Today was all about the Protestant Reformation. Wittenberg is where Martin Luther famously nailed his “95 Theses” to the church door. A fire destroyed the original door in 1760, but the bronze-covered door (pictured below) replaced it and displays the theses in Latin. The church, now Lutheran All Saints’ Church, was built on the palace grounds of the duke around 1340. It was (of course) originally a Catholic church, which has been stripped down but still contains the original confessionals. Martin Luther is buried near the front altar.
Our tour guide explained that Martin was originally a Catholic monk who later married a former Catholic nun. One in our group asked if that was a common practice in the 1500’s. He obviously hadn’t been paying attention. Our guide wasn’t the best person to describe Catholic theology or biblical scenes. In a painting, she named Paul as one of the disciples with Jesus at The Last Supper. (He wasn’t there.) In another painting, she said, “In this image, Abraham was going to kill his son Isaac but killed a sheep instead.” Maybe something got lost in the translation, but there’s more to the story. I’m pretty sure Martin Luther would agree.
We disembark from the ship tomorrow morning, so we’ve begun the process of our goodbyes to the staff and passengers we’ve met along the way. I’m trying to talk Stuart into starting a YouTube channel with me called “Ask Stuart,” or “Stuart in Steerage,” where Americans can submit their questions about the UK, British people and British life, and Stuart will answer them on video. I think it would be a smashing hit. I’d do anything to hear him talk. He loves to talk and is a great storyteller. We will make it happen. We’ve created a lifelong friendship during this adventure. They have helped make this trip unforgettable.
