Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Czech President, Prague Archbishop Sign Agreement On Joint Care of Cathedral

In the Czech Republic yesterday, an 18-year long dispute between the government and the Catholic Church over the ownership of St. Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle was resolved with the signing of an agreement by Czech President Vaclav Klaus and Prague Archbishop Dominik Duka. Ceske Noviny yesterday reported that under the agreement, a council will be set up to provide for management of the cathedral. Its members-- government and church officials-- will be the holders of the seven keys to the room in the cathedral's St. Wenceslas Chapel where coronation jewels are preserved. In signing the agreement, President Klaus said:
The court dispute about the cathedral and some other real estate at Prague Castle has been terminated by the declaration we have just signed. As it has been for long past centuries, the state and the Catholic Church will by joint forces take care of the cathedral that they together consider an exceptional national symbol in its historical, spiritual and cultural sense.
(See prior related posting.)