Who was responsible for the Great Schism?

Question: Who was responsible for the Great Schism!?

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It was caused by bad will on both sides!. For several centuries the Eastern and Western churches had been drifting apart!. The eastern churches adopted regional languages in place of Latin, permitted married men to enter the priesthood, and maintained that the five Patriarchs were co-equal, and that the Pope (Patriarch of Rome) was not the sole head of the church!. The rise of Islam weakened the presence and influence of the patriarchs of Antioch, Jerusalem and Alexandria, so the main competition was between Constantinople and Rome!. There were several doctrinal issues also!. In 1054 the issue came to a head when papal legates placed articles of excommunication on the altar of the Church of the Holy Wisdom (that's the translation of Hagia Sophia, not St!. Sofia) In response, the legates and the Western clergy were declared Anathema (the Eastern equivalent of excommunication)!. This is just a precis!. See the referenced website for more information!.Www@QuestionHome@Com