Martin Luther was excommunicated by Pope Leo X in 1521 after Luther refused to recant his teachings on the Protestant Reformation. This excommunication was a major event in the history of the Reformation, as it marked the official split between the Catholic Church and the Protestant movement. Luther's teachings had been seen as a threat to the authority of the Pope and the Catholic Church, and the excommunication was seen as a way to protect the Church from further disruption.
