www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life The Christian East & West Oriental Catholic vs. Oriental Orthodox

What is the difference, other than the Pope, possibly slightly shorter services in the Oriental Catholic, and what age chrismation and first communion is done?

(And of course the immaculate conception.)

There should be no differences at all.

True. But I am sure there are probably many differences both liturgical and theological.

For Malankara church there is hardly any difference. The only visible difference between catholic and orthodox part will be the orthodox priests wear a cap while catholic part does not. The only difference that can be noticed in holy qurbano will be the mentioning of pope in catholic qurbano. Liturgically and theologically there is hardly any difference.

There could be slight influences and changes depending on geography which has affected both orthodox and catholic ones. For example in US there is more western influence in practices for both orthodox and catholics. In middle east with fewer malankara catholics, it has to share church/ worship place with latins and syro malabars which will look like latinized.

Dear sister Anastasia,

I am an avowed miaphysite. Due to misunderstandings for about 1500 years, this was considered the great difference with the Diophysites (Chalcedonians). But not so anymore. When I translated to the Catholic Church, I made sure to inquire the priest receiving me if this was a problem, and he assured me it was not. There was, in fact, intercommunion between the COC, and Catholic missionaries for about 100 years in the 17th-18th centuries, until the Pope of Rome ended the rapport. IMO, the biggest difference between the COC and the CC (at least in the second millennium before the 20th century) was the (oftentimes) perceived and (sometimes) real threat to Coptic autonomy that the papacy presented.

The only difference I notice between the Coptic Catholic and Coptic Orthodox Church is that the indigenous monastic tradition hardly exists in the Coptic Catholic Church (though I know several Coptic Franciscans). On the other hand, the Coptic Orthodox Church relatively recently seems to have adopted the concept of what the Latins call the "religious order" - a group of nuns dedicated specifically to a certain social service calling (I forget the name of the group off-hand, but it was formed by HH Pope Shenoute of thrice-blessed memory).

Syriac and Armenian Catholics/Orthodox in the "old country" often attend each others Masses frequently, so there is probably no palpable difference, at least in the "old country."

Blessings,
Marduk

Perhaps you could elaborate one something other than immaculate conception and patriarch vs. Pope, and shorter Catholic services (at least among Armenians), and possibly when Coptic Catholic vs. Coptic Orthodox celebrate Easter.

*on something

What's this hangup on the immaculate conception (which I deliberately place in lower case)?

So, basically you are saying you are your own magisterium, right?

So, basically I'm saying it's not in the liturgy, it's not in the typicon, and as far as I'm concerned, it's utterly irrelevant. Nine out of ten Roman Catholics would probably get the definition wrong, in any case, so what does it matter? It isn't something that is properly dogma in any case.

While it's true that most who "believe" in it will get the definition wrong, it's now in your liturgical books with your magisterium's imprematur. Of course, they had to interpolate it there.

No, it isn't. Sorry. We commemorate the Conception of the Theotokos by St. Anne, on the 9th of December, according to Tradition. The propers of the feast remain unchanged. What others do is their own business.

Watch it! You magisterium is showing.

Magisterium is a function, not an office.