Jan Hus Day
Jan Hus Day is a holiday observed in the Czech Republic on July 6th each year. This day commemorates the predecessor of Martin Luther, Czech scholar and theologian Jan Hus. In 1412, Jan Hus was excommunicated from the Catholic Church for insubordination. Two years later, he was summoned to the ecclesiastical Council of Constance. It was at this meeting that he was asked to recant his teachings. When he refused to make such concessions, he was burnt at the stake on July 6, 1415. This made him a martyr and has also made him a powerful symbol in the Czech Republic of courage and independence.
Czech Republic (National holiday)The History of Jan Hus Day
Jan Hus was born in Bohemia in 1369. He would grow up to be not only a priest but also a reformer. He is seen by many as the predecessor to the Protestant movement of the 16th century, and he advocated for various church reforms including the use of Czech as a liturgical language, stopping the sale of indulgences, and changing the practices of the church to align better with biblical teachings.
In 1412, he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church. He was eventually found guilty of heresy and was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415. One of his last acts was to proclaim that a man would rise up in 100 years whose teachings wouldn’t be controlled. In 1517, Martin Luther nailed his list of 95 theses against the Roman Catholic Church on the church door located in Wittenberg, Germany.
Observing Jan Hus Day
Jan Hus Day is observed by laying a wreath on his monument located in Old Town Square in the capital city of Prague. The national flag is also flown on this day at all public places in the Czech Republic. People also use the hashtag #JanHusDay on their social media accounts to spread the word about it.
Czech Republic (National holiday)
