Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral

The Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral in Nové Město, Prague, the Czech Republic, is the principal Czech and Slovak Orthodox Church.

For the similarly named Catholic church in Prague, see Church of Saints Cyril and Methodius (Karlín).

Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral
Chrám svatého Cyrila a Metoděje
Religion
AffiliationCzech and Slovak Orthodox Church
DistrictNové Město
RegionPrague
LeadershipChristopher of Prague
PatronSaints Cyril and Methodius
Location
CountryCzech Republic
Location in Central Prague
Location in Prague
Geographic coordinates50°4′33″N 14°25′1″E
Architecture
Architect(s)Kilian Ignaz Dientzenhofer
TypeCathedral
StyleCzech Baroque
Groundbreaking1730
Completed1736
ÚSKP No.44122/1-1221

History

Early history

According to oral tradition, the site where Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral stands was the site of a small church built by Bořivoj I, Duke of Bohemia, and dedicated by Saint Methodius himself. This link is based historically upon early and continuing reference to the name "Na Zderaze" for the existing church building. In 1091, the Czech lord Zderad was killed during the siege of Brno, and was buried in the earlier church which was near Prague. Zderad's name was then immortalized in the name of the street "Na Zderaze" which is adjacent to the cathedral, thus establishing a connection to this site that was hallowed by St. Methodius.

From 1115, the church of Saints Peter and Paul stood on the site of the present church, around which the Knights of the Cross built the Zderazsky monastery. During the Hussite Wars, the church was largely destroyed, leaving only a part of the choir standing. In 1705, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Prague, Breuner, established a retirement home for priests on the site of the monastery next to which a church was later built.

World War II
Bullet-scarred window to the crypt
Main article: Operation Anthropoid

In 1942, during World War II, the cathedral was where a last stand was made by SOE-trained Czech and Slovak agents involved in the assassination of SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich. SS and Police Leader of Waffen-SS Karl Fischer von Treuenfeld commanded the Nazi forces that stormed the church on 18 June 1942. After a fierce gun battle, two of the Czechoslovaks were killed and the rest committed suicide to avoid capture.[1]

There is a museum in the church crypt dedicated to them as national heroes.

References

Footnotes
  1. Evans 2008, p. 277.

Sources
  • Evans, R. J. (2008). The Third Reich at War. The Third Reich Trilogy. New York: Penguin. ISBN 9780143116714.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

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