Easter in Velehrad

Easter in Velehrad

The Easter triduum, through which we make present and relive the central mystery of faith, i.e. the redemptive suffering, death and resurrection of Christ, had a unique atmosphere in our house this year. A group of Slovak pilgrims led by Msgr. Spišák from the Archdiocese of Košice although was not staying in our house, she celebrated this liturgy here and with us. On Good Friday, the flock of present people was able tohonor the triumph of the cross, on Holy Saturday evening, during the renewal of baptismal vows, the light of the candles lit up the entire reception hall, which was transformed into a chapel, and Easter Alleluia! resounded the whole house... On the Easter feast, most of those present went to the papal Holly mass and the subsequent Urbi et Orbi blessing on the St. Peters-Square.

Early spring in Rome

Early spring in Rome

Already since the beginning of February, nature in Rome begins to bloom slowly, and with it the pilgrimage traffic in our house and in the whole Eternal City is also "blooming". At the beginning of the month, a parish- group from Šumperk traveled with their parish priest Father Slawomir, one of the participants was Mrs. Borisa, the oldest pilgrim in our house (90), who managed the demanding program with amirabile ease. Half of February traditionally belongs to the celebration of the Slavic apostles St. Cyril and Methodius, who are in the Roman Church on the calendar 14.2. This year's solemn Holy mass at the grave of St. Cyril in the Basilica of St. Kliment was organized by the Pontifical Colledge Nepomucenum in the cooperation with the czech ambasador to The Holy See Mr. Kolaja, the main celebrant was the administrator of the Olomouc Archdiocese, Bishop Nuzík. On the last weekend of February, Velehrad made a rare experience - young Dominican sisters from various congregations from all over Europe came together and experienced their formation meeting in the reception hall in the form of a conference with workshops. In March, several school and parish groups from various parts of the Czech and Slovak Republics, eastern and western rites took turns at Velehrad. Spring vacation time brought whole families to us, even grandmothers with grandchildren…

The Faces of the Convict Vatican

The Faces of the Convict Vatican exhibition

Until the middle of February, it will be possible to see an exhibition of paintings by Mrs. Barbora Pavelková, working under the pseudonym Claudi Ondok, in the Velehrad Pilgrimage House. These are portraits of great personalities, mainly of the Czech Catholic Church, imprisoned in communist jails, well-known and less-known personalities, priests and laymen, men and women, official and so-called underground church personalities. There is also a portrait of Father Petr Ondok, a family friend, from whom the painter borrowed part of her stage name.

The exhibition is held under the auspices of the Czech ambassador to the Holy See, Václav Kolaja. The opening took place on 18 November 2022 on the occasion of the anniversary of the Velvet Revolution and the regaining of freedom with the participation of members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the Czech community in Rome.

La Parrocchia di Valašské Klobouky a Roma

Valašské Klobouky Parish in Rome

Among many parish pilgrimages hosted by our Pilgrimage House this year, the parish from Valašské Klobouky caught the eye with its original concept. Due to the great interest to enjoy the pilgrimage to Rome together, two groups alternated here in two shifts – first from 5th to 8th November pilgrims who arrived by bus, then from 9th to 13th November those who arrived by plane. Their spiritual fathers took charge of organizing the pilgrimage and accompanying their parishioners. Both groups reached to create a warm atmosphere, which they divided to other guests of the Velehrad Pilgrimage House by (not only) singing traditional folk songs...

Assemblea 2022

General meeting 2022

In the week of 17.-21.10. the annual general meeting of the Czech Religious Center Velehrad was held. After a two-year interruption caused by covid, more members could meet again physically, some took part in the meeting online, including several bishops. After serious sessions days, there was also an opportunity to enjoy moments of prayer and relaxation together during a trip to Orvieto and Bolsena, places related with the czech priest Peter and the Eucharistic miracle, which became the impetus for the introduction of Corpus Christi. A stop in Frascati served to complete the shared experience.

San Venceslao 28.9.2022

St. Wenceslas 28th september 2022

As every year, the Czech community in Rome had the opportunity, together with pilgrims from home, to celebrate the national patron saint Wenceslas with the Holy Mass in the czech language in the St. Peter´s Basilica in the Vatican. Bishop of Litoměřice Mons. Jan Baxant came to preside over this liturgy at the head of a pilgrim group of his diocesan members. He didn't fail to mention that the beautiful stained glass window of the Holy Spirit in the basilica also comes from his diocese. Pilgrimage house Velehrad had the honor to provide to the bishop and pilgrims from his diocese of hospitality.

After the solemn Holly Mass followed a traditional procession to the altar of St. Wenceslas with the singing of the St. Wenceslas Choral and Czech national anthem. The Holly Mass was concelebrated by many Czech priests, not only those living in Rome, but also those who came from home or elsewhere. Musical accompaniment was provided by the Teplice Philharmonic together with with Kühn's mixed choir. The day after, they performed the oratorio Inspiration of Eternity in the Lateran Basilica on the occasion of the presidency of the Czech Republic in the Council of the EU.

Exercises of bishops and the blessing of the pilgrimage house

Exercises of bishops and the blessing of the pilgrimage house

From March 7 to 12, 2222, the pilgrimage house hosted Czech and Moravian bishops, who took part in joint exercises here. These were given to them by P. Radek Tichý, who lectures on liturgy at the KTF in Prague. In addition to visiting a number of basilicas and churches, they were able to enrich themselves with lectures by other guests. On Saturday 12.3. then after Mass. blessed the Archbishop of Olomouc and Chairman of the CBK Mons. Jan Graubner newly reconstructed complex. The festivities were also attended by architects Ing. Nuccio, Ing. Cherubini, Ing. Bianchi, head of the construction company A. Paolantoni and P. Jaromír Zádrapa, who was at the beginning of the reconstruction.

Visit of Czech and Moravian bishops Ad limina

Visit of Czech and Moravian bishops Ad limina

From November 7 to 14, 2021, the house Velehrad hosted the Czech and Moravian bishops during their visit Ad limina. On Monday 8.11. the opening of the exhibition about P. Bula and P. Drbola took place, which is located in the Velehrad hall. We had the opportunity to attend the Mass with the bishops in the main basilicas and on Thursday the Mass was celebrated in the chapel of Velehrad. After her, the bishops met with Holy Father and they also gave him gifts, one of which was a glass reliquary with the relic of St. Zdislava. On Saturday 13.11. the bishops, together with others, traveled by bus to Assisi, where in the basilica of St. Clare was celebrated Hl. Mass from the feast of St. Agnesse from Boemia. One of the places visited was a church with the tomb blessed Carlo Acutis.

The General Assembly 2021

The General Assembly

On October 11 and 12, 2021, the General Meeting of the Velehrad Association took place in the pilgrim house. Even this year, measures related to the coronavirus wave prevented most members from attending personally. The "locals" met, Fr. Bohuslav Švehla came from Germany and Fr. Hynek Šmerda from the Czech Republic. Thanks to the videoconference, however, we were able to connect with other members in America, Switzerland and, of course, especially in the Czech Republic. Three bishops also found time to meet. The meeting brought new stimuli, especially in the field of promotion of the pilgrimjoint house. It was also time for a friendly meeting at a joint lunch and some accepted the invitation to a traditional Thursday trip.