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Summary for: Prague archbishop seeks first papal visit to Czechia since 2009Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl hopes Pope Leo XIV will visit Czechia in the coming years, potentially marking the country’s first papal visit since 2009.
Přibyl said he plans to discuss the possibility with Eugene Martin Nugent, the new apostolic nuncio to Czechia, who arrived in the country in early September.
“It seems that both political leaders and the Church would like it,” Přibyl told ČTK, noting that President Petr Pavel invited the pontiff shortly after his election last year.
Major anniversaries could provide an occasion
Přibyl identified several anniversaries in 2028 and 2029 that could provide a suitable occasion for the visit.
The year 2028 will mark 400 years since Polyxena of Lobkowicz donated the Infant Jesus of Prague statue to the Discalced Carmelites at the Church of Our Lady Victorious. Přibyl described the statue as a Czech icon recognized around the world.
The following year will mark the 300th anniversary of the canonization of St. John of Nepomuk and 100 years since the consecration of the St. Vitus Cathedral. It will also be 60 years since the death of Cardinal Josef Beran in Rome.
“The ideal dates would therefore be 2029 and 2028,” Přibyl said. “But who am I to tell the pope what to do? Still, I’ve already planted the idea in his head,” he joked.
Pope already familiar with Czechia
Leo XIV, formerly U.S. Cardinal Robert Prevost, has previously visited Czechia in his role as head of the Augustinian order.
Přibyl said the pope knows both Prague and Brno from visits to Augustinian communities before his election.
The last pontiff to visit Czechia was Benedict XVI in September 2009. During his three-day trip, approximately 120,000 people attended an outdoor Mass in Brno, while another 50,000 gathered for a Mass aimed primarily at young pilgrims in Stará Boleslav.
