Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism are branches of Christianity and, it would seem, there should be few differences. But it turns out on the contrary, the differences, starting with dogmas, end with the appearance of churches and temples.
There are a lot of subtleties in building the house of God and not every architect knows them. But many believers can determine which religion a temple belongs to just by looking at it.
Features of an Orthodox church
The tradition of building rectangular temples with vaulted ceilings and domes came to Kievan Rus from Byzantium. To add luxury, church domes were covered with green or blue paint, and in rich areas with gold.
Today, the architecture of Orthodox churches is also full of luxury and flowing lines. The number of domes strictly corresponds to Christian symbolism and is associated with the saint or event to which the church is dedicated.
The beauty of the interior decoration of an Orthodox church will captivate everyone. She is always very rich, sparkling with many candles and gilding. And the icons, made in an ascetic style, are enclosed in a gilded setting. The altar is separated from the faithful by a high, richly decorated, often carved, iconostasis.
Differences in the architecture of the church
An elongated, upward-looking Gothic cathedral - what could be more beautiful? Just a group of little girls, dressed in white, marching ceremoniously to the first communion.
In addition to elongated tops, churches are decorated with statues or icons depicting the Mother of God. And the interior setting surprises with an open altar and the presence of benches for parishioners. The nature-like images of saints cause particular excitement. The Catholic temple has a confessional, many frescoes and colored stained glass windows. Often there is a pulpit in the church, from which the priest preaches.
The main decoration of any Catholic church is the crucifix and the statue of the Virgin Mary.
The dissimilarity of the Protestant Church
It is rather difficult to define such a church by its appearance. It can be located in almost any free-standing building. Inside, the church resembles a hall where like-minded people gather. There are no icons or iconostases in Protestant churches. Followers of this church believe that the 10 commandments prohibit the use of images for worship. From the adornments there are several images of Christ. Protestant ministers, unlike Orthodox and Catholic, do not wear a cassock.
This simplicity of the environment is more than compensated for by the spirit of unity reigning here. When parishioners unanimously support the song of the choir, the atmosphere is forgotten and the heart is filled with Divine grace.
Despite the apparent differences, all Christian churches preach the same truths and believe in one God.
