The Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches were one communion for about a thousand years, and both still have the same seven sacraments, bishops in apostolic succession and the first seven councils. They separated in a break usually dated to 1054, chiefly over the authority of the Pope and the words “and the Son” in the Creed. Most of the other differences are smaller: purgatory, the Immaculate Conception, married priests, the bread used at Communion and the date of Easter. The…

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