What is Reformation Day?

To answer that question, let's ask another question.

When is Reformation Day?

Reformation Day is October 31st.

Now the first Reformation Day was October 31st 1517 and on that day Martin Luther a

monk in the city of Vittenberg nailed his 95 theses to the church door.

Now why would Luther do that?

In order to understand why Luther was doing that, we need to introduce a few more characters into the scene. One of those was enough to be a bishop. Yet in 1517, he was already bishop over two cities,

which was against church law.

And on top of that, he wanted to be the Archbishop of Mons.

Well, to hold these three offices was also against church law and that

meant that Albert needed a papal dispensation. So now we enter another

character into the story and this character is Leo the 10th. Leo the 10th of the Medici family of Florence

like that family was a patron of the arts. It was Leo the 10th who brought Michelangelo in to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling there in St Peter's

Basilica. And so Albert needing a papal dispensation Leo the 10th was in a position to give him one.

The two met and like good

businessmen they struck a deal and for 10,000 ducats Albert could have his three

bishoprics. But there was an issue for Albert, his money was largely in land and not in cash.

And so he needed to raise the money to fund this. And so we enter yet another character, and

this is the enter enter enter enterprising monk Tetsl. Tetzel devised a jingle to sell indulgences.

These were supplied by the Pope and these indulgences allowed not only for your past sins to be forgiven, but for your future sins to be forgiven.

And these indulgences also allowed you to get your relatives out of purgatory.

...