55 years of Velehrad

On the day of the celebration of St. Wenceslas, the Velehrad Pilgrimage House celebrated 55 years of its existence. For his half-round birthday, it received as a gift a pilgrimage from the parish of Ostrava-Zábřeh (organized by CK Křížek), which was intensively devoted by the sisters during the entire “birthday” week. The people of Ostrava accompanied their bishop Martin David to the celebration of the pontifical Holy mass  on the occasion of the celebration of the Czech national patron in the Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican. This Holy Mass is one of the traditional opportunities for Czech pilgrims and compatriots to meet and is annually sponsored and organized by the Embassy of the Czech Republic at the Holy See in the person of Mr. Ambassador Václav Kolaja. He also invited all present Czech pilgrims to the terrace of our Pilgrimage House for a mini-concert by the Ondrášek Choir from Nový Jičín, which had previously accompanied the Holy Mass, and there was plenty of refreshments. In addition to about a hundred pilgrims from Ostrava, the meeting in a beautiful friendly atmosphere was attended by their Bishop David, the invitation was also accepted by the former nuncio in Prague, Archbishop Leanza, and many of the compatriots living in Rome.

Almost a month later, following the mentioned anniversary of the house, the embassy used the space of the hall at the reception to acquaint family members of diplomats working at the Holy See with the life of the founder of the Pilgrimage House and the great Czech witness of the faith, Cardinal Josef Beran, a candidate for beatification.