This year’s Reformation Days and other October events related to Protestantism in Lower Silesia took place in connection with the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.

Festivities, conferences, discussions, concerts, exhibitions and vernissages, accompanied by media interest, took place throughout the jubilee year; however, the closeness of the date of October 31, 2017 was particularly conducive to jubilee celebrations.

The Reformation Days took place in Wroclaw, which was held this year in the Lutheran parish of the Evangelical-Augsburg Church of Divine Providence and the Lower Silesian-Saxon Conference “Reformation-Art-Democracy”.

On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, two events took place in the Lutheran Church. The first of them – on Sunday October 29 – was the main service. The sermon was given by Fr. Bishop Ryszard Bogusz, who also read selected passages from Martin Luther’s theses and other writings. During Sunday school the children built castles, thus illustrating the first words of the Reformation hymn “Our castle is a stronghold”. One of the children’s buildings was presented at the end of the church service. There was music by the cantor of the parish, Dr. Dawid Ślusarczyk, and the well-known Cantores Minores Wratislavienses choir.

After the service in front of the church there was an unveiling of a Wroclaw dwarf that represents Martin Luther’s 95 theses in 1517.

The second service – this time with the character of vespers – took place in the evening exactly on the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther’s publication of the 95 theses. Dr. Dawid Slusarczyk, played the organ, Tomasz Kwiecinski (violin), Piotr Bugaj (trumpet), Olga Ksenicz (soprano) and Capella Ecumenica choir under the direction of Adam Rajcza. The sermon was given by Fr. Marcin Orawski, parish priest of Divine Providence Lutheran Church.

A lecture on the introduction and impact of the Reformation to Saxony and lectures devoted to reforming art, including Lucas Cranach’s painting, was presented in the program of the “Reformation-Art-Democracy” on 30 October. Speakers included Dr. Giudo Messling of the University of Passau and the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Roland Enke of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, and dr. hab. Piotr Oszczanowski, Director of the National Museum in Wroclaw.

During the conference a lecture “Protestantism and civil society” was delivered by professor  dr. hab. Wojciech Szczerba, Rector of the Evangelical School of Theology.

On the evening of the same day, an extraordinary event took place – the opening of the exhibition “Fashion of Cranach”. Prepared for the occasion of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, the exhibition shows the painting of the Reformation Days in Wroclaw and Silesia. The key to this unique presentation is the painting by Lucas Cranach and his circle and their influence on Silesia. Among the dozens of paintings shown at the exhibition included: Lucas Cranach’s famous Madonna under fir, Salome with the head of John the Baptist, Adam and Eve, and a poor couple.

During the vernissage in a solemn atmosphere one could not only watch the entire exhibition but also ask questions directly to its curator, Marek Pierzchale and the director of the National Museum in Wroclaw – dr hab. Peter Oszczanowski. The exhibition “Moda na Cranacha” can be viewed at the National Museum in Wroclaw from 31 October to 30 December 2017.

See the photo gallery of the Reformation Days.