Anton Martin Slomsek (1800-1862) - Slovenia's First Candidate for Beatification

Ljubljana, 18 September - SLOVENIA/POPE/SLOMSEK/BEATIFICATION
Pope John Paul II during his visit to Slovenia will announce the beatification of Anton Martin Slomsek, who will be the first Slovene to be beatified. Slomsek, a contemporary of the greatest Slovene poet France Preseren was born on 26 November 1800 in Slom near Ponikva, some 35 kilometres southwest of Maribor. Slomsek made his first steps towards knowledge during Sunday school in Ponikva which was led by the chaplain Jakob Prasnikar. He stayed there until his 13th year when he continued in Celje. After finishing high school in Celje, he went on to study philosophy in Ljubljana, Senj and finishing off in Klagenfurt in 1821. In Autumn of the same year he entered into the theological seminary.