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St. Adalbert, Bishop of Prague
X Century
The first bishop of Prague to have been born in Bohemia, St. Adalbert was
born Voytech c. 956 into a noble family. He was sent to Magdeburg to be
educated and took the name of his catechist when he was baptized. After
the death of his mentor in 981, Adalbert, who had grand visions of
missionary work and clerical reform, returned to Prague, and in the
following year, he became the second bishop of Prague. Conflict developed
between the bishop and the duke of Bohemia, Boleslaus II, and in 990,
Adalbert travelled to Rome, where he became a monk. John XV ordered him
back to Prague two years later, and Gregory V released him from his
episcopal duties in 995, after the massacre, at the order of Boleslaus, of
Adalbert's family at Libice. During these five years in Prague, Adalbert
founded the abbey of Brevnov. Boleslaus I, duke of Poland, invited him to
evangelize the Prussians of Pomerania; Adalbert was killed on the
suspicion of being a Polish spy. Boleslaus I buried Adalbert's body at
Gniezno, Poland, whence it was translated in 1039 to Prague. Adalbert was
canonized in 999.
Karen Rae Keck
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