jan – PragueLife! Magazine

Jan Hus: flaming ideas that did not last

On: July 6, 2022

Another day, another national holiday—that’s the motto we love! On July 6, Czechs celebrate one of the most controversial priests in their history – Jan Hus. Let’s discover the faith of Jan Hus and if he has anything to do with geese. Who is Jan Hus? The timeline takes us to the early 15th century—the time when Jan Hus made some noise in the church structure and its approaches to spirituality. Quite a controversial yet brave action, assuming the Middle Ages period. Jan Hus was a Czech theologian and philosopher who later became a church reformer and an inspiration for the Hussitism movement, the predecessor of Protestantism. People remember him for his fundamental teachings and influence on the Bohemian religiousRead more.

A Rich Cultural History: St. Vitus’ Cathedral

By: Erin Naillon

On: March 9, 2017

In: Features, Prague Sights and Landmarks, Travel

Tagged: architect, architecture, bohemia, castle, cathedral, chapel, charles, culture, Czech, gothic, historical, history, jan, john, karel, king, mala strana, middle ages, moravia, prague, prague castle, roman, romanesque, saint, st., vitas

St. Vitus’ Cathedral This truly striking piece of architecture, similar to Notre Dame in Paris, is the work of centuries. It began as a chapel, and gradually grew to the soaring edifice so often photographed today. The full name of the cathedral is an impressive one: The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saints Vitus, Wenceslas, and Adalbert. In keeping with its hefty title, it is the largest cathedral in the Czech Republic. It was established by the legendary Wenceslas (Vaclav) I of Bohemia, the murdered duke who was the inspiration for the 19th-century Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas”. In the beginning, the cathedral was a small Romanesque rotunda dedicated to St. Vitus. Prague itself was only a very small settlement in theRead more.

A Rich Cultural History: Prague and Jan Hus

By: Erin Naillon

On: February 25, 2017

In: Features, Prague Sights and Landmarks, Travel

Tagged: archbishop, catholic, charles university, council, events, execution, history, holy roman empire, hus, jan, landmark, old town, pope, protestant, religion, revolt, sights, square, wenceslas, wycliffe

In 1382, Anne of Bohemia (daughter of the powerful King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV) married King Richard II of England. With this royal alliance came increased communication between the two countries. Czech students attended English universities, and English students attended Charles University. Far more importantly, the works of English authors were translated into Czech. This was to have a lasting effect on this small country. Jan Hus came from Husinec, moving to Prague when he was very young. He was a student at Charles University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1393, and a Master’s degree in 1396. Having been ordained as a priest in 1400, Hus quickly began to preach reformation of the CatholicRead more.