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Luther and Melanchthon - portraits from the Cranach workshop in the visitor reception of the castle church - Sunday lecture on the occasion of the handover
In 2022 and 2023, the Wittenberg Sunday Lectures will be dedicated to the topic of new beginnings. Lectures will be held at random this year and next.
On the occasion of the new public presentation of the portraits of the reformers Martin Luther and Phillip Melanchthon in the visitor reception of the Castle Church, the Evangelical Preachers' Seminary invites you to a Sunday lecture.
The second lecture entitled “Authentic Reproductions? A fact check on portrait painting in the Cranach workshop" takes over Prof. Dr. Gunnar Heydenreich from the Cologne Institute for Restoration and Conservation Science.
As a connoisseur of the Cranach portraits, Prof. Heydenreich introduces Cranach's painting technique and the production methods of his workshop. What comes from the master himself? What did journeymen carry out on Cranach's behalf or in free design? What did Cranach intend to do with the portrait paintings? Did he want to create authentic reproductions of the contemporaries depicted, or rather to vividly shape an image of the respective person?
With the focus on the portraits of the Cranach workshop, Prof. Heydenreich takes up a central theme of the Wittenberg Reformation. He examines Cranach's contribution to the illustration of basic ideas of the Reformation, in particular to the dissemination of the portraits of their leading figures. The Union of Evangelical Churches leaves two valuable portraits to the Evangelical Preachers' Seminary in Wittenberg. The paintings of the reformers Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon come from the workshop of Lucas Cranach.
The second Sunday lecture will take place on October 2nd at 11:30 a.m. in the auditorium of the Evangelical Preacher Seminary on the top floor of the castle. Access is via the visitor center in the Castle Church.
Cordial invitation!
According to legend, on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 theses—his ideas and criticisms of the Church—to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. His ideas were so influential that they transformed the Church. They ultimately led to the founding of the Protestant Church—which is why this day is so important to us. On Reformation Day, Christians celebrate Martin Luther's courage in initiating the reform of the Church and the freedom that faith grants to every individual.
The Thesis Door
According to tradition, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses in Latin on this door, inviting scholars to debate them. The purpose of this debate was to clarify whether the Church's practice of selling indulgences was in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. This marked the beginning of the Reformation. The original wooden "Thesis Door" was destroyed in the great fire that ravaged the church in 1760. In 1858, King Frederick William IV of Prussia donated the current bronze door, on the panels of which the Latin text of the theses is cast.
Introduction to Philipp Spielmann
I look forward to exploring the beautiful surroundings of Wittenberg by bike, to beautiful church services, musical highlights, old and new songs, and to meeting you!
History
Around 1340, the Ascanian dukes had an "All Saints' Chapel" built at their castle and founded a collegiate monastery in it for liturgical service. Elector Friedrich the Wise had the palace with the chapel demolished and his new residential palace with a more spacious palace church built on the site. You can find out more about the story here.
Church for children
Every Sunday there is a children's service in the Wittenberg Castle Church, parallel to the adult service. Ms. Felicia Grauel is one of the volunteers for the children's service.