St. Cyril and Methodius by Jiri Grabavicic
Oil on Canvas, 2002
On display at the Czech Center Museum Houston
St Cyril and Methodius lived in the 9th century and are important figures in Eastern Orthodox Churches. The brothers are known as the Apostles of the Slavs due to their missionary work amongst Slavic peoples and their creation of the Glagolitic alphabet, which is the oldest form of the written Cyrillic language. Their developments in language allowed for the creation of an independent Slavic identity because it differentiated them from their German neighbors. Their legacy has left a lasting impact on all Slavic people which can still be seen today. In the 1730s, the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius in Prague, Czech Republic, was built. The church has played an important role in modern Czech history and continues to be a place of worship for those who practice the Czech Orthodox faith.
This church also played an important role in the history of Czech resistance during WWII. In 1939, Nazi Germany had occupied all of Czechoslovakia. The Czechoslovakian government was in exile from their own country but continued to fight against the Nazis from England. A few years later, Reinhard Heydrich was installed by the Nazis as the governor and began an oppressive and violent reign over the people. Czech resistance fighters, Josef Gabčík and Jan Kubiš were selected for Operation Anthropoid, a mission to assassinate Heydrich. They parachuted into Czechoslovakia and recruited five other men to assist them in their mission. On May 27th, 1942, Gabčík and Kubiš ambushed Heydrich on his daily commute. Unfortunately one of their guns jammed which allowed for Heydrich and his men to defend themselves. At the last minute, Kubiš threw a grenade, which fatally wounded Heydrich. The paratroopers fled and were hidden in the Church of St. Cyril and Methodius. They met up with the five other members of their operation and stayed in the crypt of the church for three weeks. During this time, the Nazi regime conducted a manhunt for the resistance fighters. The men were eventually found in the church, where they made their last stand. Today the church is still in operation and holds weekly service yet the crypt has been transformed into a memorial of the paratrooper’s bravery.
This church connects to some of the most important events in Czech history. From the foundations of Slavic culture, which would eventually branch off into the Czech nation, to the heroism of Czech and Slovak men during WWII, this church tells the story of a country whose people have fought for their right to independence and to develop their own identity.
Written by: Rachel Stenz
Sources: BBC, Czech.Radio, Patowary