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Pope Leo X

Definition

Pope Leo X was the head of the Catholic Church from 1513 to his death in 1521. He is perhaps best known for his conflict with Martin Luther and the subsequent Protestant Reformation that occurred during his papacy.

Analogy

Think of Pope Leo X as a school principal who's trying to maintain order and tradition, but then a rebellious student (Martin Luther) starts questioning the rules and even encourages others to do so, leading to a major shift in how things are done at school.

Related terms

Indulgence: A practice within the Catholic Church where sins could be "paid off" for a reduced time in purgatory. This practice was heavily criticized by Martin Luther.

Protestant Reformation: A religious movement in the 16th century that resulted in a schism within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther and continued by John Calvin, Huldrych Zwingli, and other early Protestant Reformers.

Excommunication: The action of officially excluding someone from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church. Martin Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X.