indulgences and the Tetzel mission (1500 German reformation)

An introduction to indulgences:

Indulgences were bought by the people to reduce their time in Purgatory as it was seen as an act of 'Good Works'. Indugence selling had been going on long before 1516. Indulgences were valuable and bought by those who both could and couldn't afford them. It was a reflection of God's forgiving nature and showed that the sinner was repentant of ther crime.

John Tetzel:

John Tetzel was a dominican friar who in 1517 began an 8 year mission to travel across Europe, raising money for the church he began selling indulges on behalf of Pope Leo X to raise funds for the rebuilding of St Peter's Basilica…