Faith Matters - Listening to the People

One of the world’s most secular regions is preparing to mark a major religious anniversary: 500 years of Protestantism. According to the legend, Martin Luther nailed his famous theses to the door of Wittenberg Castle church in 1517. It heralded the split between Catholics and Protestants. Today the Protestant churches have some 800 million members, but here in the cradle of Protestantism membership is less than 15 percent.

We report on how the population of this region relates to religion, what role Luther still plays here, and how Wittenberg is preparing for the Luther anniversary. Politicians, artists and clergy express their opinions. We observe Christians and non-Christians celebrating traditional holidays, taking bike tours with diverse motivations, and finally the revival of a medieval spectacle: Luther’s wedding in the context of the gospel and sausages.