RELIGION

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RELIGION

• in the Czech Republic

Vacková,moková, Dubská, Moravcová
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Contens

• Christian Religion
• History
• Today
• Magnificent cathedrals
• Social life of religious community
• What do people do at church
• Such a normal Sunday of believers
• Organizations
• Religious architecture

• Czech Saints

Our region
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History

• Great Moravia (including the Czech territory),
  compared to other countries in Central Europe,
  was pagan until the 9th century. It changed in
  863, when Cyril and Methodius (two missionaries
  from Greece) were invited by the Czech king
  Rastislav, in order to spread Christianity. They
  had been raised to speak the local Slavonic
  vernacular. They created the Cyrillic alphabet
  and they consequently translated the Scripture
  and the liturgy into Slavonic.

Charles IV.
Cyril and Methodius

• The highest prime of Christianity in our lands
  was in 14th century, under the rule of Charles
  IV. He supported building monasterial schools and
  established Charles University in Prague. The
  Catholic Church had a long arm in the Middle Ages
  and approached all spheres. After the death of
  Charles IV, Christianity was not as supported as
  before and a new religious line in Bohemia
  started to be created.

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• There were reformers like John Hus. He denounced
  Catholic dignitaries and their way of life.
  Thats why he was burnt as a misbeliever in 1415
  and his martyrs death gave an impulse to revolts
  of his followers. This conflict became a big
  European war between Catholic and Protestant
  groups. From that time till 16th century Bohemia
  was Protestant.

The Hussite Wars

• Another important season for a religious
  emergence was the period of the Thirty Years
  War. It marked the last major religious war in
  mainland Europe, ending in a large-scale
  religious bloodshed in 1648. There were other
  religious conflicts in the years to come, but no
  great wars. The Catholic Church became a main
  church in Bohemia again. Its position was held
  till the 20th century.

The Thirty Years War

• After World War II situation was changed. During
  communism in our lands (1948 -1989) Christian
  churches were repressed. The believers were
  disadvantaged.

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• Today

• Religion does not have such an influence as
  before.
• But there is about 40 of believers in the
  Czech Republic.
• Most of these people are Christians.
• But there are other religions in the Czech
  Republic as well.
• For example, there are a few synagogues in
  Prague.
• Some people think that Christians are strange
  and benighted because the Catholic Church
  respects many old traditions important for other
  people.

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Magnificent cathedrals
St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague It is the biggest
church in Prague. This Gothic cathedral is
situated in the historical center of Prague. It
houses the Czech coronation jewels. The cathedral
is the result of work of two famous architects
Matthias of Arras and Peter Parler. They started
to work in 1344 but the cathedral was completed
in 1929.
St. Barbara Cathedral This cathedral in the city
of Kutná Hora is one of the most famous Gothic
churches in Central Europe. Its first architect
was Johann Parler. The construction began in
1388, but the final work was completed in 1905.
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• Monastery in Zbraslav
• It was originally a hunting lodge of
  Bohemian kings. During wars in Czech lands it was
  completely destroyed but it was rebuilt in the
  17th century and became an admirable monastery
  again. In 1995 it became one of the National
  cultural monuments.

Interier of monastery in Teplá This magnificent
monastery is one of many cultural monuments,
which was ruined by the communist regime, but you
can admire mainly the interier of the monastery
because it remained well kept. There is the
second most extensive library in the Czech
Republic as well. It contains a large number of
historical books and rare manuscripts. You should
see it!
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• Tyn Church in Prague
• This church played an important role in
  the Bohemian history particularly in the Czech
  religion and even in party politics. There is
  also the oldest organ in Prague. Its towers were
  more than 80 metres tall, but this church burnt
  down in 1679 and its towers had to be cut. Not
  many people know this fact and look up to this
  building to show their admiration and respect.

Hradisko Monastery Hradisko Monastery was
established as a benedictine monastery in 1078.
But Benedictines were displaced in 1784 and it
has been used as a hospital up to now.
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Czech Saints

• Saint Wenceslas
• main patron of the Czech State
• Benefactor of Bohemia, Moravia, peace and brewers

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St. John of Nepomuk Benefactor of Bohemia,
priesthood and confessors, retention of
confessional secrets, travellers, wanderers,
happy comebacks and sailors
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St. Ludmila after her martyrdom she became the
first Czech female saint.
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St. Agnes of Bohemia Benefactress of Bohemia, the
poor and distressful
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• Social life of religious community

• Generally speaking, there are about 40 of
  people who believe in God in the Czech Republic,
  but there are more believers in the town of
  Letohrad, which is close to Zamberk. All three
  local churches are crowded every Sunday. Most
  churches are full on Sundays in the Czech
  Republic, but it is not typical for young people
  here that so many of them go to church,
  especially, when so many young people go to Mass
  as it is in our town. And just this is so
  important in our parish.

• Letohrad is a small town and everybody knows
  each other. We celebrate all religious holidays
  together. These days are very different from
  others. It is strange that many people do not
  know what is celebrated and ask us What are you
  celebrating? So, I would like to write something
  about the most important religious holidays.

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• Easter
• Christians celebrate this day in observance of
  their belief that Jesus rose from the dead on the
  third day after his crucifixion.
• The date falls on the first Sunday after the
  spring full moon
• Easter begins in agreement with Catholic
  tradition on Monday
• The following days are called Green Thursday,
  Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Vigil
• Easter Monday is a most typical day.
• Easter tokens ewe lamb, crucifix, candle,
  painted eggs, etc.
• On Monday morning boys and men spank women and
  girls with a special handmade whip called a
  pomlazka, they go to door-to-door and get
  something small like chocolate, candies or
  painted eggs.
• Adult men get alcohol )
• A legend says that women should be spanked in
  order to keep their health and beauty during
  whole next year

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• All Souls Day (November 2nd)
• We keep this day in order to remember our
  deceased. We usually go to the cemetery on the
  eve of All Souls Day. There are many lit up
  candles in the cemetery and it is such a mystic
  evening.

• Three Kings Gathering
• (January 6th)
• children go door-to-door to take out money for
  religious uses, they sing and give small presents
  such as a tiny packet of sugar, a calendar or
  frankincense to families, and onto each door they
  write the initial letters of kings names (KMB
  Kaspar, Melichar, Baltazar)

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• Christmas

• Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus

• It is celebrated from the 25th December to the
  first Sunday after 6th January (The Three Kings)

• However in the Czech Republic the top is the
  24th December

• On Christmas Eve - we eat the traditional
  Christmas Eve meal and the Child Jesus gives us
  presents under the Christmas tree.

• It is a time for families and friends to gather,
  eat good food and spend time together.

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What do people do in church?

• Masses
• People pray for the departed, ill people or
• people they care about.
• Family can order a mass and on a certain day the
• churchman announces a persons name for whom
  the mass and the event are. For example
• 
  
  

Burials
Weddings
Christening parties
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Such a normal day of believers

• Sunday is a normal work day for most people, but
  for believers it is day, when they go to church
  and all family meet after all week. The ceremony
  usually starts at 7 30 and it means you have to
  get up very early. After the ceremony we cook a
  big lunch, which we serve at noon. After lunch we
  go out on a trip, or have a rest, but we dont
  work. I think it is a pleasant day. Dont you
  think so?

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• Organizations

There are many religious organizations in our
town, which can be of helpful when you get to a
hard situation. It is very difficult to have
enough money for operation of these
organizations, but when you have enough sponsors,
it is possible. I would like to show you some of
them.
Czech Red Cross is not just a religious
organization, but it is connected with it. It is
the same as in other countries. It helps to all
needy people all over the world.
Charity in Letohrad is a non-profit organization,
which helps many people. For example it
contributes to old, or handicapped people, or to
children and teenagers.
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Scouts are very popular in our region. Many
children learn to live in harmony with nature, or
they learn how to help other people as well. In
my opinion, it is a very good way how to learn
something about ourselves.
Familia Cantorum is the choir of Letohrads
parish. It sings in our church on Sundays. It
seems to be it a little bit boring, but in fact
it is very entertaining.
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Religious architecture

• We would like to present you some religious
  architecture from our proximal region. We have
  chosen two towns - Letohrad and Zamberk.

• Letohrad

St. Wenceslas church It is a dominate of
Wenceslas Square in Letohrad. It was built in the
Baroque style in 1665. You can see the interior
of this church in the right picture.
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The church in Orlice
The Plague pillar on Wenceslas Square
The church in Kuncice
The Baroque chapel of St. John Nepomuk
The new evangelical church in Letohrad
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• Zamberk

St. Wenceslas Church It dominates amberk. It
was built in the Baroque style in 1728. You can
see the interior of this church on the left
picture.
The Chapel of St. Rozalia
The Jewish cemetery
The Charnel-House of St. Maria
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• Thank you for your time.