Adalbert of Prague
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| Saint Adalbert of Prague | |
|---|---|
| Martyr and Bishop | |
| Died | 997 |
| Feast | April 23 |
| Patronage | Bohemia; Czechoslovakia; Poland; Prussia |
Adalbert (Polish: Wojciech, Czech: Template:Audio, Germanic: Adalbert) (c. 956 - April 23, 997) was a bishop of Prague who was martyred in his efforts to convert the Baltic Prussians initiated by Polish King Bolesław I the Brave. He was later made the patron saint of Bohemia, Poland, Hungary, and Prussia.
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Birth and youth
Vojtěch was born of a noble family of Prince Slavnik in Libice nad Cidlinou, Bohemia. His father was a rich and independent ruler of the Zličan princedom that rivaled Prague (see Slavník's dynasty). According to Cosmas' chronicle, Slavnik was a happy man all his life. Vojtěch had six brothers: Soběbor (Slavnik's heir), Spytimir, Pobraslav, Porej, Caslav and Radim (Gaudentius). The latter chose a clerical career as well as Vojtěch did.
Vojtěch was a well-educated man, having studied for about ten years (970-80) in Magdeburg under Saint Adalbert. When Adalbert died, Vojtěch took on the name Adalbert Vojtěch. Another preceptor was Otterich from St. Maurice school. Gifted and industrious, Adalbert Vojtěch soon became well-known all over Europe.
Religious acts
Image:Bishopcoa.png In 980 Adalbert finished his studies at Magdeburg school and returned to Prague where he became a priest. In 981 his father, prince Slavnik, and both his mentors died.
In 982 Adalbert became the Bishop of Prague. However, he strongly resented the participation of formally Christian inhabitants in the slave trade. Although Adalbert descended from a rich family and could afford comfort and luxury, he lived poorly of his own free will. He was noted for charity, austerity, and zealous service to the Church. His duty was difficult even in baptized Bohemia, as the pagan creed was deeply embedded in the peoples' minds. Adalbert complained of polygamy and idolatry, which still were not unusual among the Czech.
In 989 he resigned from his bishop's cloth and left Prague. He went to Rome and lived as a hermit in St. Alexis Benedictine monastery.
Four years later, in 993 the Pope sent him back to Bohemia. Adalbert became the Bishop again. That time he founded a monastery in Břevnov, near Prague, the first in Czechia. According to Cosmas' chronicle, high clerical office was a burden to Adalbert, and in 994 he offered it to Strachkvas who was Přemyslid and Duke Boleslav's brother. Strachkvas, nevertheless, refused.
In 995 Slavniks' rivalry with Přemyslids resulted in a storm of Libice and a cruel murder of four (or five) Adalbert's brothers. All this was done by will of Boleslav II, and the key executors were his confederates from a powerful clan of Vršovci. Thus Zličan princedom became part of Přemyslids' estate.
Adalbert damned Vrśovci in church and predicted that they would be severely persecuted. After the tragedy he could not stay in Bohemia any longer and escaped from Prague, despite the Pope's call for him to return to his episcopal see. Strachkvas was appointed to be his successor. However, when he was going to assume the Bishop office in Prague, he suddenly died during the ceremony itself. Circumstances of his death are still unclear.
As for Adalbert, he went to Hungary and baptized Geza of Hungary and his son Stephen. Then he went to Poland where he was cordially welcomed by Bolesław I the Brave. After the short visit Adalbert went to Prussia with a Christian mission.
Mission and martyrdom in Prussia
Image:Adalb.jpg Adalbert Vojtěch of Prague had already in 977 entertained the idea of becoming a missionary in Prussia. After he had converted Hungary, he was sent by the Pope to convert the heathen Prussians. Boleslaus the Brave, duke of Poland, sent soldiers with Adalbert. The bishop and his followers entered Prussian territory near Gdańsk and went along the Baltic Sea coast.
It was a standard procedure of Christian missionaries to try to chop down sacred oak trees (see Iconoclasm), which they had done in many other places, including Saxony. Because the trees were worshipped and the spirits who were believed to inhabit the trees were feared for their powers, this was done to demonstrate to the non-Christians that no supernatural powers protected the trees from the Christians.
When they did not heed warnings to stay away from the sacred oak groves, Adalbert was martyred in April 997 on the Baltic Sea coast near Truso (currently Elbląg). It is recorded that his body was bought back for its weight in gold by Boleslaus the Brave.
Canonization and memory
A few years later Adalbert was canonized as Saint Adalbert of Prague. His life has been written about in Vita Sancti Adalberti by various writers, the earliest was traced to imperial Aachen and Liège, although it was assumed for many years that the Roman monk John Canaparius had written the first Vita in 999. Another famous biographer of Adalbert was st. Bruno of Querfurt who wrote his hagiography in 1001-1004.
Notably, Bohemian rulers (i.e. Přemyslids) initially refused to ransom st. Adalbert's body from Prussians who murdered him, so it was purchased by Poles. This fact may be explained by st. Adalbert's belonging to Slavniks family; it highlights two clans' conflict strength. Thus Saint Adalbert's bones were stored in Gniezno and helped Boleslaus the Brave to improve Poland's position in Europe.
There is an opinion that in 1039 Bohemian duke Bretislav I retrieved the bones of Saint Adalbert from Gniezno and moved them to Prague. By other version, he took only part of bones, while rest (including skull of St. Adalbert's relics were hidden by Poles (according to Roczniki Polskie) found in 1127 roku. To bones in Gniezno, in 1928, was aded arm of St. Adlbert which Bolesław I gave in 1000 to Otto III. Today Saint Adalbert has two graves, and which bones are authentic is still not clear. For example, the saint has two skulls - one in Prague, other in Gniezno (stolen in 1923).
In June, 1997 was a thousandth anniversary of st. Adalbert's martyrdom. It was commemorated in Poland, Germany, Czechia, Russia and other countries. Representatives of Catholic, Greek Orthodox, and Evangelical churches pilgrimaged to Gniezno, to the saint's tomb. John Paul II visited Gniezno and held a ceremonial divine service which heads of seven European states and about a million of believers took part in. In Kaliningrad Oblast, near Beregovoe village (former Tenkitten), where Adalbert's death hypothetically took place, a ten-meter cross was established.
See also
External links
de:Adalbert von Prag eo:Vojtěch fr:Adalbert de Prague gl:Adalberto de Praga hu:Szent Adalbert nl:Adalbert van Praag pl:Święty Wojciech ru:Адальберт Пражский tl:Adalberto ng Prague fi:Adalbert uk:Адальберт Празький