On Saturday, November 7, 2026, the International Martin Luther Foundation will host its annual Luther Conference at the Campo Santo Teutonico in Rome and present the 2026 LutherRose award to Prof. Dr. Alberto Melloni (Fscire). We cordially invite you to this event.
The registration deadline is October 5, 2026. Below you will find some information and details regarding the Luther Conference and the 2026 LutherRose Award Ceremony.
The Luther Conference begins on November 7 at 3:00 p.m. The LutherRose 2026 will be awarded during a ceremony starting at 6:00 p.m. Both events will take place at the Church of Santa Maria della Pietà on the Campo Santo Teutonico.
The Cranach-Triegel Altarpiece from Naumburg is currently on display in this church. In his guest lecture, Dr. Andreas Raub, art history scholar at the Roman Institute of the Görres Society, will explore the history behind the artwork. The winged altar, created in 1519 by Cranach the Elder – whose central panel was lost during the iconoclasm of the 16th century – was redesigned in 2022 by the Leipzig artist Michael Triegel. The altar will be on display at the Campo Santo through November 2027.
Heinrich Otto Deichmann, CEO of Deichmann SE; Ute Hofmann, Managing Director of Laika Caravans S.p.A.; and Professor Dr. Markus Krienke, Professor of Modern Philosophy, will discuss the topic of this year’s panel discussion, “No Lasting City. The Entrepreneur as Pilgrim.”
Following the keynote address by Prof. Dr. Herman Selderhuis, professor at Apeldoorn Theological University, entitled “Willy, Martin and Marketing – The Academic Entrepreneur”, Professor Dr. Alberto Melloni will be awarded the LutherRose 2026 during the subsequent ceremony. Melloni is a professor of the history of Christianity, secretary of Fscire, and holder of the UNESCO Chair in Religious Pluralism and Peace. Professor Dr. Rita Cucchiara, Rector of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, will honor the award recipient in her laudatory address. The closing remarks will be delivered by Erfurt’s Bishop Dr. Ulrich Neymeyr.
The conference, including the panel discussion, will take place in German; the subsequent ceremony will be held in English. Translation services are planned. The complete program can be found here.
The 2026 Luther Conference will take place at a very special location. The complex of buildings and the cemetery for German-speaking pilgrims is located right next to the largest and most significant church in the world, St. Peter’s Basilica. Although the Campo Santo cemetery is the only one within the walls of Vatican City, it is not part of Vatican territory but rather Italian territory, and is thus an extraterritorial area of the Holy See. However, access is only possible via Vatican territory.
Since the 15th century, the Campo Santo has been owned by the Erzbruderschaft zur Schmerzhaften Mutter Gottes der Deutschen und der Flamen (Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Sorrows of the Germans and the Flemings), which was founded specifically for this purpose. Since the 19th century, the Archconfraternity has made the buildings available to the German-speaking Priests’ College at Campo Santo and the Görres Society.
The International Martin Luther Foundation is delighted to have the opportunity to host the 2026 Luther Conference at Campo Santo Teutonico. We would like to draw your attention to a few regulations and ask that you take them into account before registering and while on site.
The registration deadline is October 5, 2026. Unfortunately, for organizational reasons, late registrations cannot be accepted. You can register using the QR code provided in the program or by email.
Please note that space at the venue is limited, and we recommend registering early. We appreciate your understanding should we be forced to close registration early.
Something important and unforeseen can always come up. We fully understand the need to cancel in urgent cases. Nevertheless, we ask that you register only if you are certain you will attend the event. Since we cannot accept late registrations in the event of a last-minute cancellation, this could result in space being lost for other interested participants.
To gain access to the Campo Santo, you must pass through a police security checkpoint and the Swiss Guard post before the event (see the invitation flyer). Therefore, please do not bring pocket knives, glass or metal bottles, or similar items. Please allow sufficient time for the security check.
After the event ends (expected to be following the planned reception), all guests must leave the grounds of Campo Santo and the Vatican. Please follow the instructions of the on-site staff.
Please arrange your own travel and accommodations.
We look forward to welcoming you to the 2026 Luther Conference on November 7 at Campo Santo Teutonico in Rome.
