The Great Schism

Patriarch Michael Keroularios sitting on a throne with clergymen from the Chronicle of John Skylitzes via Wikipedia

The first Great Schism was the separation of the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. Antagonisms over various issues had been brewing since the 9^th century but the break formally took place in 1054.

Relations between East and West had long been embittered by political and ecclesiastical differences and theological disputes.^[2] Prominent among these were the issues of “filioque“, whether leavened or unleavened bread should be used in the Eucharist,^[3] the Pope’s claim to universal jurisdiction, and the place of Constantinople in relation to the Pentarchy.¹

The antimony between East and West was brought to a head in 1053 by an attack on the Pope by Michael Cerularius, the patriarch of Constantinople. This resulted in the excommunication of Cerularius and his Eastern followers by Western papal authorities.

—

¹ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East%E2%80%93West_Schism

Related articles

• “Confronting the Claim of Eastern Orthodoxy to be…” (insightscoop.typepad.com)
• Clearing Confusion on Who Speaks for the Church | Suffering With Joy (intostillness.wordpress.com)
• Survey of Church History: From the Apostles to Jordan (compasschurchamman.wordpress.com)
• The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail Against It (everytongueproclaim.wordpress.com)