Final answer:
The division of the church into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches occurred in 1054 during the Great Schism. The Western Church, led by the Pope, was based in Rome and used Latin, while the Eastern Church, led by the Patriarch of Constantinople, was situated in Constantinople and used Greek. The split remains a fundamental moment in Christian history.
Step-by-step explanation:
Division of the Christian Church
The church was divided into the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches. After the fall of Rome, the Christian Church, while united in dogma, was unofficially split into western and eastern branches. In 1054, the Great Schism occurred, formally severing the two sides. The western branch, led by the Pope, was based in Rome and continued to use Latin, becoming known as the Roman Catholic Church. Meanwhile, the eastern branch, led by the Patriarch of Constantinople, centered its activities in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul) and adopted the Greek language for its services, evolving into the Eastern Orthodox Church.
The two churches differed in organizational hierarchy, language, and certain doctrines. The Roman Catholic Church maintained a strict system led by the Pope, with cardinals, archbishops, bishops, and priests. In contrast, the Eastern Orthodox Church allowed for a married clergy, with the exception of bishops, and did not elevate the Pope as the sole authority, valuing the consensus of various patriarchs.
Subsequent historical events, like the Crusades and the rise of Protestantism, further altered the Christian religious landscape in Europe. Nevertheless, the initial split between the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Churches remains one of the most significant divisions in Christianity's history.