Public Holiday in the Czech Republic

Yesterday was a public holiday in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia: in the Czech Republic, the day honoring the Slavic enlighteners, the Greek brothers Cyril and Methodius, was celebrated. Visitors on a city break in Prague, or spending their vacation in a hotel, holiday apartment or holiday home elsewhere in the Czech Republic, could look forward to numerous events taking place over the next few days.

The brothers Constantine and Michael, who were born in Thessaloniki, have been venerated as Saints Cyril and Methodius (or Methodius) in the Orthodox churches since the Middle Ages. Their feast day is celebrated on February 14. In 863, the two brothers were sent from Byzantium to the then Slavic state of Moravia to begin the Christian mission among the Slavs. For this reason, they are known as the “Apostles to the Slavs.” By translating church books from Greek into Slavic languages, they also taught the Slavs to read and write, and played a major role in the flourishing development of Slavic art, culture and literature. In their honor, the Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius (in Czech: “Kostel sv. Cyrila a Metoděje”) was built in the Czech capital. The church in Prague’s New Town Prague was built between 1730 and 1736 and was one of the most important sites of Czech resistance to the Nazis.

All of the Czech Republic celebrated the public holiday yesterday, with exhibitions, performances and festivals held everywhere. Anyone traveling to the Czech Republic for a summer vacation will still be able to attend some of these events, many of which focus on Slavic art, culture and literature.