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SpecialA discussion on the complex legacy of Jan Hus
As they enjoy a day off work every year on July 6, few Czechs give much
thought to the man behind the holiday. In the Czech calendar this date
marks the feast of the early 15th century religious reformer, Jan Hus. In
fact, it is a rather grim anniversary that we are remembering. On July 6
1415, Jan Hus (or John Huss, as he is sometimes known in English) was
burned at the stake as a heretic in the southern German city of Constance.
It was a time of deep schisms within the Roman Catholic Church, and from
the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague Hus had preached the ideal of a poor church,
built on the authority of the Bible itself rather than the church
hierarchy. His execution as a heretic was followed by the rapid spread of
what came to be known as the Hussite movement, sowing many of the seeds for
the reformation in Central Europe.
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Current AffairsNative village of Jan Hus plans to build new visitor centre
The village of Husinec, in south Bohemia, wants to open a new centre
commemorating its most famous son, the 15th century religious reformer Jan
Hus. While the municipality hopes the new visitor and research centre will
open in time for the 600th anniversary of his death in five years’ time,
critics say the project is over the top.
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Current AffairsRenovation of Jan Hus statue surrounded by controversies
In April the statue of Jan Hus dominating the Old Town Square was
surrounded by scaffolding and covered up in large canvas to undergo vast
renovation, which will take at least two years. In the meantime, tourists
visiting the site will only see a huge advertisement in its place. This
week the media reported that the scaffolding was causing damage to the
statue: rust from the wire mesh, which holds the ad in place, has been
dripping down, leaving orange stains on the stone.
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