On this day in 1409, the Council of Pisa was called into session in an attempt to end the Great Schism and the competing Avignon and Roman claimants to the papacy. The Catholic Church had found itself split and unable to determine who the real pope was. Unfortunately, the Council of Pisa ended with the inauguration of the Pisa line of papal claimants under anti-pope Alexander V and instead of having to determine the true pope among two opponents, now the faithful had to chose between three possibilities. This problem would not be resolved until the Council of Constance in 1414.

More information on the Council of Pisa can be found in episode #158 of Catholic:Under The Hood.