The Great Schism of 1054<span>, </span><span>also called </span>East–West Schism, is an event that precipitated the final separation between the Eastern<span> Christian </span>churches<span>(led by the </span>patriarch<span> of Constantinople, </span>Michael Cerularius<span>) and the </span>Western Church<span> (led by Pope </span>Leo IX<span>). </span><span> During the great schism in the year 1378, the Roman Catholic Church split when the King of France decided that he did not like the Italian Pope and elected one of his own. The Great Schism, as it has been called, lasted for about 68 years, during which time there were two popes claiming authority over the Catholic Church.
