Background
Slomšek was born to a peasant family in the hamlet of Slom near the village of Ponikva in the Municipality of Šentjur, Lower Styria.
bishop educationist priest writer poet
Slomšek was born to a peasant family in the hamlet of Slom near the village of Ponikva in the Municipality of Šentjur, Lower Styria.
He studied theology and philosophy before being ordained in 1824 at the seminary in 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 a priest in Celje in 1846, and in the same year he was ordained Bishop of Lavant.
He strove for religious education and education in Slovene, writing numerous books on the matter. Slomšek was considered an excellent preacher and a tireless and modest priest.
Slomšek died in Maribor in 1862. In 1996, Slomšek was described as a "Venerable Servant of God" by Pope John Paul World War II On 19 September 1999, John Paul II announced Slomšek"s beatification in Maribor, instead of Rome, as is the usual custom.