March 16th in Christ

1521: Martin Luther, the key figure in launching the Protestant Reformation, arrived at the University of Erfurt to prepare for his defense at the Diet of Worms. Having posted his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517, Luther was summoned by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V to recant his teachings. On this date, he was en route to Worms, where he would famously refuse to retract his criticisms of the Catholic Church on April 17–18, 1521. His stand—“Here I stand, I can do no other”—solidified his break with Rome and galvanized the Protestant movement, marking a pivotal moment in its early development.
1621: Samoset, a Native American from the Abenaki tribe, walked into the Plymouth Colony and greeted the Pilgrims in English with “Welcome, Englishmen!” The Pilgrims, Protestant separatists who had fled England seeking religious freedom, had arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. Samoset’s visit facilitated initial communication and trade with local tribes, aiding the survival of this fledgling Protestant community. His interaction paved the way for the later alliance with Squanto and the Wampanoag, critical to the colony’s endurance and its role in shaping Protestantism in America.