Eastern Orthodox theology calls Mary the Theotokos, which means God-bearer. This term emphasizes Mary's status as the mother of God incarnate in Jesus but not the mother of God from eternity.

@Deleted User I know Catholics believe in immaculate conception, that she was sinless until she birthed Jesus

I know orthodox don't believe that. Was she eternally a virgin?

https://pravoslavie.ru/73378.html @Iakovos

We Orthodox believe that the Panagia was conceived and born in a state of sin since she is a human being just like the rest of us. Only Christ was free of sin. We do venerate the Panagia highly though. She is the holiest of all the Saints and is like a member of our families. We do believe that the Panagia committed no actual personal sins. We believe that both through God’s grace and her free cooperation with God’s grace – both go together- she committed no sin. We believe she overcame every temptation to sin and thus remained ever pure, even in her mind and soul. There is a synergy, a cooperation, going on between God and the Panagia. She exercises her free will to respond to God

@Deleted User @Ragnarok do I have to accept immaculate conception to be Catholic? I do believe the Virgin Mary to be holy and pure, hence, "Hail Mary, full of grace." However, I can't find myself to see her as without original sin. She is merely human after all.

If God can save her from original sin, why didn't he do it for the rest of us? Instead, Christ's sacrifice even sanctified her.

@Iakovos yes you do

That falls under papal infallibility

Even Aquinas rejected it.

Remember what Elizabeth said

What did she say?

@Ragnarok

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/4027.htm

Read this, this is from Aquinas

Also Rag @Ragnarok priest said apostasy can be forgiven.

Is this true? As long as one repents, despite Hebrews 6:4? The book of James says it can, too.

Then ask him why Hebrews appears to say something different

Check the scriptures higher

Technically you are not an apostate of the Church because you never left Catholicism

apostasy isn't a mortal sin

Denouncing Christ is.

Remember the 12 apostoles

Denying the sanctification of your baptism is.

one denounced christ in his time of need

True.

yet not only he was accepted in paradise

he carried on the will of Christ

And Christ did say, "Whoever denies me I will deny before my Father."

And Christ forgave Peter.

I have said before, and I will say it again

Christ will and ALWAYS wait for someone to find his way back

But even now we sleep in faith awaiting the bridegroom. The marriage between Church and Christ.

That will happen in his second coming, yet you have to understand

that your faith inside you is what matters mostly

your connection to god

I know. The lamp oil.

If you believe that your apostasy have severed the connection you have with God, you could ask a your local pastor/priest for guidance on fasting and daily prayer

But now that you have returned back to the light don't worry, god will stand with you and help you on your journey

I asked my priest to pray for me.

I may join the Catholic Church to be confirmed and partake of the Eucharist, but I will be exploring Orthodoxy.

Since Catholics believe that Orthodox are valid, immaculate conception doesn't seem necessary for Heaven.