Born in Germany in 1483, died in 1546, he broke with Rome after visiting Rome as a young priest and being appalled by the richness and splendor of the papal court. Luther firmly opposed the grandeur of St. Peter's Basilica, then under construction with monies collected by the papal sale of indulgences "for the forgiveness of sins." In 1517, Luther was hammering his "95 theses" on the church door back home in Wittenberg (where he was a professor of scripture), propositions opposing the pope's abuse of authority. Soon he was attacking the entire papal system. More importantly, a huge majority of Christians in his land were agreeing with him. By 1530, Luther was well on is way to starting a counter-force inside Christianity, another church, the Lutheran Church. It was the beginning of what came to be known as Protestantism. Luther had massive energies. He was a prolific writer, and he wrote with heart and wit, qualities that helped him enkindle in others the fire of his own convictions. His commentaries on scripture are still read, and his sacred music still sung. For centuries, the Roman Catholic Church has fought Luther. But since the mid-1960s, many Catholics have been revering Luther's reforming spirit, and some even want the Church to declare him a saint.

MODEL: Luther's energy. Once you have your vision, pursue it, with all you heart, and don't let anyone else get in the way.

To be remembered. If you were born on February 20, you are bent on registering and making an impression on others. You are very receptive and have an almost photographic memory. Ruled by the number 2 and the moon, you work well with others but tend to be oversensitive to the inattention of others.

Making your mark. You want to be taken seriously, so you try very hard to leave your mark on everything. You're not overbearing, usually, but you make your point by being self-assured and sympathetic to others. Letting it all hang out is your way of showing people you really care about what you do.

Teamwork. A valued member of any team, you show your commitment to the group and have no desire to be the dictator. You do, however, grow impatient with those who don't pull their weight and can even be harsh with those who are trying their best.

Go for the gold. You have an underdog spirit and show a tremendous will to win. You must try to avoid rubbing it in other people's faces and hurting feelings. Learning to rein in your emotions will make you more stable with those around you. Not to suggest that you completely cool your jets, it's just that your enthusiasm and belief in yourself tends to go overboard sometimes.

Don't sell out. Sometimes your empathy can work against you. Your desire to please can cause you to compromise your beliefs.

Advice for the impressionable: Stick to your principles and don't be so easily swayed by others. Beware of your tendency to overwhelm people. Use your receptive power and other mental strengths without involving so much emotion.

Also born on this day:
Ansel Adams (naturalist photographer) Louis I. Kahn (architect) Sidney Poitier (actor) Patty Hearst (heiress, kidnapped) Robert Altman (director) Gloria Vanderbilt (heiress, actress, designer) Charles Barkley (basketball all-star) Kurt Cobain (singer, Nirvana) Phil Esposito (hockey player) Rene Dubos (developed first commercial antibiotic) Nancy Wilson (singer) Bobby Unser (auto racer) Sandy Duncan (actress) Ivan Trump (Donald's ex)