Justus Jonas

Jonas came from Wittenberg's circle of reformers and was a close friend of Luther's. In 1541, he was sent to Halle on the order of the Saxon elector — Cardinal Albrecht had just left the city with his relics that February, and this capital of relics was waiting for someone to preach.

On 15 April 1541, Good Friday, he preached the first Protestant sermon at the Marktkirche; on 28 April he administered communion in both kinds — bread and cup shared alike among the congregation. That Christmas, the Ulrichskirche opened to hold the growing crowd of Protestant worshippers.

In 1543, he issued the Halle Church Order; on 3 November 1544, the city council formally installed him — contemporaries called it his “elevation to bishop.” Barely three and a half years passed between his first sermon and his installation, in which time he single-handedly established the church order of an entire city.

In January 1546, thawing ice on the Saale blocked Luther on his way to Eisleben, so he stayed at Jonas's house and preached there on the spot. Luther died in Eisleben on 18 February; the next day, Jonas preached his close friend's funeral sermon at St Andrew's Church there. On the night of 20 February, the coffin passed through Halle and lay overnight at the Marktkirche, the church Jonas himself pastored.

The gospel came to Halle by way of the pulpit, and by way of friendship. Today, a Chinese fellowship in this same city still gathers, reads Scripture, and cares for one another — we are still walking the same road.