Final answer:
The Roman Catholic Church became known as the Roman Catholic Church due to political and religious developments in the Roman Empire.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Roman Catholic Church became known as the Roman Catholic Church due to political and religious developments in the Roman Empire.
After the fall of Rome, the Christian Church was the only organized institution in medieval Europe. In 1054, there was a split in the church known as the Great Schism, where the eastern branch of Christianity established its center in Constantinople and adopted the Greek language. The western branch, under the pope, remained in Rome and became known as the Roman Catholic Church.
This split was caused by a combination of political and religious factors and resulted in each branch of Christianity maintaining its own organizational hierarchy. The Roman Catholic Church, under the leadership of the pope, became the most powerful international organization in Western Europe.