A new academic leadership team will be installed and 31 vicars inducted into their preparatory service during a celebratory service at the Castle Church in Wittenberg on September 1, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.
On September 1, the new vicars of the 2026–2028 training cohort will be admitted to preparatory service and blessed for their ministry during a service at the Castle Church at 6:00 p.m.
This marks the first time that this phase of training begins jointly at the Wittenberg Preachers' Seminary for vicars from the Evangelical Church of Anhalt (3), the Evangelical Church of Berlin-Brandenburg-Silesian Upper Lusatia (15), and the Evangelical Church in Central Germany (13).
Through this step, the regional churches demonstrate their close cooperation regarding training for ordained ministry. To this end, they have also harmonized their regulations governing preparatory service and examinations.
This structural shift is accompanied by personnel changes and new beginnings:
During the service, Pastor Dr. Miriam Wojakowska (Berlin) and Pastor Sören Brenner (Halle/Saale) will be installed in their new roles as academic directors at the Evangelical Preachers' Seminary in Wittenberg.

Thursday, August 27 | 12:00 PM | Palace Church

OrgelPunkt12 with Irene Roth-Halter (Konstanz)

Irene Roth-Halter → Organist, pianist, and harpsichordist
As a freelance artist, she maintains an active concert schedule—both as a soloist and a chamber music partner—performing in Germany and abroad. She serves as the organist at St. Stephan’s Church in Konstanz and, until 2020, was a lecturer in piano and organ at the Thurgau University of Teacher Education.

The castle church can be visited at the following times: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday or public holidays from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The tower opens at the same time as the castle church, last ascent possible until 4 p.m. Current: On September 1, 2026, the church and visitor center will close at 3:30 p.m.; the last ascent of the tower is possible at 3:00 p.m. [Info from August 24, 2026]