A major difference too is that Orthodox priests (at least in the Greek version) can be married while this is strictly forbidden in the RC religion. I don't think Orthodox priest can marry once they've taken orders.
Also, they don't have a figure equal to the Pope in the RC religion. From an Orthodox article (written by an Father Michael Azkoul, an Orthodox priest and sanctioned by St. Nectarios American Orthodox Church--and actually gets several parts of the RC side wrong but I'd hope he'd get the Orthodox side correct
) "The Orthodox Church teaches that all bishops are equal. To be sure, there are different ranks of bishops (patriarch, archbishop, metropolitan, bishop); nevertheless, a bishop is a bishop. Such differences apply to the administration of a church or group of churches, not to the nature of the bishop. The president of a synod of bishops is called archbishop (Greek custom) or metropolitan (Russian custom). "
Roman Catholics speak of "Confirmation" and the Orthodox of "Chrismation." "Confirmation" is separated from the Baptism and is performed by the bishop and not the priest; but "Chrismation" is performed with Baptism by a priest who has received "chrism" from the bishop. The Orthodox Church links Baptism, Chrismation and Holy Communion, first the threefold immersion into sanctified water whereas they are 3 separate steps to RCs taking place several years apart (First Communion--which my Drew is preparing for in May--takes place around 2nd grade, while Confirmation is generally around age 12).
Also according to the above article, Orthodoxy doesn't recognize Original Sin. Because of this they also don't recognize the Immaculate Conception of Mary--so named because she was born without the stain of Original Sin.
"Icons are more than sacred pictures. Everything about them is theological. For example, they are always flat, flat so that we who inhabit the physical world will understand that the world of the spirit where Christ, His Mother, the angels, the saints, and the departed dwell, is a world of mystery which cannot be penetrated by our five senses. Customarily, Roman Catholicism has historically employed statues in its worship. The statues are life-like and three-dimensional. "
There are other minor differences between the Orthodox Church and Roman Catholicism.
The Orthodox do not fast on Saturday (except Holy Saturday) or Sunday. Roman Catholics experience no such restriction.
Orthodox do not kneel on Sunday; Roman Catholics do.
Orthodox have no "Stations of The Cross;" Roman Catholics do.
Orthodox worship towards the East; Roman Catholics, not necessarily.
There are no orders of Orthodox monks (male and female) as there is among Roman Catholics (Jesuits, Dominicans, Benedictines, Cistericans, etc.). More recently, many Roman Catholic monks and nuns have put away their traditional habits.
Orthodox clergy wear beards; RC clergy are can beither either bearded or beardless.
There are also some deeper theological divides much as separates other versions of Christianity.
