I expected that they would as I am seeing a definite distinction in how Catholics view Mary and how Orthodox view her. There are some similarities, but the "veneration" of Catholicism goes much further.
"I expected that they would as I am seeing a definite distinction in how Catholics view Mary and how Orthodox view her. There are some similarities, but the "veneration" of Catholicism goes much further."
As a general proposition, there is a basic difference between Orthodoxy and the Latin Church on the conception of the Theotokos. Rome says she was preserved from Original Sin. We don't accept the idea of "Original Sin" and thus believe that there was nothing to preserve her from. If she was preserved from the effects of the Sin of Adam, then she wasn't really human and this has implications for the nature of Christ, or so we see it.
In the Western Church there has always been an element which is, to our Orthodox eyes, a bit on the extreme side when it comes to devotions to the Theotokos. Some of this comes from a basic misunderstanding of Roman dogma and doctrine. Some of it, I will assert, is a direct result of Roman dogma and doctrine. On the other hand, don't think for a minute that we don't venerate the Panagia and pray to her daily for her help, we do, in spades. I don;t know of an Orthodox home which doesn't have several icons of her. We just don't speak of Co-Redemptrix or have statues of her with her heart showing. These things are symbolic, but are often misinterpreted by the Latin Rite faithful, I fear.