Luther fled Worms – the emperor condemned him. Made him an outlaw. Luther fled into hiding in the Thuringian Forest – fate reared its head a third time: The emperor had to leave Germany to go to Spain to fight his war with the King of France. Didn’t set foot in Germany again for ten years. After a banquet in the Vatican, wine flowing, Leo had a fever. Died that night.

Luther translated the New Testament into German. The Reformation rolled across Germany, the emperor’s sister converted to Protestant; defying popes, nobles seized church lands. Protestants and Catholics fought wars. A decade later the emperor came back to Germany to crush Luther – but it was too late.

Martin Luther preached an old gospel, sola fide – by faith alone.  No sinner, he said, could earn salvation – or buy forgiveness. Only faith can save him. He died in the winter of 1546.

Years passed, in Rome the unseen hand moved – better men than Borgias or Leos, after becoming cardinals, priests, friars, set out to heal a wounded church.