The Eastern Church

Constantinople was the main city of the eastern Christian Church, as well as the political capital of the Byzantine Empire. Four of the five main Christian bishops lived in eastern cities: Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. Only the bishop of Rome was not under the eastern emperor's political control. The emperors also tried to influence Church doctrine. Over time, the Roman bishop—the pope—developed an independence that led to conflicts with the eastern bishops. The eastern church was called orthodox, from two Greek words meaning "true belief." The

Eastern emperor and his bishops thought their version of Christianity was the correct one.

The final split between the eastern and western churches came in 1054, officially creating the Roman Catholic Church in the west and the Orthodox Church in the east. By that time, Orthodox beliefs had spread into parts of Europe beyond the Byzantine Empire, particularly Russia. Today, Russia and large parts of Eastern and Southern Europe still practice Orthodox Christianity, and immigrants from those regions brought their faith to North America.

Justinian’s Masterpiece

The dome and spires of Hagia Sophia still dominate the skyline of modern Istanbul.

Visigoths were in Spain, Angles and Saxons ruled much of Roman Britain, and the Burgundians controlled land along the Rhone River. As a political force, the Roman Empire in the west was dead.