Pope appoints envoy for commemoration of death of Jan Hus

June 29, 2015

In a Latin-language letter dated April 9 and released on June 27, Pope Francis formally appointed Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, the retired archbishop of Prague, as his special envoy for the commemoration of the 600th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus.

Two Czech priests, Father Michael Nemecek and Father Miroslav Simacek, will accompany Cardinal Vlk to the commemoration, which will take place on July 5 and 6.

Hus, a Bohemian priest and the rector of Charles University, was burned at the stake for heresy, and in 1999 Pope St. John Paul II expressed regret for his death.

“On the eve of the Great Jubilee, I feel obliged to express deep regret for the cruel death inflicted on Jan Hus and the resulting wound, a source of conflict and division which was thus opened in the minds and hearts of the Bohemian people,” he said.

Vatican Radio announced the appointment of the special envoy in May. In the newly-released letter, Pope Francis wrote to Cardinal Vlk, “By your words, you will invite all present to the assiduous imitation of the life of Christ and to obeying the divine precepts in daily life in a more diligent manner.”

Quoting the Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism, the Pontiff added that “all the faithful should remember that the more effort they make to live holier lives according to the Gospel, the better will they further Christian unity and put it into practice. For the closer their union with the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, the more deeply and easily will they be able to grow in mutual brotherly love.”

 

---

For all current news, visit our News home page.

---

 
Further information:

• Lettera del Santo Padre all’Inviato Speciale alle celebrazioni del 600.mo anniversario della morte di Jan Hus (Praga, 5-6 luglio 2015), 27.06.2015
• Memory of Jan Hus should spur reform, quest for Christian unity, Pope tells Czech Protestant leaders (CWN, 6/15)
• Papal envoy to be present at commemoration of death of Jan Hus (CWN, 5/4)