Religion of the Byzantine Empire

Warm Up!!!
• For today’s warm up, answer the following questions
in complete sentences:

– Constantinople locations linked together which two seas

and continents?

– What is Constantinople most remembered for?

 Introduction
• Christianity shaped the beliefs
and values that the majority of
people in the Byzantine
Empire.
—Sunday worship, the
Eucharist, was offered by
thousands of bishops and
priests throughout the entire
empire.
• However, Christianity will split
between Eastern and Western
Europe due to the conflict of
leadership and particular
practices.
 Introduction, Cont’d
—**Western Europe = Western Christianity (Roman
Catholic Church) led by the Pope.**
—**Eastern Europe = Eastern Orthodox (Greek
Orthodox) Church led by the Byzantine Emperors.
Eastern Europe =
Western Europe =
Eastern Orthodox
Western
Christianity (AKA
Roman Catholic)
Eastern Orthodox Christianity
• Eastern Orthodox Christianity
was centered on the capital
city of Constantinople.
—In Constantinople alone,
there were over 100
monasteries inhabited by
nuns or monks.
• The emperor of the Byzantine
Empire was the divine leader
of the Eastern Orthodox
Church.
—Seen as almost a God,
divine being, on earth.
• Although the emperor was the head of the Eastern Orthodox
Church, the Patriarch (or bishop) ran daily church activities.
—Power of the Patriarch is equivalent to the Pope in Western
Europe.
• The Eastern Church permitted the use of the vernacular
(common language of the people) in religious documents and
in the liturgy (primarily Greek in the Byzantine Empire).
—Liturgy = public worship services and rituals (Eucharist).

Vernacular!
Eastern Orthodox Christianity (cont.)
• Priests were permitted to marry.
• Divorce is allowed in particular situations.
• Eastern Orthodox Christianity focused on particular religious
icons.
—Icons = religious paintings depicting Jesus, Mary, saints, or
the cross believed to have sacred powers.
 Did YOU Know?!?
• A survey reported that 12% of Americans think Joan
of Arc was Noah’s Wife.

• The Earth weighs around

6,588,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, tons!

• Fine grained volcanic ash can be found as an

ingredient in some toothpastes.

• The most pushups ever performed in one day was

46,001!
Roman Catholic Church
• Western Christianity (Roman
Catholic Church) was centered
on the city of Rome.
• The Western Church (Roman
Catholic Church) was lead by
the Pope (bishop of Rome).
—The Pope held religious and
political authority over
numerous kings of Western
Europe.
• The Western Church believed
the Pope to be the
representative of Jesus on
Earth.
Roman Catholic Church (cont.)
• Latin was the official language of the Western Church and
was used in religious documents and in the liturgy
(worship and church services).
• Priests practiced celibacy
—Were not permitted to marry
• Divorce was not allowed

I Speak Latin!!
The Christian Church Splits
• The idea of who should lead the Christian Church
continuously plagued the Eastern and Western
Churches.
—Leadership of the Christian Church was the main
cause for the official splitting of the Christian Church.
SPLIT!!

Who Should
Lead???
• 1054: The Great Schism (East-West Schism): Official splitting of the
Christian Church.
— The Patriarch declared independence from Rome, the Pope and
patriarch excommunicated (ban from the group) each other,
formally splitting the Christian world:
o The Western Church is now formally named the Roman
Catholic Church with the Pope as the leader.
o The Eastern Orthodox Church is formally established in
Eastern Europe.
Daily religious ceremony is led by the Byzantine Patriarch.
1054 The Great Schism