Prague, 28 September 2022 (TDI): The Czech Republic is celebrating Czech Statehood Day today. The day is celebrated each year on the 28th of September.
On this occasion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic shared a special message in a tweet appreciating the Czechs for their helpful nature and leaving their mark in sports and science or with their beer, every year. The message stated that these are the reasons why Statehood day is their favorite holiday.
Czechs 🇨🇿 know how to come together and help each other when needed. Every year we leave a new 🇨🇿 footprint in the world – in sports, in science, or with our great beer. We have so much to be proud of! That is why Czech Statehood Day is our favorite holiday. Celebrate it with us! pic.twitter.com/TzDk8qBPAd
— Czech MFA (@CzechMFA) September 28, 2022
History of Czech Statehood Day
The day is also commonly referred to as the ‘Wenceslas Day,’ named after Wenceslas, the Duke of Bohemia, who was born in Prague likely in the year 907 A.D.
Due to the passing of his father in 921, Wenceslas began to govern in 922 while he was just 15 years old. His brother Boleslav and the rest of his family were quite reluctant when it came to the goal to unite Bohemia and make peace with Germany.
Boleslav assassinated Wenceslas and the families of Wenceslas’ allies to seize control. Wenceslas was then regarded as a saint because of his martyrdom. In addition, Otto I, the Holy Roman Emperor, gave him the title of King upon his demise.
He is thus the same King Wenceslas that is mentioned in the Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas.
The Catholic and Orthodox churches both celebrate his feast day on September 28, the day of Wenceslas’s assassination.
The Czech Republic has long considered the day of St. Wenceslas’s feast to be important. Due to the efforts of the Christian Democratic Party, it also became a national holiday in 2000 and is now celebrated yearly as Statehood Day.
The Czech Republic’s founding and its patron saint are the subjects of these two festivals, which are celebrated on the same day.
Celebrations on the day
The day is a combination of state celebrations and religious observances. A memorial wreath is always put on the statue of St. Wenceslas at Prague Castle, where those who have contributed to the creation of the Czech Republic are honored with St. Wenceslas medals.
Other activities, including dancing and concerts, are organized on September 28 to celebrate the importance of statehood and Saint Wenceslas.
Also read: International Day for Universal Access to Information
