On the Reformation day, the 31st of October 2010 a Sunday service was held at the St. Cyril and Method church in Bardejov. At the same time, the service was culmination of church-wide celebrations under the Year of Leonard Stöckel.
The festivities started already on the Saturday evening by an organ concert of Anna Predmerská-Zúriková.
The service was dedicated to the memory of Reformation and the 500th anniversary of Leonard Stöckel’s birthday. He was born in Bardejov and was active as a pedagogue, theologist, and humanist. The board of Bishops of ECAC in Slovakia and other representatives of our church and public as well were present at the service. This event was broadcasted live by the Slovak television. After the live broadcast the Slovak television aired the premiere of a half-acted documentary about the history of ECAC in Slovakia „Solo gratia“ – only by grace.
People present in the church and those watching the live broadcasting were greeted by brother Jan Velebir, the local pastor. He was very glad that the service was attended not only by the three bishops of ECAC, the general supervisor, and the districtual supervisor, but also by five representatives of the historical Pentapolitana – pastors from Bardejov, Prešov, Košice, Sabinov, and Levoča.
The service was based on the text from bible Is 62, 6 – 8 and 10-12 and was given by General bishop Miloš Klátik. Pastor Anna Velebírová read Pastiersky list biskupov ECAV k Pamiatke reformácie after the sermon. This is a letter written by the three bishops of ECAC that emphasizes the need to adhere to the purity of Christian beliefs. They also called people on to hard and dutiful work of building our church, and positive confession to our Lord Jesus Christ. After this, brother pastor Jan Velebír introduced Leonard Stöckel and his Works and Jan Misak recited a poem about Leonard Stöckel that was composed specially for this occasion by Ladislav Fričovský.
As a part of the service the Award of Leonard Stöckel was handed out for the very first time. This award is designated for important people within the Lutheran church. The award was given to the doc. Andrej Hajduk, doc. Ján Grešo, and prof. Juraj Bándy – who thanked the board of ECAC in the name of the awarded people. The general supervisor – brother Pavel Delinga congratulated the awarded brothers in the name of the Board of ECAC.
The service was followed by laying of the first foundation stone of the museum of Leonard Stöckel, planting of the first tree of reformation, review of sacral architecture of ECAC and presentation of doc. Andrej Hajduk’s book.
People present in the church and those watching the live broadcasting were greeted by brother Jan Velebir, the local pastor. He was very glad that the service was attended not only by the three bishops of ECAC, the general supervisor, and the districtual supervisor, but also by five representatives of the historical Pentapolitana – pastors from Bardejov, Prešov, Košice, Sabinov, and Levoča.
The service was based on the text from bible Is 62, 6 – 8 and 10-12 and was given by General bishop Miloš Klátik. Pastor Anna Velebírová read Pastiersky list biskupov ECAV k Pamiatke reformácie after the sermon. This is a letter written by the three bishops of ECAC that emphasizes the need to adhere to the purity of Christian beliefs. They also called people on to hard and dutiful work of building our church, and positive confession to our Lord Jesus Christ. After this, brother pastor Jan Velebír introduced Leonard Stöckel and his Works and Jan Misak recited a poem about Leonard Stöckel that was composed specially for this occasion by Ladislav Fričovský.
As a part of the service the Award of Leonard Stöckel was handed out for the very first time. This award is designated for important people within the Lutheran church. The award was given to the doc. Andrej Hajduk, doc. Ján Grešo, and prof. Juraj Bándy – who thanked the board of ECAC in the name of the awarded people. The general supervisor – brother Pavel Delinga congratulated the awarded brothers in the name of the Board of ECAC.
The service was followed by laying of the first foundation stone of the museum of Leonard Stöckel, planting of the first tree of reformation, review of sacral architecture of ECAC and presentation of doc. Andrej Hajduk’s book.