Monthly Archives - October 2023

In the week from October 16, 2023, the annual meeting of the ČNS Velehrad General Assembly took place in the premises of the Pilgrimage House. Opening Holy mass was presided over by Prague Auxiliary Bishop Zdenek Wasserbauer, who was participating in the Synod about Synodality in the Vatican for the whole month as a delegate of the Czech Bishops' Conference. The Pilgrimage House Velehrad was happy to provide him with a background in this mission, as well as Mrs. Monica Klimentová, ČBK press secretary.

About twenty members of the ČNS, both from Rome and those living in the Czech Republic or abroad, gathered for the general meeting, others joined online. Together they looked back at the events of the past year, reflected on it, looked to the future and looked for how the Pilgrimage House could fulfill its mission even better. Last but not least, there was space for nice friendly meetings, especially during the Thursday trip to Greccio and Fonte Colombo. Both are places associated with St. Francis of Assisi and this year's 800th anniversary of his first Nativity scene in Greccio and the writing of the Rule in Fonte Colombo. There was also a traditional stop in Frascati. The community of travelers or pilgrims was also enriched by their friends who came to Rome with them.

On the day of the celebration of St. Wenceslas, the Velehrad Pilgrimage House celebrated 55 years of its existence. For his half-round birthday, it received as a gift a pilgrimage from the parish of Ostrava-Zábřeh (organized by CK Křížek), which was intensively devoted by the sisters during the entire "birthday" week. The people of Ostrava accompanied their bishop Martin David to the celebration of the pontifical Holy mass  on the occasion of the celebration of the Czech national patron in the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. This Holy Mass is one of the traditional opportunities for Czech pilgrims and compatriots to meet and is annually sponsored and organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic at the Holy See in the person of Mr. Ambassador Václav Kolaja. He also invited all present Czech pilgrims to the terrace of our Pilgrimage House for a mini-concert by the Ondrášek Choir from Nový Jičín, which had previously accompanied the Holy Mass, and there was plenty of refreshments. In addition to about a hundred pilgrims from Ostrava, the meeting in a beautiful friendly atmosphere was attended by their Bishop David, the invitation was also accepted by the former nuncio in Prague, Archbishop Leanza, and many of the compatriots living in Rome.

Almost a month later, following the mentioned anniversary of the house, the embassy used the space of the hall at the reception to acquaint family members of diplomats working at the Holy See with the life of the founder of the Pilgrimage House and the great Czech witness of the faith, Cardinal Josef Beran, a candidate for beatification.