In the previous article we saw that the Christian church does not exist in the abstract world of abstract people, but recognizes the objective reality of nations and peoples.
In every Christian nation, church life acquired its own special features. The now forgotten publicist, the only honorary member of the Moscow Theological Academy, General A. A. Kirev wrote about it as follows: "... A Greek theologian, educated on the study of the Greek philosophers (especially the Neoplatonists), delves into the subtlest metaphysical study of the essence and relations of the Roman law of the race, the heir. Primarily legal in nature, it will try to accurately determine the ratio between merits and demerits... ".
Already the era of the ecumenical councils (IV. Eighteenth century) gives us a whole scattering of churches, united by a common symbol of faith, but with their own characteristics. From Greek Orthodoxy to the Celtic Church of Ireland, which has a unique precedent in history: a female bishop (St. Brigid of Kildare). And there were also Roman, North African, Georgian, Spanish communities, which also had differences. For example, the North African Church did not recognize the mandatory celibacy of the clergy, which was already in use by the Church of Rome.
In the second millennium, the Slavs of the Balkans and Russia entered the Christian community, large communities were formed among the Arabs, the Tatars, the Japanese, each of them took something of their own from the treasure of Christianity, while leaving something of their national spiritual treasure.
In Russia and Georgia they stand in the churches, in the church of Antioch they sit. The dances of Arabs and blacks in the temple do not resemble the rhythmic Greek chant. This is what each nation brings to its ceremonial piety. But the common thing - the acquisition of the Holy Spirit and the pursuit of salvation - remains.
Of course, balance is important here. From the point of view of the teaching of the Church, no national tradition can be higher than the dogmas, canons and teachings of Christ. To simplify, we can say that even the tastiest national cuisine does not eliminate obligatory fasts.