Czech National Holidays

JANUARY 1- NEW YEAR This day celebrates the start of the New Year. Many people prepare a big meal including pork for good luck and lentils for prosperity. Stay away from fish and poultry today. It is also the Day of the Establishing of the Czech Republic in On this day the president of the republic has a speech to the nation and he awards honours to the most prominent personalities of the political, social and cultural life of the republic.

Easter- a Christian holiday celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus.The symbols of Easter are much the same as the symbols of spring: lamb and artistically decorated eggs. On Easter Monday men go carolling. They carry elaborately plaited Easter whips with which they whip women to be healthy.

May 1 – Labour Day Worker´s Day commemorates the efforts of labour unions to improve working conditions for all people. Today, Labour day is meant to honour all workers, by giving them a day off. Many people spend this day in the country while others take part in numerous political meetings and demonstations.

May 8 – Liberation Day The end of the WWII in Europe in 1945 and the liberation from fascism is celebrated. The people who fought and died for our freedom are remembered. On 5 th May an uprising broke out in Prague. At the time the American Army liberated Pilsen, but the Soviets did not allow the Americans to proceed towards Prague, as it lay in the Soviet sphere of the divided Europe. In the early hours of the 9 th May the first tanks of the Soviet Army arrived in Prague from Berlin, which meant the end of the fighting.

July 5- Cyril & Methodius Day is consacrated to two missionaries, brothers St.Cyril and St. Methodius, who brought Christianity to the Slavic people of central Europe in 863. The brothers translated the Holy Scriptures and other liturgical texts into the Slavonic language.

July 6 – Jan Hus Day commemorates Jan Hus, a Catholic priest, preacher, the rector of Prague University and a religious reformer. He was burned at the stake as a heretic because of his efforts to stop corruption in the Church( 1415). Hus did not recognize the authority of church hierarchy, especially the pope. He wanted the return of the practices of the primary church. His death gave an impetus to a great Hussite movement in Bohemia. (1419 – 1434)

September 28–St.Wenceslas Day This day is celebrated as Czech Statehood day. It commemorates the anniversary of the death of prince Wenceslas, Duke of Bohemia. In 935 the Prince was assassinated at the behest of his brother.Soon afterwards he was canonized and became the patron saint of the Czech nation. His fame spread outside the country due to the popular Christmas carol, Good King Wenceslas.

October 28 – Czechoslovak Independence Day On this day in 1918, the independent Czechoslovak Republic was founded. After WWI, the Austro-Hungarian Empire disintegrated and an independent country was established. T.G.Masaryk became Czechoslovakia´s first president.

November 17- Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day This day honours the student demonstration against the Nazis in 1939, as well as the protests against the Communists in In 1939, a medical student, Jan Opletal was killed and soon the Germans violently suppressed the protests and closed all Czech colleges. 50 years later, many students protested against another kind of oppression.These demonstrations marked the beginning of the „Velvet revolution“ and started the path towards democracy.

Christmas – December A Christian holiday, celebrating the birth of Jesus. As the Czech society is the most atheistic society in Europe (only 32 % believers), this holiday has lost much if its spiritual character. People rather enjoy free days, entertain themselves in various ways, families and friends gather at Christmas Eve dinner (traditional fried carp and potato salad) and exchange presents.