Eastern Orthodoxy

Yes, but only in moderation, as the Bible states that we should 'not be drunk with wine' (Ephesians 5:18).

Yes, so long as the person is an Orthodox Christian. Some priests require divorced people to go to confession first, and then they can receive Communion each week.

Priests, at the parish level, and they are answerable to their local Bishop.

Generally speaking, no one should ever be denied baptism in an Orthodox Church, as baptism is necessary for salvation.

it was theexile of the Patriarch

There are between 225 and 300 million orthodox Christians worldwide.

Both the Orthodox and Catholics started at the same time, in the year 33 AD, when there was no such thing as Orthodox and Catholic, and there was only the Universal Christian Church. So they both shared a common foundation for the first 1,000 years of their history.

The year 1054 AD is generally regarded as the final date of the split in the Universal Church, which began to separate from the year 800 AD when Charlemagne set himself up as a rival king to the Eastern Roman Emperor. The year 800 marks the beginning of the separation between the Latin West and the Orthodox East, which concluded in 1054 with the mutual excommunications by Cardinal Humbertus and Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople in the Church of Hagia Sophia.

From 1054 the Western Christians became known as Roman Catholics and the Eastern Christians became known as the Orthodox Church.

According to History Today, it is called the Great Schism:

Great Schism (1378-1417)Division of the Roman Catholic church in which rival popes sat in Rome and Avignon. The election of the Italian Pope Urban VI (a reaction to the French-dominated Avignon papacy) led to the election of a rival pope, the French Clement VII. The two sat respectively at Rome and Avignon, causing the schism. France, Scotland, Castile and Portugal backed Clement; England, Flanders, Hungary and the Holy Roman empire supported Urban. In 1409 the Council of Pisa attempted to resolve the split but only produced a third rival pope. Another council at Constance (1414) which healed the schism by electing one new Matin V. The schism weakened the papacy and strengthened the view that popes should be guided by church councils.

Monks and Friars live in a monastery. Nuns and cloistered women live in monasteries as well, not to be confused with convents.

Short answer: it was one of the causes of the split between the western and eastern Christian churches. The result of the split (schism) is the Catholic church (western) and Orthodox church (eastern).

Because the Romanian Orthodox Church adopted the new (Gregorian) calendar in 1924, along with the Greek Orthodox Church. The largest Orthodox church (the Russian Orthodox) continued to use the old (Julian) calendar, along with the Serbian Orthodox, to celebrate Christmas on 7 January each year.

That's a bit difficult to explain. There was one church called 'The Catholic Orthodox church" it split into Orthodox and Catholic. However there are two Orthodox churches which both preserve the ancient teachings and traditions of the original church. Except have a different view of the divintiy of christ. The Eastern "Oriental' Orthodox church believes that christ has two natures but united while the Eastern Orthodox church believes that chirst has two natures but seperate. However,they both are the original church and have not changed the apostolic traditions. So the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches are equally old since they were both founded by one of the apostles,however the Orthodox church stayed true to the original churches beliefs and traditions. But they became referred to as "Orthodox" in 451 AD (Eastern "Oriental' Orthodox) and in 1054 (Eastern Orthodox)

'Orthos' (straight, truth) and 'doxa' (opinion, praise)

There are not 12, but 15 autocephalous (self-governing) Eastern Orthodox Churches, all of which are in communion with each other.

They are: 1) Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, 2) Patriarchate of Alexandria, 3) Patriarchate of Antioch, 4) Patriarchate of Jerusalem, 5) Moscow (Russian) Patriarchate, 6) Belgrade (Serbian) Patriarchate, 7) Romanian Patriarchate, 8) Bulgarian Patriarchate, 9) Georgian Patriarchate, 10) Church of Greece, 11) Church of Cyprus, 12) Church of Poland, 13) Church of Albania, 14) Church of Czech & Slovak, and 15) Orthodox Church in America.

The icon of Christ "Pantocrator" means "Ruler of the Universe." It is usually painted in the highest part of an Orthodox church (the ceiling or dome) and shows Jesus Christ as the Ruler of both heaven and earth.

Altar. (Hebr. "a place of sacrifice;" Gr. hieron; Sl. prestol). In Orthodox architecture the term signifies the area of the sanctuary divided from the rest of the church by the iconostasis.

I believe it is the godparents of the future children of the bride and groom, an honor given to the couple at the wedding. The Nasi also are guardians of the marriage and are to be approached by the bride and groom when difficulties arise.

Pope Leo IX excommunicated Patriarch Michael Cerularius of Constantinople, who, in turn, excommunicated Pope Leo in 1054 AD. This was caused because of disagreements over the unauthorized changes made by Pope Leo to the Nicene Creed (by adding the "Filioque clause"). The Orthodox Church maintains that Holy Spirit "proceeds from the Father alone, whereas the Roman Catholics claimed that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father "and the Son" which goes against the Bible. "The Bible states that ...the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father..." (John 15:26).

However, both of these excommunications were mutually removed in 1965 by Pope Paul VI and Patriarch Athenagoras I.

The catholic church is sometimes considered the collection of churches that developed out of the Great Schism (namely, the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church).

Although I have never heard someone use the term "catholic orthodox church," I would consider it to be referring to the Eastern Orthodox Christian religion.

The split between the Eastern Orthodox and the western Catholic Churches was caused by a number of different factors. Namely, neither side could decide on the Pope's role in the church, or the scope of his authority.

I believe as well that another point which needs to be stressed here regards the issue of transubstantiation vs. consubstantiation. Lutherans as I recall do not believe in transubstantiation or the concept that at communion the "Lord's supper" literaly becomes the body and blood of Jesus as we observe and particiate in that act of worship. As I recall, Luther belived in consubstantion....not that the wine and bread literally became Jesus' body within us, but that at that observance there was at least a "presence" of the Holy Spirit there.

Pope Joseph II of Alexandria died in 1956.

No; seraphim are seen as the highest class of angels. While they are important on the alter, alter boys are just there to help out; they are there out of necessity and there is not much, if any, symbolism attached to them.

Saint Sophia was canonized because of the great faith that she had that led to her martyrdom. She displayed adamant courage and encourage her three daughter Love, Faith and Hope to endure their torments for the sake of the Heavenly Bridegroom.