You know you are in trouble with the Pope when he issues a decree with your name across the top. Such was the case with Martin Luther when he was excommunicated by Pope Leo X in July of 1520. Here is one line of the decree to give you a taste from the excommunication: Let all this holy Church of God, I say, arise, and with the blessed apostles intercede with almighty God to purge the errors of His sheep, to banish all heresies from the lands of the faithful, and be pleased to maintain the peace and unity of His holy Church. Luther didn’t take too well to that and on December 10, 1520, burned the decree in public.
