“A man who did not live for himself and a great educator”, a particularly significant role today, because ” a society that fails to take care of its children – and hence of its future – is an irresponsible society”, said the Archbishop of Olomuc, Jan Graubner, in commemorating the life and mission of St. Wenceslaus, patron saint of the Czech Republic. Archbishop Graubner was speaking during the ceremony held in Stara Boleslaw on 28 September: it was here, in the square of Our Lady, that the Bohemian prince was killed by his brother Boleslav in 935. The Mass, preceded by a procession with the relics of the martyr, was officiated by the Archbishop of Prague, Cardinal Miroslav Vlk. “True Christians have the obligation to be salt in social and political progress”, said the Apostolic Nuncio Diego Causero, reminding those present of “the efforts made by Prince Wenceslaus to give the dignity of nation to the Czech lands”. “The good sovereign – continued the Nuncio – was able to profess his Christian faith in coherence with his life. He fought for these values and died for them. His appeal to Christians and to all men of good will in the country is still alive today: commit yourself to social change and political life, at no matter what price, to bring harmony and justice to society”. “No one – concluded Causero – can deny the significant role played by Christianity in inspiring the Christian values that forged the life of this country”. The celebration was preceded by the usual “national pilgrimage of St. Wenceslaus” which opened on the evening of 27 September with a prayer vigil and a concert in the crypt of the basilica dedicated to the patron saint.
