Brief information about events in the Czech Church

Brief information about events in the Czech Church for a smooth year (June 2012 - June 2013).

Night of Churches: On June 1, 2012 and May 24, 2013, some 1,300 churches in the entire country were opened for the public and visited by several thousand people.

Feast of Ss. Cyril and Methodius: Mass was celebrated in Velehrad on July 5, 2012 on the occasion of the National Pilgrimage to Ss. Cyril and Methodius. The 90th plenary of Czech Bishops’ Conference was also held there, its participant having been informed about the situation of the Church in the Czech society, economic issues and the process concerning the law on the property settlement between the State and Churches.

Property settlement between the State and Churches was the most discussed issue of the last 12 months. The Parliament passed the law on July 14, 2012.

National Youth Meeting: Some 6,000 young people aged 14–30 met on Aug. 14–19, 2012 in Žďár nad Sázavou. In the Czech Republic, this Christian event is held every 5 years.

Feast of St. Wenceslaus: On Sep. 28, 2012 the National Pilgrimage to Stará Boleslav, one of the most significant spiritual events in the Czech Republic, was held.

Beatification of 14 Prague martyrs: On Oct. 13, 2012 fourteen Franciscan martyrs of Prague were beatified by Cardinal Angelo Amato, SDB, prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints.

Bishops from the Czech Republic met on Oct. 23–24, 2012 at their 91st plenary in Vranov u Brna. Among many upcoming events bishops agreed to organize a national pilgrimage to the Holy Land on the occasion of the end of the Year of Faith in November 2013. They also spoke about a national pilgrimage of priests to Velehrad.

Property settlement II: On Nov. 8, 2012, the Parliament passed the law on the property settlement between the State and Churches on the second time, first time the law being voted down by the Senate. This event was a milestone of the efforts to straighten the Church-State relations, twisted by the Communist rule. The law that concerns 17 Churches and religious societies offers them a possibility to be more independent and responsible for its activities since January 2013.

Three Kings’ Money Collection: An event held in early January all over the country is organized by the Caritas Czech Republic and is one of the largest collections of its kind.

92nd plenary of the Czech Bishops’ Conference was held on Jan. 21–23, 2013. Its participants discussed the property settlement and the Ss. Cyril and Methodius celebrations of this year, especially as regards the national pilgrimage of priests. Bishops were also informed about the preparations of the celebration of 1150th anniversary of the arrival of Ss. Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia and about the concept of catechetical teaching in the Czech Republic.

Farewell to Pope Benedict XVI: Pilgrims from the Czech Republic, including priests and seminarians, took part in the last public meeting with Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 27, 2013 in Rome.

Beginning of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius Jubilee: Mass was held in the St. Vitus cathedral in Prague on March 9, 2013 (original feast of Ss. Cyril and Methodius) to open the jubilee year as well as to commemorate the 1040th anniversary of the diocese of Prague.

Cardinal Dominik Duka, archbishop of Prague, took part in the conclave on March 12–13, 2013 where Pope Francis was elected.

On April 15–17, 2013, a pilgrimage of bishops, priests and deacons was held in Velehrad on the occasion of the Ss. Cyril and Methodius jubilee. Participants prayed for the renewal of faith and for their sanctification, they also recalled the 3rd anniversary of the death of Cardinal Tomáš Špidlík.

On April 22–24, 2013, the 93rd plenary of the Czech Bishops’ Conference was held in Prague, its most significant outcome being the approval to begin the diocesan beatification process of Fr. Josef Toufar, martyr of the Communist regime, as suggested by Jan Vokál, bishop of Hradec Králové. The plenary participants also discussed the State-Church property settlement.