Pope Leo X (Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici) was born on this day in 1475. Leo spent crazy amounts of money, patronizing the arts and funding the War of Urbino. He is associated with the beginning of the Protestant Reformation, because his granting of indulgences for donors to St. Peter's reconstruction was criticized by Martin Luther in the latter's 95 Theses. Leo eventually issued a statement (the papal bull Exsurge Domine ("Arise, O Lord") condemning Luther's stance. This picture is Raphael, "Portrait of Pope Leo X with Cardinals Giulio de’Medici and Luigi de’Rossi", c. 1518.
No comments:
Post a Comment