Archive: Society | Religion Religion
Report claims number of anti-Semitic internet posts is on the rise
According to a report annually compiled by the Jewish community in Prague,
the number of anti-Semitic statements made on Czech internet in 2012
increased three-fold compared to the previous year. More direct actions
targeting Jews, however, did not see a significant rise around the Czech
Republic. More
Church starts process of beatifying “miracle” priest killed by Communists
The Roman Catholic Church has begun the process of beatifying a priest who
was at the centre of one of the most bizarre and gruesome episodes of the
initial phase of communism in Czechoslovakia. After a cross was said to
have moved in his village church, Josef Toufar was brutally tortured into
confessing to fabricating the “miracle”. However, if he is beatified,
it will be a lengthy process. More
Catholic leaders welcome the new Pope
After a day of deliberations the Papal Conclave at the Vatican made an
unexpected but highly welcomed choice for the new leader of the Catholic
Church. Pope Francis I from Argentina was warmly received by the faithful
all over the world on Wednesday evening. More
Czech Catholics praise Pope’s “courageous” decision to resign
The news of Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to step down has surprised the
world. Here in the Czech Republic, church leaders have praised his courage
and recalled his visit to the country in 2009. However, Pope Benedict’s
retirement for health reasons raises questions over whether his successor
will attend a huge Catholic celebration in Velehrad planned for later this
year. More
Pavel Paluchnik – Young pastor at “design” church near Prague
In Černošice, a short train ride from Prague, there is a small but
eye-catching church – with lots of curved surfaces and a rough concrete
finish – which has appeared in design magazines and is frequently visited
by architecture enthusiasts. It belongs to the Církev Bratrská, a Czech
Protestant denomination, and its minister is Pavel Paluchnik, who is only
31 years of age. More
Chanukah celebrations begin in Prague
As always in the weeks preceding Christmas, Jews around the world begin the
holiday season before their Christian neighbors. The story of Chanukah is
not in the sacred texts of the Torah, and those who celebrate it, do so
most often at home, eating various foods fried in olive oil, playing games
with chocolate Hanukah gelt (chocolate coins), and receiving presents each
of the eight nights of the festival. Some, though, prefer to share this
holiday of light, as it is called, with others. To see how it is celebrated
around Prague, I headed to a creative workshop organized by the city’s
Jewish Museum. More
Property restitution will give us independence, says Mons. Tomáš Holub of Czech Bishops’ Conference
Given the recent developments on the Czech political scene, the country’s
churches and religious groups might have to wait longer for the return of
their property confiscated by the communist regime. Under the deal, as
proposed by the government, the Roman Catholic Church and some smaller
groups would receive around 134 billion crowns in physical property and
financial compensation to be paid over the next 30 years. After that, the
churches would be completely separated from the state which would no longer
contribute to their budgets. RP asked Mons Tomáš Holub is the secretary
general of the Czech Bishops’ Conference, a body representing the
Catholic Church in the country about how the massive restitution deal might
change the Czech Catholic Church. More
Senate torpedoes church restitution bill
After hours of debate the opposition-controlled Senate on Wednesday
rejected a controversial bill on the restitution of church property. Under
the legislation the state would secure the transfer of part of the land and
property seized by the communist regime in the 1950s and pay tens of
billions of crowns in compensation for the rest. The bill’s opponents
have questioned the scope of the restitution –amounting to 135 billion
crowns -saying it is inflated and arguing that the country can ill afford
such generosity at a time of tax hikes and cost cuts. More
Catholics call Social Democrat campaign against church property restitution Third Reich propaganda
A controversial campaign by the opposition Social Democrats directed
against the church property restitution bill has turned into a major brawl
with Czech Catholics and other churches. After church officials compared it
to anti-Semitic and anti-clerical propaganda of the Third Reich, Social
Democrats leaders fought back and called into question the Catholics’ own
record from WWII. More
Believers go on pilgrimage to Velehrad for Cyril and Methodius celebrations
As the annual celebrations of the legacy of St. Cyril and Methodius
approach many believers are undertaking a religious pilgrimage to the
historic town of Velehrad, where the missionary brothers Cyril and
Methodius arrived in 863 to preach the Gospel in the Slavonic language. One
of these walking pilgrimages is on its way now, having set off from the
town of St Hostýn on Monday. More
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