St. Wenceslas Day — Statehood Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Czech Republic are provided

The 28th of September is St. Wenceslas Day, and we observe it by remembering and studying its history. It is also Czech Statehood Day, which has been a national holiday in the Czech Republic for the past two decades. Did you know that on this day, the cranium of Saint Wenceslas is paraded through the town of Brands nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, where the saint was murdered, by the archbishop of Prague?

The background of St. Wenceslas Day — Statehood Day

Saint Wenceslas Day is also the feast day of Saint Wenceslas, the sovereign of Bohemia and patron saint of the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, he was the victim of a murder plot hatched by his own sibling, Boleslav.

Due to his father’s passing in 921, Wenceslas governed from 922 when he was 15 years old. He had a vision to unite Bohemia and make peace with Germany, but his brother Boleslav and the rest of his family were hesitant about this. Boleslav murdered Wenceslas and the families of Wenceslas’s supporters in an effort to seize power. As a result, Wenceslas was venerated as a martyr. He was also given the title of king by Holy Roman Emperor Otto I after his demise. Thus, he is the same King Wenceslas mentioned in the Christmas carol ‘Good King Wenceslas.’

St. Wenceslas is a venerated saint and martyr who was instrumental in the consolidation of the Pemyslid dynasty and the liberation of the Czech state. Due to the endeavors of the Christian Democratic Party, the feast day of St. Wenceslas became a national and public holiday (Statehood Day) in the Czech Republic in 2000, and is now annually observed. It is actually two festivals on the same day, but both celebrate the same thing: the founding of the Czech Republic and its patron saint.

In addition to the normal celebrations, each year at Prague Castle, where a wreath is deposited on the statue of St. Wenceslas, St. Wenceslas medals are awarded to those who have contributed to Czech statehood. Even pilgrimages are made to Brands nad Labem-Stará Boleslav, where Saint Wenceslas was executed.

5 surprising facts about the Czech Republic are provided.

Czechs and Slovaks continue to consider themselves related despite their separation; however, Czechs and Slovaks are distinct nations.

There are two regions in the Czech Republic: Bohemia in the west and Moravia in the east.

With more than 200 fortresses, the Czech Republic has the most in Europe.

The Czech Republic is home to the world’s longest ancient castle, the 1,870 feet long and 430 feet wide Prague Castle.

Due to the fact that Prague was not severely damaged during World War II, the city contains a great deal of medieval architecture.

ST. WENCESLAS DAY — STATEHOOD DAY DATES