Anton Martin Slomšek
Encyclopedia
Anton Martin Slomšek was a Slovene bishop
, author
, poet
, and advocate of Slovene culture.
Slomšek was born to a peasant family in the hamlet of Slom near the village of Ponikva
in the Municipality of Šentjur, Lower Styria
. He studied theology
and philosophy
before being ordained in 1824 at the seminary
in Klagenfurt
. From 1829 to 1838 Slomšek was spiritual director of the seminary of Klagenfurt. In the latter year he became the priest of Saldenhofen an der Drau. In 1844 Slomšek moved to Sankt Andrä
and headed the school of the Diocese of Lavant
. He became a priest in Celje
in 1846, and in the same year he was ordained Bishop of Lavant.
In the following years Slomšek strove for the transfer of the See of Lavant
from Sankt Andrä
in eastern Carinthia
to Maribor
in Lower Styria, which he achieved in 1859. He strove for religious education and education in Slovene
, writing numerous books on the matter. Slomšek was considered an excellent preacher and a tireless and modest priest. He also wrote songs, some of which, such as the toast "En hribček bom kupil" (I Will Buy a Small Hill) have achieved widespread popularity and are still sung today.
Together with Andrej Einspieler
and Anton Janežič
, Slomšek was the co-founder of the Hermagoras Society, the oldest Slovene publishing house.
Slomšek died in Maribor in 1862.
In 1996, Slomšek was described as a "Venerable Servant of God" by Pope John Paul II. On 19 September 1999, John Paul II announced Slomšek's beatification
in Maribor, instead of Rome
, as is the usual custom.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and advocate of Slovene culture.
Slomšek was born to a peasant family in the hamlet of Slom near the village of Ponikva
Ponikva
Ponikva is a settlement in the Šentjur municipality in eastern Slovenia. The area is part of the historical Lower Styria region. The municipality is now included in the Savinja statistical region...
in the Municipality of Šentjur, Lower Styria
Lower Styria
Lower Styria or Slovenian Styria is a traditional region in northeastern Slovenia, comprising the southern third of the former Duchy of Styria. The population of Lower Styria in its historical boundaries amounts to around 705,000 inhabitants, or 34.5% of the population of Slovenia...
. He studied theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
before being ordained in 1824 at the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Klagenfurt
Klagenfurt
-Name:Carinthia's eminent linguists Primus Lessiak and Eberhard Kranzmayer assumed that the city's name, which literally translates as "ford of lament" or "ford of complaints", had something to do with the superstitious thought that fateful fairies or demons tend to live around treacherous waters...
. From 1829 to 1838 Slomšek was spiritual director of the seminary of Klagenfurt. In the latter year he became the priest of Saldenhofen an der Drau. In 1844 Slomšek moved to Sankt Andrä
Sankt Andrä
Sankt Andrä is a town in the district of Wolfsberg in Carinthia in Austria. It is named for Saint Andrew.- External links :*...
and headed the school of the Diocese of Lavant
Lavant
Lavant was a prince-bishopric, suffragan of the Prince-archbishop of Salzburg, then in the southern part of imperial Austria's Styria. Later the area was re-assigned to presentday Slovenia. It became the Slovenian bishopric of Maribor, a suffragan of the Archbishop of Ljubljana, on 5 March 1962...
. He became a priest in Celje
Celje
Celje is a typical Central European town and the third largest town in Slovenia. It is a regional center of Lower Styria and the administrative seat of the Urban Municipality of Celje . The town of Celje is located under Upper Celje Castle at the confluence of the Savinja, Ložnica, and Voglajna...
in 1846, and in the same year he was ordained Bishop of Lavant.
In the following years Slomšek strove for the transfer of the See of Lavant
Lavant
Lavant was a prince-bishopric, suffragan of the Prince-archbishop of Salzburg, then in the southern part of imperial Austria's Styria. Later the area was re-assigned to presentday Slovenia. It became the Slovenian bishopric of Maribor, a suffragan of the Archbishop of Ljubljana, on 5 March 1962...
from Sankt Andrä
Sankt Andrä
Sankt Andrä is a town in the district of Wolfsberg in Carinthia in Austria. It is named for Saint Andrew.- External links :*...
in eastern Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
to Maribor
Maribor
Maribor is the second largest city in Slovenia with 157,947 inhabitants . Maribor is also the largest and the capital city of Slovenian region Lower Styria and the seat of the Municipality of Maribor....
in Lower Styria, which he achieved in 1859. He strove for religious education and education in Slovene
Slovenian language
Slovene or Slovenian is a South Slavic language spoken by approximately 2.5 million speakers worldwide, the majority of whom live in Slovenia. It is the first language of about 1.85 million people and is one of the 23 official and working languages of the European Union...
, writing numerous books on the matter. Slomšek was considered an excellent preacher and a tireless and modest priest. He also wrote songs, some of which, such as the toast "En hribček bom kupil" (I Will Buy a Small Hill) have achieved widespread popularity and are still sung today.
Together with Andrej Einspieler
Andrej Einspieler
Andrej Einspieler was a Slovene politician, Roman Catholic priest and publicist, and one of the early leaders of the Old Slovene national movement in the 19th century. He was known as the "father of the Carinthian Slovenes"....
and Anton Janežič
Anton Janežic
Anton Janežič, also known in German as Anton Janeschitz was a Carinthian Slovene linguist, philologist, author, editor, literary historian and critic.- Life :...
, Slomšek was the co-founder of the Hermagoras Society, the oldest Slovene publishing house.
Slomšek died in Maribor in 1862.
In 1996, Slomšek was described as a "Venerable Servant of God" by Pope John Paul II. On 19 September 1999, John Paul II announced Slomšek's beatification
Beatification
Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...
in Maribor, instead of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, as is the usual custom.