Statue of Anton Martin Slomsek

Anton Martin Slomsek In 1846, he was elected abbot of the Parish in Celje, and in the same year he was ordained Bishop of the Lavantine diocese in St. Andra in Austrian Styria. For one of his goals, he set himself a difficult task-to move the seat of the Lavantine diocese and make it a seat of the Slovenian diocese for the Slovenians in Styria. In 1854, he decided to move the seat of the diocese to Maribor. On Sunday, 4th September 1859, Slomsek was the first Bishop of Maribor to solemnly take over the city church of St. John the Baptist. With this, he accomplished one ofhis major life goals-"the pastor Bishop shall stay among his sheep-the believers"