Schism of East and West

Schism of East and West division between the Orthodox Eastern Church and the Roman Catholic Church . See Christianity ; Ferrara-Florence, Council of ; Leo IX, Saint ; Lyons, Second Council of ; papacy ; Photius .

East-West Schism The schism between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Western (or Roman) Church, which became definitive in the year 1054. Tension between the two Churches dated back at least to the division of the ROMAN EMPIRE into an Eastern and a Western part, and the transferral of the capital city from Rome to Constantinople in the 4th century. An increasingly different mental outlook between the two Churches resulted from the occupation of the West by formerly barbarian invaders, while the East remained the heirs of the classical world. This was exacerbated when the popes turned for support to the HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE in the West rather than to the BYZANTINE EMPIRE in the East, especially from the time of CHARLEMAGNE onwards. There were also doctrinal disputes, and arguments over the nature of papal authority. Matters came to a head in 1054 when the two Churches, through their official representatives, excommunicated and anathematized (formally denounced) each other. The breach was deepened in 1204 when the Fourth CRUSADE was diverted to Constantinople and sacked the city and a Latin (Western) Empire was established there for some time. There were various attempts to heal the schism, notably at the ecclesiastical councils of Lyons II (1274) and Florence (1439), but the reunions proved fleeting. These attempts were effectively brought to an end when the OTTOMAN Turks captured Constantinople in 1453 and occupied almost all of the former Byzantine empire for many centuries. It is only in recent years that the dialogue between the two Churches to heal the schism has been effectively re-opened.

Great Schism. The term is used of: The breach between East and West, traditionally dated 1054, when Cardinal Humbert excommunicated Michael Cerularius and the latter excommunicated the Western legates. Negotiations continued over a long period. The formal repudiation of the Union of Florence by the Synod of Constantinople in 1484 marks the final breach. The division remains, though the anathemas of 1054 were nullified in 1965. The period 1378–1417, during which W. Christendom was divided by the creation of antipopes. The Council of Constance ended the schism with the election of Martin V.