St Wenceslaus I or Vaclav died as a martyr on September 28 935 AD in Stará Boleslav, Bohemia (now Czechia or the Czech Republic).
He was born in 907 AD near Prague and became the Duke of Bohemia from 921 AD till his death.
We celebrate his feast day on September 28 every year in the Catholic Church.
St Wenceslaus is the Patron Saint of Bohemia Region, Czech Republic, and Prague.
| Saint Wenceslaus, Martyr Biography | |
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| Date of Birth | 907 AD |
| Place of Birth | Czechia (Previously Bohemia) |
| Profession | Duke of Bohemia |
| Place of Work | Bohemia |
| Date of Death | September 28 935 AD |
| Place of Death | Stará Boleslav, Bohemia (now Czechia or Czech Republic) |
| Feast Day | September 28 |
| Canonization | Pre-Congregation |
| Patron Saint of |
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Saint Wenceslaus Life History
St Wenceslaus’s parents were Vratislaus I, Duke of Bohemia, and Drahomira, a pagan mother. His Christian grandfather was Bořivoj I of Bohemia and his paternal grandmother was Saint Ludmila of Bohemia who made sure he got a good education. Bořivoj I of Bohemia was converted to Christianity by Saints Cyril and Methodius.
His father, Duke Vratislaus I, died in 921 AD when St Wenceslaus was only 13 years of age. When his grandmother, Ludmila became the regent of Bohemia, she was assassinated by Drahomíra, his mother on September 15 921.
His mother then took over the regency and started troubling Christians but after St Wenceslaus reached 18 years, he took over power and exiled his mother with the help of the Christians.
The Christians and the nobles of Bohemia assisted Wenceslaus in strengthening his government and neutralizing the turbulence that his mother had created.
He brought German priests to his region to spread Christianity and strengthen the Roman rite of worship.
Boleslav, Wenceslaus’s younger brother, was always jealous of him. He wanted to take over power from Wenceslaus.
In September 935 AD, Boleslav, with the help of a group of nobles plotted to kill his brother. He invited Wenceslaus to celebrate with him the feast of Saints Cosmas and Damian and during the celebration, his three sycophants pounced on Wenceslaus and stabbed him to death.
Immediately after his death, many Christians considered Wenceslaus as a saint. His great piety inspired many people in Bohemia and in England who started to venerate him. During his rule, he generously helped those in difficulty, orphans, widows, and those in prison.
He was referred to as the righteous king. This was after Holy Roman Emperor Otto I, three decades later, posthumously conferred Wenceslaus the title of a king even though he was just a duke.
The Saint Wenceslaus Chorale, a Czech song that was composed around the 12th century AD, is a very popular religious song and anthem in Czechia.
Death
St Wenceslaus died as a martyr on September 28 935 AD in Stará Boleslav, Bohemia (now Czechia or Czech Republic), after he was stabbed to death by his younger brother Boleslav and his Psycophants.
St Wenceslaus Feast Day
We celebrate his feast day on September 28 every year in the Catholic Church. In the Czech Republic, September 28 is a public holiday to celebrate Czech Statehood Day.
St Wenceslaus is the Patron Saint of
- Bohemia Region
- Czech Republic
- Prague
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