About: Reformation Day

Reformation Day is a Protestant Christian religious holiday celebrated on 31 October in remembrance of the onset of the Reformation. According to Philip Melanchthon, 31 October 1517 was the day Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-five Theses on the door of the All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Electorate of Saxony, in the Holy Roman Empire. Historians and other experts on the subject argue that Luther may have chosen All Hallows' Eve on purpose to get the attention of common people, although that has never been proven. Available data suggest that 31 October was the day when Luther sent his work to Albert of Brandenburg, the Archbishop of Mainz. This has been verified; it is now regarded as the start of the Reformation alongside the unconfirmed nailing of the Ninety-five Theses/grievances to All Saints' Church's door on the same date. The holiday is significant for the Lutheran and Reformed Churches, although other Protestant communities also tend to commemorate the day.