The Luther seal or Luther rose is a widely recognized symbol for

Lutheranism Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Cathol ...

. It was the

seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, or "true seal" ** Fur seal * Seal (emblem), a device to impr ...

that was designed for

Martin Luther Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...

at the behest of

John Frederick of Saxony John Frederick I (30 June 1503 in Torgau – 3 March 1554 in Weimar), called the Magnanimous, was the Elector of Saxony (1532–1547) and head of the Schmalkaldic League. Early years John Frederick was the eldest son of Elector John by his firs ...

in 1530, while Luther was staying at the

Coburg Coburg () is a town located on the Itz river in the Upper Franconia region of Bavaria, Germany. Long part of one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined Bavaria by popular vote only in 1920. Until the revolution of 1918, it was ...

Fortress during the

Diet of Augsburg The Diet of Augsburg were the meetings of the Imperial Diet of the Holy Roman Empire held in the German city of Augsburg. Both an Imperial City and the residence of the Augsburg prince-bishops, the town had hosted the Estates in many such sess ...

Lazarus Spengler Lazarus Spengler (March 13, 1479 in Nuremberg – September 7, 1534 in Nuremberg) was a prominent supporter of Martin Luther and leader of the Protestant Reformation in Nuremberg, as well as a famous hymnwriter. Life and career Spengler was t ...

, to whom Luther wrote his interpretation below, sent Luther a drawing of this seal. Luther saw it as a compendium or expression of his

theology Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

and

faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people often ...

, which he used to authorize his correspondence. Luther informed

Philipp Melanchthon Philip Melanchthon. (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lu ...

on 15 September 1530, that the Prince had personally visited him in the

fortress and presented him with a

signet ring A seal is a device for making an impression in wax, clay, paper, or some other medium, including an embossment on paper, and is also the impression thus made. The original purpose was to authenticate a document, or to prevent interference with a ...

, presumably displaying the seal.''LW'' 49, 356-359.

Components of the seal connected to Luther earlier than 1530

A single rose had been known as Luther's emblem since 1520 when Wolfgang Stöckel in Leipzig published one of Luther’s sermons with a woodcut of the reformer. This was the first contemporary depiction of Martin Luther. Luther's doctor's ring displayed a heartlike shield, the symbol of the

Holy Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

Luther's interpretation of his seal

In a 8 July 1530 letter to

, Luther interprets his seal:

Use in Byzantine Rite Lutheranism

Churches of

Byzantine Rite Lutheranism Eastern Lutheranism (also known as Byzantine Lutheranism or Byzantine Rite Lutheranism) refers to Lutheran churches, such as those of Ukraine and Slovenia, that use a form of the Byzantine Rite as their liturgy. It is unique in that it is based o ...

, such as the

Ukrainian Lutheran Church The Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC; Українська Лютеранська Церква), formerly called the Ukrainian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession, is a Byzantine Rite Lutheranism, Byzantine Rite Lutheran Church based in Uk ...

, use the Luther rose with an

Orthodox cross The Russian Orthodox Cross (or just the Orthodox Cross by some Russian Orthodox traditions) is a variation of the Christian cross since the 16th century in Russia, although it bears some similarity to a cross with a bottom crossbeam slanted the ...

in the centre.

Use in coats of arms

The Luther rose is used in many coats of arms. The assumption that

had visited any of these places is not confirmed.

German and Austrian arms

Image:Wappen Langenholtensen.png,

Langenholtensen Langenholtensen is a village near the town of Northeim and part of that town, in Lower Saxony. The name comes from Holzhausen, a quite frequently occurring place-name in Germany. Geography The village of Langenholtensen lies just north of Northei ...

Image:Wappen Kirchberg-Thening.svg,

Kirchberg-Thening Kirchberg-Thening is a municipality in the district Linz-Land in the Austrian state of Upper Austria. Population References

Cities and towns in Linz-Land District {{UpperAustria-geo-stub ...

Image:Wappen Rodgau.svg,

Rodgau Rodgau is a town in the Offenbach district in the ''Regierungsbezirk'' of Darmstadt in Hesse, Germany. It lies southeast of Frankfurt am Main in the Frankfurt Rhine Main Region and has the greatest population of any municipality in the Offenbach ...

Image:Wappen Wain.svg,

Wain A wagon or waggon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals or on occasion by humans, used for transporting goods, commodities, agricultural materials, supplies and sometimes people. Wagons are immediately distinguished from ...

Image:DEU Neuendettelsau COA.svg,

Neuendettelsau Neuendettelsau is a local authority in Middle Franconia, Germany. Neuendettelsau is situated 20 miles southwest of Nuremberg and 12 miles east of Ansbach. Since 1947 it has a Lutheran seminary ( ''Augustana Hochschule''). Diakonie Neuendettelsau ...

Image:Wappen at arriach.png,

Golden Luther rose in the coat of arms of

Arriach Arriach ( sl, Arjoh) is a municipality in the district of Villach-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. Geography Situated within the Nock Mountains range of the Gurktal Alps, about north of the city of Villach, Arriach houses the geographica ...

village

Image:AUT Ramsau am Dachstein COA.svg,

Ramsau am Dachstein Ramsau am Dachstein is a municipality in the district of Liezen, state of Styria, Austria. It is also the name of the elevated plateau between the Dachstein range and the Enns valley on which this municipality is located. The appendage ''am Dachs ...

Image:Wappen Greifenstein (Hessen).png,

Greifenstein Greifenstein is a municipality in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis in Hesse, Germany. Its administrative seat is Beilstein. Greifenstein covers 67.43 km² on the eastern slope of the Westerwald range. It was named for the castle of the same name in th ...

Notes

Bibliography

* Luther, Martin. ''D. Martin Luthers Werke, Kritische Gesamtausgabe. Briefwechsel''. 18 vols. Weimar: Verlag Hermann Böhlaus Nachfolger, 1930-85. (abbreviated as ''WABr'' above). * Luther, Martin. ''Luther's Works''. 55 Volumes. Various translators. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House; Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1957-1986. CD-ROM edition, 2001. (abbreviated as ''LW'' above).

External links

Lutheran Symbols and Crosses
{{Martin Luther Christian symbols Lutheranism Martin Luther Heraldic charges Seals (insignia) Heart symbols