Eastern Christianity explained to kids

Eastern Christianity is a Christian tradition that developed in the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern European countries. It is different from Western Christianity in several ways. For example, the Eastern Orthodox Church, which is the largest Eastern Christian church, does not recognize the authority of the Pope. Eastern Christianity began in the year 33 when Jesus Christ was crucified. His disciples, who became the first Christians, were all from the Eastern Mediterranean region. After the crucifixion, Christianity spread to other parts of the world through the efforts of missionaries. In the year 1054, a major split occurred in the Christian church. Eastern Christians became the Eastern Orthodox Church, while Western Christians became the Roman Catholic Church. The Eastern Orthodox Church is the largest Eastern Christian church. It has about 300 million members and is headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. Other Eastern Christian churches include the Oriental Orthodox Church, the Assyrian Church of the East, and the Eastern Catholic Churches. Eastern Christians follow the Julian calendar, which is different from the Gregorian calendar that is used by most people in the world. The Julian calendar is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar. This means that Eastern Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7, instead of December 25. Eastern Christians also have different traditions and customs than Western Christians. For example, Eastern Christians do not eat meat or dairy products during Lent, which is the 40-day period before Easter. If you would like to learn more about Eastern Christianity, you can visit the website of the Eastern Orthodox Church (www.goarch.org) or the website of the Oriental Orthodox Church (www.oca.org).