January 3 1521 – 24 Tevet 5281
Pope Leo X excommunicated Martin Luther in the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem formalizing a split between Catholics and Protestants that would lead to centuries of bloodshed. Although Leo is portrayed as the epitome of Church corruption, he provided protection for the Jews living in the Papal States, defied King Louis of France by not burning Jewish texts and actually encouraged a Christian printer to publish a complete, uncensored copy of the Talmud. Luther, by contrast, was extremely anti-semitic.