The days of passion.

Stay in abundantly blessing of Elohim.

Martin Luther

In 1521, four years after nailing his 95 Theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle, the monk Martin Luther met King Charles V, the princes of Germany, and ecclesiastic authorities at the Diet of Worms, an assembly that Charles V organized to address the matter of Luther's martyrdom. On January 3, 1521, Pope Leo had excommunicated Martin Luther from the Roman Catholic Church for his accusations against it. At this diet, if Luther did not recant, then he would surely be executed.

The clip from above comes from the 2003 film Luther. It depicts Luther's hearing at the diet and his famous statement, "Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me."

Luther, in writing and displaying the 95 Theses, aimed his attacks on the Catholic Church especially at the sale of indulgences, which had peaked in his time. In the words of the catchy jingle that accompanied the sale, "As soon as a coin in the coffer rings / the soul from purgatory springs."




Painting by Ferdinand Pauwels (1872)
Image: http://www.google.com