The Lutheran Church has, from the time of the Reformation, continued the remembrance of saints. The theological basis for this remembrance is understood as being connected to the words of the Epistle to the Hebrews 12:1. The Apology of the Augsburg Confession states that the remembrance of the saints has three parts: thanksgiving to God, the strengthening our faith, and the imitation of the saints' holy living.
As a result, the Lutheran reformers retained a robust calendar of saints to be commemorated throughout the year. In addition to figures found in the Bible, early Christians such as Saint Lawrence and Martin of Tours were retained as saints on the calendar, as were extra-Biblical commemorations like the Assumption of Mary. Following the Reformation, most especially in the latter half of the twentieth century, many names were added to the calendar, both new and restored pre-Reformation commemorations.
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