Understanding the Differences in Catholic and Orthodox Calendars

Explore why Catholic and Orthodox churches use different calendars, impacting their holiday celebrations.

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Catholic and Orthodox churches use different calendars because of historical developments in calendar reform. Catholics follow the Gregorian calendar, introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct inaccuracies in the Julian calendar. The Orthodox Church, however, continues to use the Julian calendar or Revised Julian calendar for its liturgical dates, leading to differences in the timing of holidays like Easter.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What is the Gregorian calendar? The Gregorian calendar is a reform of the Julian calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 to correct inaccuracies in how leap years were calculated.
  2. Why does the Orthodox Church use the Julian calendar? The Orthodox Church continues to use the Julian calendar or Revised Julian calendar due to tradition and historical adherence to earlier liturgical practices.
  3. When do Catholic and Orthodox Easter celebrations differ? Catholic Easter celebrations typically occur on a different date from Orthodox Easter due to the use of different calendars in calculating the date.

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