Special A 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.
David Holeton, Thomas Fudge, Peter Moree (left to right), photo: author
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