The official celebrations marking 500 years since the Reformation have been launched in the ancient city of Wittenberg in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt, home of Martin Luther.

Around 4,000 people attended a worship service in the town square, which features statues of Luther and his fellow Reformer Philipp Melanchthon, who also lived and worked in the town.

The service included a contribution from Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who said the Reformation had influenced Germany's entire history, culture and way of life for centuries and was still doing so today. He said one of its lessons was that that human beings could 'overcome the intolerance and the violence which is committed in the name of religion'.

The President of the Lutheran or Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, said he wanted people to be inspired by the message of the Reformation and that it was his dream and his hope that sceptics would find faith after the events of the 'Reformation Summer'.

Also unveiled at the weekend, at the town's railway station, was the mobile Luther exhibition set to tour Europe – including the UK – during the next few months. A prayer service attended by around 250 people was led by Bishop Ilse Junkermann at its inauguration.

As the town most associated with Luther, where he formulated his revolutionary theology of grace and nailed his 95 theses to the door of the Castle Church, Wittenberg is at the heart of the anniversary celebrations and is preparing for a major tourist incursion during the next few months. The EKD has prepared a major exhibition around the small town with seven zones featuring 80 exhibitors on themes including Church, society and politics. The aim is to show how Luther's legacy is impacting the world and the Church today.

It will also feature events this coming weekend as part of the Kirchentag, the bi-annual EKD-organised event which attracts tens of thousands of participants from across the denominations and around the world. This year Berlin will host most of the events with Wittenberg as an additional venue. 

As well as the two great churches associated with Luther – the Castle Church and the Stadtkirche where he preached – the town is also home to the largest permanent Luther exhibition, in his old home. The Luther House also features a new exhibition bringing together objects and insights especially for the 500^th anniversary, 95 Treasures – 95 People. The houses of Philipp Melanchthon and Lucas Cranach, the artist responsible for the iconic images of Luther, can also be visited.