40th anniversary of Jan Palach's self-immolation for freedom

Students in Prague and Olomouc will take part in masses to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Palach's death. On Jan 16, 1969, the student of the Philosophical Faculty in Prague Jan Palach set himself on fire to protest against Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia.

Prague, Olomouc: Jan Palach was born on Aug 11, 1948 in Vsetaty near Prague. Finishing a high school, he wanted to study at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Charles University in Prague, but was not admitted by the ruling Communist regime. Palach entered the University of Economics, but didn't give up and tried the Philosophical Faculty once more, in 1968.

As many others, Jan Palach couldn't accept the Warsaw Pact invasion in Czechoslovakia in Aug 21, 1968 and he took part in several events to demonstrate against the political development in our country. On Jan 16, 1969, while the major society was slowly resigning and accepting the Soviet invasion, Jan Palach set himself on fire at the Prague's Wenceslas Square to protest against the occupation.

He died on Jan 19 and his funeral turned into a major protest against the occupation. A month later (on Feb 25, 1969) another student, Jan Zajic, burned himself to death in the same place, followed in April of the same year by Evzen Plocek in Jihlava.

Cardinal Josef Beran, Archbishop of Prague, commented the acts through the Vatican Radio from Rome, where he was in exile: 'I bow in respect to their heroism, but I cannot approve their desperate act. To kill oneself is not human and no one shall follow them in doing it. However, all people shall rather keep in view the great ideal that these people laid their young lives for. This ideal is good and noble in its core – to sacrifice oneself for the benefit of all. It was the love of our country, desire of its freedom, it was an intention to stir up its moral powers, it was the fidelity to the history of our noble and brave people, it was an effort to ensure a progress and peace for the people. This shining ideal is like a banner that is handed over. Each of us has to assume that ideal and live for it – together, in peace and trust,' said Cardinal Beran.

The Mass to commemorate the anniversary will be celebrated by prof. Tomas Halik on Friday, Jan 16, at 6.00 pm in the Most Holy Redeemer church in Prague. After the service, participants will go in a procession to the nearby Philosophical Faculty, where Palach studied. Students of the Ss Cyril and Methodius Faculty in Theology in Olomouc will pray for Jan Palach and give thanks for the gift of freedom during the Mass on Monday, Jan 19, at 9.00 am in the faculty chapel.