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Today in History, July 16

The map of the eastern/western allegiances in 1054 with the former country borders.

The Christian Church officially split into two, 959 years ago today, on July 16, 1054, with the Roman Catholic Church dominating in the West and the Orthodox Church dominating in the East. The split was preceded by a power struggle between the Pope and the Patriarch as well as disputes over property and fundamental differences in language and doctrine.

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