On 31 October at 13:00, the 500th anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation will be solemnly marked with a worship service at St Peter’s Church in Riga. At the festive worship service everyone is invited to reflect on the changes brought about by the Reformation, not only in the church but in society as a whole.
The reform of the church begun by Dr. Martin Luther grew from an internal dispute among the clergy into a social phenomenon embracing the broadest strata of society, developing languages and changing the way people viewed events in the world, especially in science and culture.
The central festive worship service will take place at St Peter’s Church, which was the centre of Reformation events in Livonia. There, through the work of Andreas Knopken, Luther’s ideas spread more rapidly than elsewhere in Europe, with freedom of faith being proclaimed in Riga as early as 1525.
The words of Dr. Martin Luther have been chosen as the credo of the Reformation anniversary worship service
“The preaching of the gospel is never in vain, and therefore we must devote all our strength to it.”
Several notable events have already taken place this year in commemoration of the Reformation: a scholarly conference at the University of Latvia, an exhibition at the Riga Stock Exchange museum, and a number of scholarly and popular lectures are also expected in Riga and other Latvian cities, as well as the opening of several exhibitions. The sheer range of events alone points to the enduring significance of the Reformation in cultural history and also in today’s society.
The festive worship service at St Peter’s Church will be attended by Archbishop emeritus Elmars Ernsts Rozitis, Bishop emerita Jana Jerum-Grinberg, deans Klavs Berzins, Karlis Zols and other clergy.
More information:
Pastor Rinalds Gulbis