Pope participates in the celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation

While the visit initially raised eyebrows, the Vatican and Lutheran church both insist that Monday's event is no celebration of Luther's revolt. Rather, they say, it's a solemn commemoration to ask forgiveness for the schism in Western Christianity and rejoice that relations have improved in the last five decades.

Francis has prioritized these deeply symbolic encounters to show that even while divided on dogma, the Christian faithful must work together and pray together, especially in times of religious persecution.

After meeting with Sweden's prime minister and royals upon arrival Monday, Francis participates in an ecumenical prayer service at the Lutheran cathedral in Lund, in southern Sweden. Joining him is the head of the Lutheran World Federation, Bishop Munib Younan.

The Vatican and Lutheran delegations then ride together in a bus — itself an ecumenical voyage of sorts — to attend an event highlighting both churches' peace-making and humanitarian efforts. Testimony from refugees and the Catholic bishop of besieged Aleppo, Syria top the list of speakers.

Francis continues his visit on Tuesday with a Catholic Mass in the Malmo sports stadium, added in at the last minute after Sweden's tiny Catholic community balked that Francis was ignoring them and coming only for the Protestant commemoration.

The Protestant Reformation started in 1517 after Luther nailed 95 theses on the church door in the town of Wittenberg, denouncing what he saw as the abuses of the Catholic Church, especially the sale of indulgences.
Pope Leo X excommunicated him, but the church couldn't stop his teachings from spreading throughout northern Europe or the world. Catholics persecuted Protestants and vice-versa for hundreds of years.

St. Ignatius Loyola founded the Jesuit order in 1537, 20 years after Luther's protest, in part as a response to the heresies being promoted. Pope Francis also belongs to the Jesuit order.

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