Pope Francis goes to Sweden on Monday to help start commemorations of the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's Reformation, a trip that has won him praise from Lutherans but criticism from Catholic conservatives. Martin Luther, a German, started the Reformation in 1517 when he wrote 95 theses criticising the Catholic Church for corruption in Rome, including the buying of ecclesiastical privileges, nepotism, usury and the selling of indulgences. On Monday Francis and Lutheran leaders will hold an ecumenical prayer service in Lund's Lutheran cathedral and another inter-religious event in nearby Malmo. Conservative Catholics believe their Church has conceded too much to Lutherans and should not be taking part in any event that praises Luther. Pope Francis has called Luther "an intelligent man" who was rightly upset by the corruption, worldliness, greed and lust for power that existed in the Catholic Church at the time.

Source: The Star October 31, 2016 14:55 UTC