9、Wittenberg: The Holy City of the Reformation

Wittenberg: The Holy City of the Reformation

1. Wittenberg’s Holy Reputation

Wittenberg was once described as God’s glorious city, the seat and fortress of true Catholic doctrine, the capital of Saxony, Europe’s most excellent university, and the holiest place of the last millennium. Martin Luther, in a poem, related Wittenberg to the Holy City of Jerusalem. He believed that just as the Christian message once came from Jerusalem, it now emanated from Wittenberg. Luther rediscovered the Gospel, the true word of God, and saw a direct line from contemporary Wittenberg to Jerusalem, deliberately skipping the period when Rome was considered the Holy City, which he regarded as an age of decay.

2. Christian II’s Connection with Wittenberg

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