What Are Some Differences Between the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church?
The Pope A main difference between the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics has to do with the recognition of the Pope. Roman Catholics recognize the Pope as the infallible. Moreover, the Pope has supreme authority over all churches and can, for example, contradict or usurp the power of a lower ranking church leader (e.g., a priest, bishop or cardinal). The Eastern Orthodox, also have various bishops with one being the highest bishop, also called the first among equals, but the Eastern Orthodox do not believe the highest ranking bishop, or archbishop, to be infallible, nor do they grant him with supreme authority over all churches. As people-centered forms of government become more common, papal authority extends far less than it did in the previous millennium. Today, the Pope may still advise leaders of countries, but has no power to make them change. The governments of predominantly Catholic countries, are rarely influenced by the Pope alone. In fact, many predominantly Catholic coun
