History glossary
Great Schism
the formal split between Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity.
- Category
- Church division
- Region
- Europe and eastern Mediterranean
- Date range
- 1054 CE
What it means
The formal split between Western Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christianity, symbolically associated with the mutual excommunications of 1054.
Stories using this term
The Rise of the Medieval Church
From the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Avignon papacy, this story traces how the Christian Church built its authority through bishops, monasteries, missions, reform, and direct confrontation with Europe's rulers.
The Rise of Christianity
From Jesus in Roman Judea to medieval Europe, Christianity grew from a persecuted movement into an imperial and civilisational force.
