Tartu St. Mary’s Church has had a major role in the development of Estonia into an independent state and nation. In 1833, Tartu St Mary’s parish congregation and the Estonian speaking Lutheran congregation of the town joined to form Tartu St Mary’s Congregation, which was also the first congregation of Estonians. St Mary’s Church was completed and consecrated as the congregation’s church on 11 January 1842. The congregation became one of the spiritual centres of Tartu – several great figures of the era known as the Estonian National Awakening were the members of the congregation, of whom Johann Voldemar Jannsen was the prime developer and organiser of the first Estonian Song Festival.