Anton Martin Slomšek

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Blessed Anton Martin Slomšek
Statue of Slomšek near the Maribor Cathedral.
Born	26 November 1800, Slom, Styria
Died	24 September 1862, Maribor
Venerated in	Roman Catholic Church
Beatified	19 September 1999, Maribor by John Paul II
Feast	24 September
Saints Portal

Anton Martin Slomšek (26 November 1800 – 24 September 1862) was a Slovenian bishop, author, poet, and advocate of Slovene culture.

Slomšek was born to a peasant family in Slom by Ponikva, near Šentjur pri Celju in Lower Styria. He studied theology and philosophy before being ordained in 1824 at the seminary of Klagenfurt. From 1829 to 1838 Slomšek was spiritual director of the seminary of Klagenfurt. In the latter year he became the priest of Saldenhofen an der Drau. In 1844 Slomšek moved to Sankt Andrä and headed the school of the Diocese of Lavant. He became priest in Celje in 1846, and in the same year he was ordained Bishop of Lavant.

In the following years Slomšek strove for the transfer of the See of Lavant from Sankt Andrä in eastern Carinthia to Maribor in Lower Styria, which he achieved in 1859. He strove for religious education and education in Slovenian language, writing numerous books on the matter. Slomšek was considered an excellent preacher and a tireless and modest priest. He also wrote songs, some of which, such as the toast En hribček bom kupil, have achieved a widespread popularity and are still sung today.

Together with Andrej Einspieler and Anton Janežič, Slomšek was the co-founder of the Hermagoras Society, the oldest Slovene publishing house.

Slomšek died in Maribor in 1862.

In 1996, Slomšek was described as a "Venerable Servant of God" by Pope John Paul II. On 19 September 1999, John Paul II announced Slomšek's beatification in Maribor, instead in Rome, as it is the usual custom.