The exhibition Word of The exhibition on the movement that brought Slovenians their first printed books in 1550 will open this evening with President Borut Pahor, Culture Minister Tone Peršak and Bishop of the Lutheran-Evangelical Church in Slovenia Geza Filo as the keynote speakers.

According to the author of the exhibition, cultural and literary historian Jonatan Vinkler, the most important effort of the new movement and church was to have the Bible translated in the vernacular languages.

Martin Luther's 1570 translation of the Bible will be displayed alongside the 1584 Slovenian translation by Protestant Jurij Dalmatin (1547-1589).

A gem of the exhibition is a codex featuring a treatise on the Hussites in Latin, written in Gothic script. The codex is unique, because it was written by the author of the oldest part of the Stična manuscript, Vinkler said in a reference to a religious text written in Slovenian at the Stična Cistercian monastery in the 15th century.

The Stična manuscript is extremely important for Slovenian culture as Medieval texts in Slovenians are very rare, Vinkler noted.

Book of religious songs Spiritual Songs and Psalms, an extremely rare example which was only recently added to the European Protestant bibliography, will also be presented at the exhibition open until 10 June.

Meanwhile, a series of events marking the 500th anniversary of the Reformation will be held at Ljubljana Castle between Wednesday and 11 June, including two interactive exhibitions, a series of lectures on the importance of literature, a workshop and an electroacoustic experience for all visitors of the castle.

The interactive exhibition Looking in the mouth, focussing on Luther's linguistic work, was organised in cooperation with the Goethe Institute.

The Reformation movement in Slovenia was epitomised by Primož Trubar (1508-1586), a Protestant priest who wrote the "Abecedarium" spelling-book and "Catechism", the first books in the Slovenian language.God Will Stand Forever is considered a highlight of Slovenia's celebrations of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.