The Great Schism and the Western Schism: The History and Legacy of the Most Important Splits in the Catholic Church

Summary

For nearly a thousand years following its foundation, there was only one Christian Church. Centered in the city of Rome, the Church expanded and grew until it became the dominant religion in Europe and beyond. The early growth of the Church had been suppressed by the Romans until the Emperor Constantine became the first to convert the empire to Christianity, and from that point forward, the growth of the Church was inextricably linked with the Roman Empire, the most powerful military, economic, and political force in the ancient world.

However, once the Western Roman Empire collapsed, Rome’s preeminence was not a situation that was welcomed in Constantinople, now the center of the Byzantine Empire and a thriving and wealthy metropolis. After being sacked by outsiders, Rome had become a virtual ghost town, partially ruined and inhabited by a small number of hardy survivors, yet in the center of the crumbling city was the Vatican Borgo, the Palace of the Supreme Pontiff and the heart of the Church. In retrospect, it is easy to see that this was a situation that was bound to lead to conflict and disagreement, with the Greek-speaking Eastern Orthodox Church centered in Constantinople and being governed by Latin-speaking popes in a faraway city.

To many, the pope is the embodiment of godly love in its purest form. No matter the weather or the inconvenience, millions upon millions of fervid devotees brave the congested streets of their cities, all for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to welcome the beloved Vicar of Christ. However, the modern perception of the pope is a far cry from how things were just a couple of centuries ago. There was a time when the holiest men of the world were constantly at each other's throats, willing to go to any lengths to secure the coveted papal title. By the late 14th century, tensions within the Church reached its breaking point, resulting in the Western Schism, an infamous split of the Catholic Church.