The Moravian Stars are Famous Around the World
The recently restored Moravian Church in Herrnhut

Saxony Celebrates 300 Years of Herrnhut
and the Moravian Church


Herrnhut, the home of the Moravian Church, an important pilgrimage site, celebrates its founding 300 years ago.  
 
New York, New York, April 14 -- On April 8 this year, the celebration of the beginning of the Moravian Church in Herrnhut began. The town of Herrnhut in southeastern Saxony is the founding place of the Moravian Church, internationally known for the production of the Moravian Stars and worldwide missionary work. The Moravian Church, today based on four continents, has worldwide church and cultural-historical significance. Together with the neighboring towns, Herrnhut forms a regional center in the heart of Saxony’s Upper Lusatia between Löbau and Zittau, along Saxony's Via Sacra scenic route.
 
Starting with the exhibit in the Museum of Ethnology on April 8, the festival celebrating the founding of the Moravian Church has begun. The "Day of Open Doors“ will take place on May 7 while the newly restored organ will be dedicated on May 14 and 15. From June 11 to 19, a festival week will stage discussions and concerts and events.
 
Three hundred years ago, on June 17, 1722, a small group of intrepid protestant refugees from Moravia and Bohemia, the modern day Czech Republic, arrived in Herrnhut. These Christian believers related to the early followers of Jan Hus in today's Czech Republic sought religious refuge. Saxon Count Nicholas Ludwig von Zinzendorf, a deeply pious man known for his strong religious conviction, granted the Moravians a small patch of land that is today called Herrnhut. Fortunately, the Elector of Saxony at that time, Augustus the Strong, was a tolerant leader and did not stop Zinzendorf from protecting these Protestants. This was notable because Augustus the Strong had previously converted to Catholicism to become King of Poland. He was remarkably even more tolerant than his Protestant forbearers would have been to the Moravians.
 
The group sought to create brotherhood and unity. And, with Zinzendorf’s leadership, the Christian community created an atmosphere of religious acceptance. Lutherans, German Reformed, and various types of Pietists were united into a “Brüdergemeine” or Community of the Brethren. Zinzendorf and his followers promoted “Theology of the Heart,” which focused on the essential relationship between Christ and the believer rather than being overly concerned with doctrinal differences between churches. Christianity was defined as faith in Christ, love for one another and the world, and hope for the future. The ability to live in a loving community was a mark of true faith. Herrnhut became a special place that attracted people from all over Central Europe who wanted a more intense and personal Christian commitment.
 
Through its commitment to spreading its ideas and religious evangelization, this small community of Christians influenced how Christianity today is practiced throughout the world. The Moravian missionaries traveled all over the world to share their message. In fact, the Völkerkundemuseum (Museum of Ethnology) in Herrnhut houses items from all over the world that the Moravians brought back from their missionary trips. This museum is a part of the State Art Collection Dresden and houses items from India, Asia, North and South America, Greenland among other countries.
 
Today, the impact of the Moravian church in Herrnhut and the openness of their theology can be felt all over the world and especially in America where more than 60,000 Moravians are settled.
Many people recognize the Moravian Church’s influence through their Daily Texts, a tradition of delivering a “daily message from God that is new every morning.” The first Daily Text was published in Herrnhut in 1731 and today the texts reach over 1.5 million people in 50 different languages. 
 
The Moravian Star is also recognized around the world. The stars originated in Saxony in the 1830s as a craft project to teach Moravian boys about geometry. In 1880, Pieter Verbeek opened a small bookstore where he began to sell the Stars. Pieter’s son, Harry, improved his father’s business and opened a star manufactory in Herrnhut, Germany. The stars were mass produced and sent all over the world, including America. Although the original manufactory was burnt down in WWII, it was rebuilt in 1950s, and can be visited. The stars can have anywhere from six to over 100 points but the original Moravian Star has 26 points and represents the holiday season.
 
Herrnhut is a pilgrimage site for many visitors searching the site of the first Moravian church and it also lies along Europe’s Via Sacra scenic route linking many important religious sites. Visitors can see Berthelsdorf Church, the site of the first communion, Count Zinzendorf’s Manor House and grave, as well as the unpretentious and poignant cemetery which is especially impressive for its simplicity.
 
Students looking to research the history of the Moravian church can search the extensive Moravian Archives, the oldest archive house in Saxony. Founded in 1764, the archives include a library of all publications of the Moravian Church and of Moravian authors, such as letters, mission reports, memoirs, and congregation diaries. In 1945, the Russian Army burned down the original Moravian Church built in 1756, but the community rebuilt the church in the 1950s with a simplified interior, due to financial restraints. On the occasion of this anniversary, the church has now been restored back to its original appearance.
 
Herrnhut is approximately 90km from Dresden and best reached by car. The Moravian Church’s Guest House has the largest accommodation; the house with its park-like garden is situated in a quiet location on the outskirts of the historic old part of the town. The town center can easily be reached on foot in just a few minutes. Herrnhut is surrounded by beautiful countryside with plenty of options to explore by bike or hiking. The locals are very kind and always welcome foreigners to join their Moravian Church service on Sundays or their Easter service at dawn.
 
  
For further information, please contact Victoria Larson, USA Press Representative, State Tourist Board of Saxony at Victoria@vklarsoncommunications.com
 
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