What is Reformation Day?
Reformation Day commemorates the beginning of the Protestant Reformation in 1517, when the German monk and theologian Martin Luther made public his Ninety-five Theses, a set of arguments against the sale of indulgences and other practices of the church. It is a major day for Lutheran and other Protestant churches, marked with special services and the singing of Luther's hymn A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. It is especially significant in the home region of the Reformation, in eastern Germany, where Wittenberg, Eisleben and Erfurt are important sites. Observances also include church concerts.
In Slovenia, 31 October is a public holiday that honours the Protestant Reformation in the Slovene lands and, in particular, Primož Trubar, the Protestant reformer who wrote the first printed books in the Slovene language, in 1550. The date is also observed as a public holiday in several German states, and in some other countries on the same date it is a church day only. In German-speaking countries it often coincides with the lead-up to All Saints' Day. Many Protestant congregations also hold evening services with the reading of the Theses.
Why it is observed
Tradition holds that Luther posted the Ninety-five Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on 31 October 1517, although historians debate whether the posting took place in that form. The theses were widely printed and became a central document of the Reformation. In Slovenia, the Reformation of the sixteenth century established the written Slovene language, which gave the day a national and cultural meaning beyond the religious one. Slovenia made 31 October a public holiday after gaining independence in 1991. In Germany it was a one-off holiday in 2017, for the 500th anniversary, in all states.
How the date is set
Reformation Day is fixed on 31 October. It is observed on that date in countries and regions where it is a holiday, and it is not moved.
How it is observed
Reformation Day is a public holiday in Slovenia, and in Germany in the states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and, since 2018, Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. In those places banks, offices and schools close and shops are shut. Elsewhere in Germany it is a normal working day. The date falls the day before All Saints' Day, so a long weekend is possible. Pay and time off depend on the state and the contract. Check the rules of your state or country. Check the rules in your state.
Slovenia