantism broke up into many sects.
The number of Catholics in the world is 975,937,000 (this is 17.4% of the world's population). The Church has 2,696 dioceses and vicariates: 1,005 in America, 708 in Europe, 462 in Asia, 444 in Africa, and 77 in Australia and Oceania. The Roman Catholic Church has 4,257 bishops, 404,461 priests, 59,872 non-clergy monks, and 848,455 nuns. The church takes care of 105,017 institutions, including hospitals, orphanages, nursing homes, etc. Of these, 38.942 are in America, 33.136 in Europe, 18.776 in Asia, 12.712 in Africa and 1.451 in Australia and Oceania. The Roman Catholic Church is engaged not only in charity, but also in educational activities. Thus, according to statistics, it contains 83.345 primary schools, 53.790 kindergartens, 32.904 secondary schools and 3.719 institutes and universities (2007).
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ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, a religious community united by the confession of a single Christian faith and participation in the common sacraments, led by priests and the church hierarchy, headed by the Pope of Rome. The word "catholic" ("universal") indicates, firstly, the mission of this church, which is addressed to the whole human race, and, secondly, the fact that the members of the church are representatives of the whole world. The word "Roman" speaks of the unity of the church with the Bishop of Rome and his supremacy over the church, and also serves to distinguish it from other religious groups that use the concept of "Catholic" in their name.
History of occurrence.
Catholics believe that the church and the papacy were established directly by Jesus Christ and will continue until the end of time, and that the pope is the legitimate successor of St. Peter (and therefore inherits his primacy, primacy among the apostles) and vicar (deputy, vicar) of Christ on earth. They also believe that Christ gave his apostles the power to: 1) preach his gospel to all people; 2) sanctify people through the sacraments; 3) to lead and manage all those who have received the gospel and been baptized. Finally, they believe that this power is vested in the Catholic bishops (as successors of the apostles), headed by the pope, who has supreme power. The Pope, being the teacher and defender of the divinely revealed truth of the Church, is infallible, i.e. unerring in his judgments on matters of faith and morality; Christ guaranteed this infallibility when he promised that the truth would always be with the church.
Church signs.
In accordance with traditional teaching, this church is distinguished by four characteristics, or four essential features (notae ecclesiae): 1) unity, about which St. Paul says, "one body and one Spirit", "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph 4:4-5); 2) holiness, which is seen in church teaching, worship and the holy life of believers; 3) Catholicism (defined above); 4) apostolicity, or the origin of institutions and jurisdiction from the apostles.
Teaching.
The main points of the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church are set forth in the Apostolic, Nicene-Constantinopolitan, and Athanasian Creeds; they are contained in a fuller form in the confession of faith used in the consecration of bishops and priests, as well as in the baptism of adults. In its teaching, the Catholic Church also relies on the decisions of the ecumenical councils, and above all the Councils of Trent and the Vatican, especially with regard to the primacy and infallible teaching power of the Pope of Rome.
The main points of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church include the following. Belief in one God in three divine Persons, different from each other and equal to each other (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The doctrine of the incarnation, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the union in his personality of two natures, divine and human; the divine motherhood of the Blessed Mary, virgin before the birth of Jesus, at birth and after it. Belief in the authentic, real and substantial presence of the Body and Blood with the soul and divinity of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Seven sacraments established by Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind: baptism, chrismation (confirmation), Eucharist, repentance, unction, priesthood, marriage. Faith purgatory, resurrection of the dead and eternal life. The doctrine of primacy, not only honor, but also jurisdiction, of the Bishop of Rome. Veneration of saints and their images. The authority of apostolic and ecclesiastical Tradition and Holy Scripture, which can only be interpreted and understood in the sense that the Catholic Church has held and holds.
Organizational structure.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the supreme power and jurisdiction over the clergy and laity belongs to the pope, who (since the Middle Ages) is elected by the college of cardinals at the conclave and retains his powers until the end of his life or legal abdication. According to Catholic teaching (fixed in Roman Catholic canon law), an ecumenical council cannot take place without the participation of the pope, who has the right to convene a council, preside over it, determine the agenda, postpone, temporarily suspend the work of an ecumenical council and approve its decisions. The cardinals form a collegium under the pope and are his chief advisers and assistants in the administration of the church. The pope is independent of the laws passed and the officials appointed by him or his predecessors, and usually exercises his administrative power in accordance with the Code of Canon Law through the congregations, courts and offices of the Roman Curia. In their canonical territories (commonly called dioceses or dioceses) and in relation to their subordinates, patriarchs, metropolitans, or archbishops, and bishops operate under ordinary jurisdiction (i.e., connected by law with office, as opposed to delegated jurisdiction associated with specific person). Certain abbots and prelates also have their own jurisdiction, as well as the chief hierarchs of privileged ecclesiastical orders, but the latter only in relation to their own subordinates. Finally, priests have ordinary jurisdiction within their parish and over their parishioners.
A believer becomes a member of the church by confessing the Christian faith (in the case of babies, godparents do this for them), by being baptized and submitting to the authority of the church. Membership gives the right to participate in other church sacraments and liturgy (mass). After reaching a reasonable age, every Catholic is obliged to obey the prescriptions of the church: to participate in mass on Sundays and holidays; fasting and abstaining from meat food on certain days; go to confession at least once a year; take communion during the celebration of Easter; make donations for the maintenance of his parish priest; observe church laws regarding marriage.
Various ceremonies.
If the Roman Catholic Church is united in matters of faith and morals, in obedience to the pope, then in the field of liturgical forms of worship and simply disciplinary issues, diversity is allowed and more and more encouraged. In the West, the Latin Rite dominates, although the Lyons, Ambrosian, and Mozarabic rites are still preserved; among the Eastern members of the Roman Catholic Church there are representatives of all the Eastern rites now existing.
Religious orders.
Historians note the important contribution to the development of culture and Christian culture made by orders, congregations and other religious institutions. And today they play a significant role, both in the actual religious sphere, and in the field of education and social activities. .
Education.
Catholics believe that the right to education of children belongs to their parents, who can use the help of other organizations, and that true education includes religious education. For this purpose, the Catholic Church maintains schools at all levels, especially in those countries where religious subjects are not included in the public school curricula. Catholic schools are pontifical (papal), diocesan, parish or private; often teaching is entrusted to members of religious orders.
Church and State.
Pope Leo XIII reaffirmed traditional Catholic teaching when he declared of church and state that each of these powers “has definite limits within which it resides; these boundaries are determined by the nature and immediate source of each. That is why they can be regarded as definite, well-defined spheres of activity, with each authority acting within its own sphere in accordance with its own right ”(encyclical Immortale Dei, November 1, 1885). Natural law makes the state responsible only for things related to the earthly welfare of people; positive divine right makes the church responsible only for things pertaining to man's eternal destiny. Since a person is both a citizen of the state and a member of the church, it becomes necessary to regulate legal relations between both authorities.
Statistical data.
According to statisticians, in 1993 there were 1,040 million Catholics in the world (about 19% of the world's population); in Latin America - 412 million; in Europe - 260 million; in Asia - 130 million; in Africa, 128 million; in Oceania - 8 million; in the countries of the former Soviet Union - 6 million.
By 2005, the number of Catholics was 1086 million (approx. 17% of the world's population)
During the pontificate of John Paul II (1978-2005), the number of Catholics in the world increased by 250 million people. (44%).
Half of all Catholics live in the Americas (49.8%) live in South or North America. In Europe, Catholics make up one-fourth (25.8%) of the total. The largest increase in the number of Catholics occurred in Africa: in 2003 their number increased by 4.5% compared to the previous year. The largest Catholic country in the world is Brazil (149 million people), the second is the Philippines (65 million people). In Europe, the largest number of Catholics live in Italy (56 million).
The content of the article
ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, a religious community united by the confession of a single Christian faith and participation in the common sacraments, led by priests and the church hierarchy, headed by the Pope of Rome. The word "catholic" ("universal") indicates, firstly, the mission of this church, which is addressed to the whole human race, and, secondly, the fact that the members of the church are representatives of the whole world. The word "Roman" speaks of the unity of the church with the Bishop of Rome and his supremacy over the church, and also serves to distinguish it from other religious groups that use the concept of "Catholic" in their name.
History of occurrence.
Catholics believe that the church and the papacy were established directly by Jesus Christ and will continue until the end of time, and that the pope is the legitimate successor of St. Peter (and therefore inherits his primacy, primacy among the apostles) and vicar (deputy, vicar) of Christ on earth. They also believe that Christ gave his apostles the power to: 1) preach his gospel to all people; 2) sanctify people through the sacraments; 3) to lead and manage all those who have received the gospel and been baptized. Finally, they believe that this power is vested in the Catholic bishops (as successors of the apostles), headed by the pope, who has supreme power. The Pope, being the teacher and defender of the divinely revealed truth of the Church, is infallible, i.e. unerring in his judgments on matters of faith and morality; Christ guaranteed this infallibility when he promised that the truth would always be with the church.
Church signs.
In accordance with traditional teaching, this church is distinguished by four characteristics, or four essential features (notae ecclesiae): 1) unity, about which St. Paul says, "one body and one Spirit", "one Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph 4:4-5); 2) holiness, which is seen in church teaching, worship and the holy life of believers; 3) Catholicism (defined above); 4) apostolicity, or the origin of institutions and jurisdiction from the apostles.
Teaching.
The main points of the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church are set forth in the Apostolic, Nicene-Constantinopolitan, and Athanasian Creeds; they are contained in a fuller form in the confession of faith used in the consecration of bishops and priests, as well as in the baptism of adults. In its teaching, the Catholic Church also relies on the decisions of the ecumenical councils, and above all the Councils of Trent and the Vatican, especially with regard to the primacy and infallible teaching power of the Pope of Rome.
The main points of the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church include the following. Belief in one God in three divine Persons, different from each other and equal to each other (Father, Son and Holy Spirit). The doctrine of the incarnation, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the union in his personality of two natures, divine and human; the divine motherhood of the Blessed Mary, virgin before the birth of Jesus, at birth and after it. Belief in the authentic, real and substantial presence of the Body and Blood with the soul and divinity of Jesus Christ in the sacrament of the Eucharist. Seven sacraments established by Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind: baptism, chrismation (confirmation), Eucharist, repentance, unction, priesthood, marriage. Faith purgatory, resurrection of the dead and eternal life. The doctrine of primacy, not only honor, but also jurisdiction, of the Bishop of Rome. Veneration of saints and their images. The authority of apostolic and ecclesiastical Tradition and Holy Scripture, which can only be interpreted and understood in the sense that the Catholic Church has held and holds.
Organizational structure.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the supreme power and jurisdiction over the clergy and laity belongs to the pope, who (since the Middle Ages) is elected by the college of cardinals at the conclave and retains his powers until the end of his life or legal abdication. According to Catholic teaching (fixed in Roman Catholic canon law), an ecumenical council cannot take place without the participation of the pope, who has the right to convene a council, preside over it, determine the agenda, postpone, temporarily suspend the work of an ecumenical council and approve its decisions. The cardinals form a collegium under the pope and are his chief advisers and assistants in the administration of the church. The pope is independent of the laws passed and the officials appointed by him or his predecessors, and usually exercises his administrative power in accordance with the Code of Canon Law through the congregations, courts and offices of the Roman Curia. In their canonical territories (commonly called dioceses or dioceses) and in relation to their subordinates, patriarchs, metropolitans, or archbishops, and bishops operate under ordinary jurisdiction (i.e., connected by law with office, as opposed to delegated jurisdiction associated with specific person). Certain abbots and prelates also have their own jurisdiction, as well as the chief hierarchs of privileged ecclesiastical orders, but the latter only in relation to their own subordinates. Finally, priests have ordinary jurisdiction within their parish and over their parishioners.
A believer becomes a member of the church by confessing the Christian faith (in the case of babies, godparents do this for them), by being baptized and submitting to the authority of the church. Membership gives the right to participate in other church sacraments and liturgy (mass). After reaching a reasonable age, every Catholic is obliged to obey the prescriptions of the church: to participate in mass on Sundays and holidays; fasting and abstaining from meat food on certain days; go to confession at least once a year; take communion during the celebration of Easter; make donations for the maintenance of his parish priest; observe church laws regarding marriage.
Various ceremonies.
If the Roman Catholic Church is united in matters of faith and morals, in obedience to the pope, then in the field of liturgical forms of worship and simply disciplinary issues, diversity is allowed and more and more encouraged. In the West, the Latin Rite dominates, although the Lyons, Ambrosian, and Mozarabic rites are still preserved; among the Eastern members of the Roman Catholic Church there are representatives of all the Eastern rites now existing.
Religious orders.
Historians note the important contribution to the development of culture and Christian culture made by orders, congregations and other religious institutions. And today they play a significant role, both in the actual religious sphere, and in the field of education and social activities. .
Education.
Catholics believe that the right to education of children belongs to their parents, who can use the help of other organizations, and that true education includes religious education. For this purpose, the Catholic Church maintains schools at all levels, especially in those countries where religious subjects are not included in the public school curricula. Catholic schools are pontifical (papal), diocesan, parish or private; often teaching is entrusted to members of religious orders.
Church and State.
Pope Leo XIII reaffirmed traditional Catholic teaching when he declared of church and state that each of these powers “has definite limits within which it resides; these boundaries are determined by the nature and immediate source of each. That is why they can be regarded as definite, well-defined spheres of activity, with each authority acting within its own sphere in accordance with its own right ”(encyclical Immortale Dei, November 1, 1885). Natural law makes the state responsible only for things related to the earthly welfare of people; positive divine right makes the church responsible only for things pertaining to man's eternal destiny. Since a person is both a citizen of the state and a member of the church, it becomes necessary to regulate legal relations between both authorities.
Statistical data.
According to statisticians, in 1993 there were 1,040 million Catholics in the world (about 19% of the world's population); in Latin America - 412 million; in Europe - 260 million; in Asia - 130 million; in Africa, 128 million; in Oceania - 8 million; in the countries of the former Soviet Union - 6 million.
By 2005, the number of Catholics was 1086 million (approx. 17% of the world's population)
During the pontificate of John Paul II (1978-2005), the number of Catholics in the world increased by 250 million people. (44%).
Half of all Catholics live in the Americas (49.8%) live in South or North America. In Europe, Catholics make up one-fourth (25.8%) of the total. The largest increase in the number of Catholics occurred in Africa: in 2003 their number increased by 4.5% compared to the previous year. The largest Catholic country in the world is Brazil (149 million people), the second is the Philippines (65 million people). In Europe, the largest number of Catholics live in Italy (56 million).
As the capital of the empire and on the origin of the cathedra from the chief apostles, the bishops of Rome already from the 3rd century. begin to speak out about their dominant position in the Church, in which the bishops of the eastern provinces did not agree with them.
In general, the Apostolic canons and the canons of the ancient councils do not allow either the autocracy of the pre-eminent bishop, or, even more so, absolutism in the Church. The highest authority for resolving religious and canonical issues belongs to the Council of Bishops - the Local or, if circumstances so require, the Ecumenical.
Nevertheless, the political circumstances developed in such a way that the influence of the Roman bishop continued to grow. This was facilitated by the invasion of the barbarians in the con. in. and the Migration of the Peoples of Europe. Waves of barbarians moved through the ancient Roman provinces, washing away all traces of Christianity. Among the newly formed states, Rome acts as the bearer of the apostolic faith and tradition. The rise of the authority of the Roman bishop was also facilitated by religious unrest in the Byzantine Empire from to the VIII centuries, when the Roman bishops acted as defenders of Orthodoxy. Thus, gradually, the conviction began to grow among the Roman bishops that they were called to lead the life of the entire Christian world. A new impetus to strengthen the despotic claims of the Roman bishops in c. a decree of the emperor Gratian appeared, recognizing in the person of the pope ("pope" - the father, this title was worn by the Roman and Alexandrian bishops) "the judge of all bishops." Already in Pope Innocent declared that "nothing can be decided without intercourse with the Roman See, and, especially in matters of faith, all bishops must turn to the Apostle Peter", that is, to the Bishop of Rome. In the 7th century Pope Agathon demanded that all the decrees of the Roman Church be accepted by the whole Church, as rules approved by the words of St. Peter. In the 8th century Pope Stephen wrote: "I am Peter the Apostle, by the will of Divine Mercy called Christ, the Son of the living God, appointed by His authority to be the enlightener of the whole world."
In the fifth century, at the Ecumenical Councils themselves, the popes dare to proclaim their supreme ecclesiastical authority. Of course, they do not declare here personally, but through their legates. Legate Philip at the Third Ecumenical Council says:
“No one doubts, and all ages know that the holy and blessed Peter, the head of the Apostles, the pillar of faith, the foundation of the Catholic Church, received the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven from our Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior and Redeemer of the human race, and that the power to bind and untie sins has been transferred to this day and forever he lives in his successors and exercises the authority of the judge " .
These increasing pretensions of the popes were at first not taken seriously by the Eastern bishops and did not divide the Church. All were bound by the unity of faith, the sacraments, and the consciousness of belonging to the one Apostolic Church. But, to the misfortune of the Christian world, this unity was broken by the Roman bishops in and subsequent centuries by distortions and innovations in the field of creed (dogmatic) and canonical (church laws). The alienation of the Roman Church began to deepen by their introduction of new dogmas, first about the procession of the Holy Spirit "and from the Son," with the inclusion of these words in the Creed, then - about the immaculate conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, about purgatory, about "super-due merits", about the pope , as the "viceroy" of Christ, the head of the entire Church and secular states, about the infallibility of the Roman bishop in matters of faith. In a word, the very doctrine of the nature of the Church began to be distorted. As a justification for the doctrine of the primacy of the Roman bishop, Catholic theologians refer to the words of the Savior spoken by St. Peter: "You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church" (Matthew 16:18). The Holy Fathers of the Church have always understood these words in the sense that the Church is based on faith in Christ, which St. Peter, not on his personality. The apostles did not see in ap. Peter his head, and at the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem presided over ap. Jacob. As for the succession of power, dating back to St. Peter, it is known that he ordained bishops in many cities, not only in Rome, but also in Alexandria, Antioch, etc. Why are the bishops of those cities deprived of emergency powers by ap. Peter? A deeper study of this issue leads to one honest conclusion: the doctrine of the headship of Peter was artificially created by the Roman bishops from ambitious motives. This teaching was unknown to the early Church.
Increasing claims to the primacy of the Roman bishop and the introduction of the doctrine of the procession of the Holy Spirit "and from the Son" led to the falling away of the Roman (Catholic) Church from the Church of Christ. The official date of falling away is considered to be when Cardinal Humbert placed on the throne of the Church of Hagia Sophia in Constantinople a papal message that cursed all those who disagreed with the Roman Church.
Catholics are characterized by a very broad interpretation of both divine dogmas and church canons (rules). This is clearly seen from the existence of various monastic orders, the statutes of which are very different from each other. There are currently approx. 140 Catholic monastic orders, of which the main ones.
