(957-997) St. Adalbert of Prague Svatý Vojtěch Swiety Wojciech

(957-997)

St. Adalbert of St. Adalbert of PraguePrague

Svatý VojtěchSvatý Vojtěch

Swiety WojciechSwiety Wojciech

2nd Bishop of Prague.

A patron saint of Bohemia, Poland and Prussia

He studied in Magdeburg, Germany

982- became the Bishop of Prague

987-disgusted by the situation in his country he left Prague for Rome

He arrived back, but in 994 his brothers and their families were murdered by the then ruling Přemyslids

Adalbert left the country again. He went to Hungary to baptize the Hungarian princes and establish church there.

Also he travelled to Poland to find asylum

Boleslav II the Brave of Poland bought the relics of Adalbert from the Prussians and placed them in the Gniezno church.

In 1039 the Czech prince Břetislav Ist raided Gniezno and took the relics to Prague.

It is not clear if the relics were real ...Poles think they are in Gniezno and

Czechs believe they are in Prague

Relics in Relics in PraguePrague

Relics in GnieznoRelics in Gniezno

A famous pair of bronze doors in Gniezno cathedral, decorated by 18 reliefs from Adalbert´s life.

It was built in 1938 – 1939, designed by a Prague architect Jaroslav Čermák in the modern style called functionalism

Gothic triumphal arch divides the whole space into the presbytery and the nave

Vertical structural lines connect the bottom with the top

Square coffered ceiling

Front wall of the

presbytery is

dominated by a huge wooden

cross and a statue of

St. Adalbert and

Prussian warriors

The interior combines modern straight lines of functionalism with the traditional religious

shape of a triangle

In 1939 tIn 1939 twwo bellso bells were madewere made, 600 , 600 kg Antonín and kg Antonín and 900 kg Vojtěch900 kg Vojtěch (Adalbert)(Adalbert)

InIn 1942, the1942, theyy were were removedremoved for war for war purposespurposes

No bells for 50 No bells for 50 yearsyears

In In 1993 Perner1993 Perner‘s ‘s workshop in workshop in PassauPassau, Germany, Germany madmade e two new bells: two new bells: Holy Holy Trinity and Trinity and St. AdalbertSt. Adalbert