What is an indulgence? According to Wikipedia, “In the teaching of the Catholic Church, an indulgence is ‘a way to reduce the amount of punishment one has to undergo for sins'”. So indulgence was used in the Catholic church and are still part of the Catholic tradition. Basically, it is something the Catholics sell to people to “forgive” them of their sins. It is sort of like a card that you get that means that you do not go to hell. It could also mean a ticket that gets you into heaven.

What are the sacraments? According to Wikipedia, “There are seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, which according to Catholic theology were instituted by Jesus and entrusted to the Church. Sacraments are visible rites seen as signs and efficacious channels of the grace of God to all those who receive them with the proper disposition”. The seven sacraments are Confirmation, Anointing of the sick, Matrimony, Eucharist, Reconciliation, Baptism, and Holy Orders. Some people believe that the sacraments are rituals that are used to teach and strengthen people.

What was the Great Schism? What factors brought it on? According to Britannica, “East-West Schism, also called Schism of 1054, event that precipitated the final separation between the Eastern Christian churches (led by the patriarch of Constantinople, Michael Cerularius) and the Western church (led by Pope Leo IX)”. According to the National Geographic Society, “The Great Schism came about due to a complex mix of religious disagreements and political conflicts”. So the Great Schism was a series of religious disagreements and political conflicts between the Eastern Christian churches and the Western church.