Introduction
The Great Western Schism was a major division in the Catholic Church that lasted from 1378 to 1417. It left Catholics unsure about who held legitimate authority as pope. This essay explores how the schism began after the return of the papacy from Avignon to Rome and examines the resulting confusion, which affected ordinary believers as well as recognised saints. The discussion highlights the historical context, key events, and the personal difficulties faced by those trying to remain faithful.
The Origins of the Schism
The schism arose in the late fourteenth century following the Avignon Papacy, when popes had resided in France rather than Rome for much of the previous seventy years. Pope Gregory XI returned the papal court to Rome in 1377. After his death the following year the cardinals elected Urban VI, an Italian, as his successor. However, several cardinals later claimed that the election had taken place under pressure and withdrew to elect another pope, Clement VII, who established his court once more in Avignon. Two rival lines of popes therefore claimed authority, one based in Rome and the other in Avignon. A further claimant appeared in 1409 when the Council of Pisa elected yet another pope, creating three simultaneous claimants. This sequence of disputed elections produced sustained uncertainty about the identity of the true successor of St Peter.
Popular and Saintly Confusion
Because both (and later all three) claimants maintained that they alone were the lawful pope, Catholics throughout Europe faced a practical dilemma. Kings, bishops, and laypeople had to decide which obedience to follow, often according to political allegiance rather than clear theological certainty. Even individuals renowned for holiness found themselves on opposing sides. St Catherine of Siena, for example, remained convinced that Urban VI and his Roman successors were the legitimate popes and wrote letters urging recognition of that line. In contrast, St Vincent Ferrer initially supported the Avignon claimant and continued to do so for many years before later working to end the division at the Council of Constance. These differing positions illustrate that sincere and devout people could reach contradictory conclusions when presented with rival papal claimants each supported by cardinals and theologians. The absence of an agreed mechanism for resolving the conflict prolonged the uncertainty and left many Catholics anxious about the validity of sacraments administered under the rival obediences.
Conclusion
The Great Western Schism therefore originated from disputed elections after the papacy’s return to Rome and created prolonged confusion that extended even to saints. The episode demonstrates how questions of papal legitimacy could divide the faithful when political circumstances and contested procedures obscured the rightful line of succession. Resolution came only with the Council of Constance and the subsequent election of Martin V in 1417, which restored a single, generally recognised pope.
References
- Logan, F.D. (2002) A History of the Church in the Middle Ages. London: Routledge.
- Renouard, Y. (1970) The Avignon Papacy 1305–1403. London: Faber and Faber.
- Swanson, R.N. (1994) Religion and Devotion in Europe, c.1215–1515. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
