As shocking as it may be to believe, there are more than two billion Christians scattered around the world at this moment. All of them are connected in some way or another to a certain denomination of the Christian faith. There are actually more than 45,000 denominations globally, and two of the biggest ones are the Catholic and Orthodox Churches. The split between these two churches is a tale woven through centuries of shared faith and cultural contrasts.
Like two ancient trees with intertwined roots, they sprouted from the same apostolic seed, yet grew in different directions, shaped by their unique histories and interpretations of Christian tradition. But where did this divide come from, and what exactly makes these two denominations so different? Click through this gallery to find out.