Visiting Prague

Statuary of St. Vitus

Statue of St. Vitus was made by Ferdinand Brokoff in 1714 and donated by the dean of the Vyšehrad canonry, Matěj Vojtěch Macht of Löwenmacht. This statue on Charles Bridge depicts St. Vitus standing on a base in the shape of cave, from which lions crawl up to which he fell victim. He is shown here as a Roman aristocrat, martyred for his faith.

He was a Christian saint and Sicilian martyr living in 3rd century. He is counted as one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a collective cult of saints that originated in the 14th-century Rhineland, and invoked against diseases including epilepsy, nervous disorders, and St. Vitus’ Dance (Sydenham’s chorea). St. Vitus is also considered the patron saint of comedians, dancers, actors, epileptics and protects against animal attacks, lightning strikes, and oversleeping, and is the patron saint of Bohemia. St Vitus feast day is on June 15th and except his statue on Charles Bridge, St. Vitus Cathedral was constructed in Prague in his honor as the main church of Prague.

Trackback URI |