As many welcome Halloween with jack-o’-lanterns, my family and I make another lamp to mark another holiday. On October 31st we carve a Luther-lantern and celebrate the birthday of the Protestant tradition.

Apart from shining gourds some Protestant throw parties, while others simply go to Church and pray in humble services. Reformation Day is a time of joyful celebration where we honour the past with gratitude, hope, and merriment. We also celebrate with a bit of jest and humour, like my yearly jack-o’-lantern posts in paintings of Reformers. Here are some from previous years.

2021

Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli at the Marburg Colloquy arguing over what Jesus said about jack-o’-lanterns.

2022

Martin Luther’s famous “Kürbislaternen Predigt” (jack-o’-lantern sermon) at the Wartburg.

2023

John Calvin‘s lesser-known Geneva lecture on jack-o’-lanterns.

2024

Martin Luther posting a second set of Theses on the mistreatment of jack-o’-lanterns.

2025

COMING SOON! HAPPY REFORMATION DAY!