Panorama

Photo: CzechTourism The majority of Czechs saw the New Year in with plenty of good food, champagne and fireworks, resulting in a massive hangover on the first day of the year, but a few thousand believers opted for a spiritual experience. They attended a traditional New Year’s mass at the Basilica of the Ascension of the Virgin Mary in Hostýn – the most significant pilgrimage site in Moravia. And a pilgrimage it was in every sense of the word – people arrived by train from all corners of the Czech Republic some travelling hundreds of kilometers to savour the experience. Once in the town of Hostýn, they could choose between boarding a bus or braving a five kilometer walk uphill to the famed basilica. Many considered it right to walk, braving an icy wind and snow as they made their way up the slippery stone steps to reach their destination in time for the midnight mass celebratedby the Archbishop of Olomouc Jan Graubner. Sixty-five- year old Josef Psík, who walks with the help of a cane did not think twice about making the journey.

“The New Years mass here is such a fascinating, enriching experience that it charges your batteries for the year ahead and we return home with a blessing from the Virgin Mary.”

The rector of the basilica Jiří Solc says the mass, attended by around 5 thousand people, is an annual thanksgiving.

“We consider each new year a gift and we come here to give thanks for it. Instead of depleting our strength, we come here to build it up.”

The mass lasted for two hours and at 2 am in the morning the congregation slowly dispersed to begin their long journey home – feeling invigorated and at peace.

Photo: Czech Television A strange looking assembly gathered on the slopes of the Šumava mountains near Železná Ruda on December 30th. The group of 15 skiers dressed in a strange array of old sweaters, jackets, scarves and hats – an attempt to recreate a look dating back to 1911 - stomped around for warmth and gingerly tested their balance on old wooden skis with toe-piece binding with the help of ancient looking ski-poles. But once the race – in commemoration of the first ever downhill ski race in Central Europe – started participants’ nervousness about staying in control gave way to wild enthusiasm as they sped downhill to cheers from onlookers. For some it was an effort to stay on their feet on what they saw as ludicrous contraptions – the older participants say they remember learning to ski on something very similar.

“I wore these to a fancy dress party once or twice. But I have no experience on snow whatsoever.”

“This takes me back to my childhood 70 years ago.”

“I am here to win. There’s no question about it. I’m a winner”

In the end all 15 participants made it down safely and met up for a hot drink at base to admire the photographs their friends and family members took. None of them are likely to enter the commemorative race again – the next event is scheduled to take place in 100 years’ time.

Illustrative photo Some Christmas presents create a stir, but few can boast getting the kind of attention given to a belated Christmas present left in the reception of CEZ headquarters in Prague’s Michle district. The parcel was accepted but later deemed to be suspicious. Receptionists raised the alarm and soon police officers and firefighters were on the spot dealing with the crisis. Police evacuated 900 people from the CEZ headquarters and a neighbouring building. When an explosive expert arrived he found that the suspicious-looking parcel contained a harmless gift with electric lights.

Bono, photo: Czech Television A stray dog who was saved from drowning in Karlovy Vary and taken to a dog shelter three years ago has made headlines after refusing to be parted from the vet who helped save his life. The vet says the dog was brought in in a pitiful state by police officers who saw a dog drowning in the icy cold river and called fire-fighters to help bring him out. One of the officers said it was touch and go and the vet took in the shivering, frightened animal and cared for him night and day until the dog was over the worst. Since then the dog –who was given the name Bono – was adopted three times by different families, but every time he managed to escape and make his way back to the dog-shelter where he would jump over the fence and wait for his one-and-only master. The vet says he’s now there to stay. Of the 1,500 dogs who passed through the shelter and found new families only Bono kept coming back.

Mírov prison Prisoners doing time in Mírov prison – the country’s maximum security jailhouse - have been spending their free time making a cardboard model of the jailhouse, which is actually an old castle dating back to the middle of the 12th century. The prison encourages what it calls “therapeutic“activities and has contributed the necessary materials. Work on the cardboard model which is on 1.5 square meters has continued for more than a year and contains minute details. Although getting detailed maps of the castle would doubtless be highly therapeutic for the prisoners, for security reasons they are having to work on the basis of old photographs dating back to 1923. The finished model is to be unveiled in March on the birthday of the prison’s director Vladimir Lang. He admits that a model of the prison is something he had advocated for years when he served in the prison house as a humble instructor –but got no positive response. Getting to the top post has clearly enhanced his arguments. Mr. Lang now regularly comes to admire the model in progress and is eagerly anticipating its unveiling.

Convicts at Mírov are exceptionally good at handiwork. Many are employed in the prison’s wood-workshop, making furniture whose quality is comparable to that available on the market. In fact the furniture manufactured in this prison workshop can be found in many a public administration office, for instance the Ombudsman’s office in Brno or the Palace of Justice in Liberec.