# Photian schism (863)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/863-photian-schism
Location: Rome and Constantinople
Themes: Mission

A dispute between Pope Nicholas I and Patriarch Photius over the see of Constantinople foreshadows the later schism. At this point in the timeline (863), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Nicholas I "the Great" (24 April 858 – 13 November 867).

## Why it matters
Photian schism mattered because it changed the boundaries of communion between Christian churches, divisions that still shape Christianity today.

Pope at the time: [Pope Nicholas I "the Great"](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-nicholas-i-the-great)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Photian schism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photian_schism)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Photian schism](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Photian+schism)
- [Wikipedia — Medieval Church (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Catholic_Church#Middle_Ages)