Peter The Rock - Catholic View - Challenges - Schism

Schism

Internally, people questioned who rightfully was pope, while others wondered as to the role the Pope was to play outside of Rome. The papacy's most widely-known crisis, as well as its largest challenge to authority, came with the "Great Western Schism" (also known as the "Papal Schism") in the late Middle Ages, dating from 1378-1417. Seven popes ruled from Avignon in France in the early 14th century, until Gregory XI risked returning to turbulent Italy and the Roman seat. Following the close of the Avignon papacy in 1377, Urban VI, an Italian, took the reins over a predominantly French college of Cardinals. The Cardinals called the election into question and elected Clement VII as Pope. Germany, Italy, England, and the rest of Northern and Eastern Europe remained loyal to Urban, while France, Spain, Scotland, and Rome followed Clement VII (1378–1394) and his successor, Benedict XIII (1394–1417) who would reside in Avignon. Although thought many times to have been improved, the divide between the two papacies has never been rejoined, calling into question both the legitimacy of the popes and the Petrine Doctrine itself.