ABSTRACT
Imagine a December scene in 1525 Wittenberg. Vendors hawk their wares at Christmas markets, city dwellers and visitors buy victuals for their supper tables. A group of young men walk from door to door, singing and begging money or food from the residents. From the faint melody, they seem to be singing the traditional Christmas hymn ‘Dies est laetitiae’, or perhaps its German contrafactum, ‘Ein kindelein so lobeleych’. As they approach, however, their more shocking text becomes clear:
A doctor in Saxony saw in Rome the shame of the pope, cardinals and bishops. I must proclaim the truth! And thus one sees in holy Scripture that the pope is the Antichrist with his fancy boys. He gives the kingdom of heaven for money, with which he deceives the whole world; we must suffer the damage.1
