Visiting Prague

Summary: story about the legend of the saint martyr John Nepomuk who died at the river Vltava.

The story of St. John Nepomuk is an incredible tale that mixes the true with the fantastic. This great man actually existed he was born in 1345 in Nepoumuk, Czechia, a Roman Catholic who has by occupation his religion. He completed his studies at the Universities of Prague and Padua and in 1387, under the reign of King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia, Emperor of Rome. Many times it was given to him the change to be a bishop although he always refused that responsibility using the argument that there were others who were better then him. A valuable man in the cleric society who was in 1393 made the vicar-general of John of Jenštejn (1348-1400), who was the Archbishop of Prague from 1378 to 1396. The kind issues with nobility people were with its abbots because of a territorial magnate whose resources would be crucial to Wenceslaus in his struggles with nobles. Simultaneously Wenceslaus was backing the Avignon papacy, whereas the Archbishop of Prague followed its rival, the pope at Rome. Opposing to the desires of Wenceslaus, John confirmed the Archbishop’s candidate for Abbot of Kladrau, therefore he was drown in 1393. Four historical credible documents confirm this version of the legend.
Other version of the story is that Wenceslas IV was a very jealous man and suspected his wife of being unfaithful. Expecting to discover the truth, he asked Vicar John to inform him of his wife’s confession. Like this he would know what would be his wife sins but John would be violating the ethic of the catholic charge and as John refused, the king had him murdered and thrown in the river. In the surrounding dot the river Vltava and the Charles Bridge you will also find nice and pleasant Hotels in Prague where you will beneficiate from a great view to the bridge and the river itself.
Although there is one more story about the motives that might have taken John Nepomuk to death. As it was said before John had the possibility to become a bishop although he never took the chance and it is said that there are chronicles that say that he had learned of the King’s plan to reward an unworthy cleric with an abbey and he convinced the monks into electing a new abbot behind King Wenceslas IV back. When the kind found out he was sent to jail along with the Archbishop of Prague. In prison the Archbishop managed to escape but John Nepomuk didn’t. In this very night he was tortured to death and his body thrown to the waters for Vltava.
Whatever the legend is they all have the same ending: the body was thrown to the river and that is his connection to the Charles Bridge.
John of Jenštejn refers to John of Nepomuk, “saint martyr” in the biography of the bishop, written by his chaplain, John of Nepomuk is described as “gloriosum Christi martyrem miraculisque coruscum”. However he was beatified in May 31 of the year 1721 and canonized in 19 March 8 year later by Benedict XIII who recognized him as a saint. The acts of the process, comprising 500 pages distinguish two Johns of Nepomuk and sanction the cults of the one who was drowned in 1393 as a martyr of the sacrament of penance.
When you visit the Charles Bridge or you see it on the balbony of the near Prague hotels you will certainly remember this saint and you can also try to see the place on the bridge parapet where John of Nepomuk was thrown into the Vltava.

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