John of Nepomuk
Statue of John of Nepomuk on Charles Bridge, Prague
Martyr
Born	c.1345, Nepomuk
Died	March 20, 1393, Prague
Beatified	May 31, 1721
Canonized	March 19, 1729 by Benedict XIII
Feast	May 16
Attributes	halo of five stars, palm, priestly dress, cross, angel indicating silence by a finger over the lips
Patronage	Bohemia
Saints Portal

John of Nepomuk or John Nepomucene (Czech: Jan Nepomucký) (c.1345 – March 20, 1393)^[1] is a national saint of Bohemia, drowned in river Vltava at the behest of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. On the basis of this account, John of Nepomuk is considered the first martyr of the Seal of the Confessional, a patron against calumnies and, because of the manner of his death, a protector from floods. ^[1] Download high resolution version (600x800, 53 KB)John of Nepomuk - a statue on the Charles Bridge. ... Charles Bridge and Prague Old Town Charles Bridge as viewed from Petřínská rozhledna - lookout tower Charles Bridge (Czech:  ) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... Nepomuk is a town in the Czech Republic, in the region of Plzen. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Ottoman Turks occupy Veliko Turnovo in north-central Bulgaria. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1721 (MDCCXXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the process of declaring saints. ... is the 78th day of the year (79th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events July 30 - Baltimore, Maryland is founded. ... Pope Benedict XIII (February 2, 1649 – February 21, 1730), born Pietro Francesco Orsini, later Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was pope from 1724 until his death. ... The calendar of saints is a traditional Christian method of organising a liturgical year on the level of days by associating each day with one or more saints, and referring to the day as that saints day. ... Saint symbology was important to people who couldnt read because they can figure out what symbols mean. ... Saint Quentin is the patron saint of locksmiths and is also invoked against coughs and sneezes. ... For other uses, see Bohemia (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Gloriole. ... Events Miracle of the Host Births October 31 - King Fernando I of Portugal (died 1383) Agnès of Valois, daughter of John II of France (died 1349) Eleanor Maltravers, English noblewoman (died 1405) Deaths April 14 - Richard Aungerville, English writer and bishop (born 1287) September 16 - John IV, Duke of... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Ottoman Turks occupy Veliko Turnovo in north-central Bulgaria. ... Saints redirects here. ... For other uses, see Bohemia (disambiguation). ... The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... Wenceslaus (German: Wenzel, Czech: Václav IV; sometimes known as the Drunkard) (February 26, 1361 – August 16, 1419), of the house of Luxembourg, was king of Bohemia from 1378 to his death; until 1400, he also headed the Holy Roman Empire (as King of the Romans), and he continued to... For other uses, see Martyr (disambiguation). ... The Seal of the Confession(al) is the absolute confidentiality for Roman Catholic priests, of anything that they learn from penitents during the course of confession. ... Flooding near Key West, Florida, United States from Hurricane Wilmas storm surge in October 2005 For other uses, see Flood (disambiguation). ...

Basic biographical information

Jan Velflín (Welflin, Wölflin) z Pomuku was born in the small market town of Pomuk in Bohemia, later renamed Nepomuk, which belonged to the nearby Cistercian abbey. He was born in the decade 1340-1349, and he first studied at the University of Prague, then furthered his studies in canon law at the University of Padua from 1383 to 1387. In 1393 he was made the vicar-general of John of Jenštejn (1348-1400), who was the Archbishop of Prague from 1378 to 1396. In the same year, on March 20, he was tortured and thrown into the river Vltava from Charles Bridge in Prague at the behest of Wenceslaus, King of the Romans and King of Bohemia (as Wenceslaus IV). Nepomuk is a town in the Czech Republic, in the region of Plzen. ... The Order of Cistercians (OCist) (Latin Cistercenses), otherwise Gimey or White Monks (from the colour of the habit, over which is worn a black scapular or apron) are a Catholic order of monks. ... The Charles University of Prague (also simply University of Prague; Czech: Univerzita Karlova; Latin: Universitas Carolina) is the oldest and most prestigious Czech university and among the oldest universities in Europe, being founded in 1340s (for the exact year, see below). ... Canon Law is the ecclesiastical law of the Roman Catholic Church. ... Padua, Italy, (Italian: IPA: , Latin: Patavium, Venetian: ) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, the economic and communications hub of the region. ... Year 1383 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Events June 2 - John Holland, a maternal half-brother of Richard II of England, is created Earl of Huntingdon. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... Charles Bridge and Prague Old Town Charles Bridge as viewed from Petřínská rozhledna - lookout tower Charles Bridge (Czech:  ) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... Wenceslaus (German: Wenzel, Czech: Václav IV; sometimes known as the Drunkard) (February 26, 1361 – August 16, 1419), of the house of Luxembourg, was king of Bohemia from 1378 to his death; until 1400, he also headed the Holy Roman Empire (as King of the Romans), and he continued to...

At issue was the appointment of a new abbot for the rich and powerful Benedictine Abbey of Kladruby; its abbot was a territorial magnate whose resources would be crucial to Wenceslaus in his struggles with nobles. Wenceslaus at the same time was backing the Avignon papacy, whereas the Archbishop of Prague followed its rival, the pope at Rome. Contrary to the wishes of Wenceslaus, John confirmed the archbishop's candidate for Abbot of Kladruby, and was drowned on the emperor's orders, March 20, 1393. For other uses, see Abbot (disambiguation). ... For the college, see Benedictine College. ... Location of Kladruby in the Czech Republic Kladruby (-Czech, German: Kladrau) is a village in the Czech Republic, in the region of Plzeň, near the town Stříbro. ... The Papal palace in Avignon In the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the Avignon Papacy was the period from 1309 to 1377 during which seven popes, all French, resided in Avignon: Pope Clement V: 1305–1314 Pope John XXII: 1316–1334 Pope Benedict XII: 1334–1342 Pope Clement VI...

This account is based on four contemporary documents. The first is the accusation of the king, presented to Pope Boniface IX on April 23, 1393, by Archbishop John of Jenštejn, who went immediately to Rome together with the new abbot of Kladruby ^[2]. Boniface IX, né Piero Tomacelli (1356 – October 1, 1404), was the second Roman Pope of the Western Schism from November 2, 1389 – until October 1, 1404). ...

A few years later Abbott Ladolf of Sagan lists him in the catalog of Sagan abbots, completed in 1398 ^[3], as well as in the treatise "De longævo schismate", lib. VII, c. xix ^[4].

A further document is the "Chronik des Deutschordens", a chronicle of the Teutonic Order compiled by John of Posilge, who died in 1405 ^[5].

In the above accusation John of Jenštejn already calls John of Nepomuk, “saint martyr”. In the biography of the bishop, written by his chaplain, John of Nepomuk is described as "gloriosum Christi martyrem miraculisque coruscum." Therefore the vicar put to death for defending the laws and the autonomy of the Catholic Church was revered as a saint right after his death.

Later accounts

Much additional biographical information is due to Bohemian annalists, who wrote 60 or more years after the events. Although they may have taken advantage of sources not available today, their contribution is considered legendary by many historians, particularly by the Protestant ones.

• In his chronicle Chronica regum Romanorum, completed in 1459, Thomas Ebendorfer (d. 1464) states that King Wenceslaus had drowned the confessor of his wife, indicated as Magister Jan, because he had stated that only the one who rules properly deserves the name of king and had refused to betray the seal of Confession. This is the first source to mention this refusal as the true motivation of the condemnation of John of Nepomuk.
• In his Instructions for the King, completed in 1471, Paul Zidek provides further details ^[6]. King Venceslaus was afraid that his wife had a lover. As she was used to confessing to Magister Jan, he ordered him to tell the name of the lover, but to no avail. Therefore the king ordered John to be drowned. Note that in these chronicles neither the date of the events, nor the name of the queen is mentioned.
• In 1483 John of Krumlov, dean of St. Vitus cathedral, states that the Saint died in 1383 (exactly one century before, maybe due to a copying error)^[7][7]. As the first wife of Venceslaus died in 1386, this change of date also causes uncertainty about the name of the queen^[8].

The mistake of John of Krumlov crept into the Annales Bohemorum^[9] of Wenceslaus Hajek von Liboczan (cs:Vaclav Hajek z Libočan, dead in 1553), the Bohemian Livy. He suggested that two Jan di Nepomuks may have existed and have been killed by King Wenceslaus. The first one is the queen's confessor, who died in 1383; the other the vicar of the archbishop, who disagreed with the king on the election of the abbot of Kladruby and was drowned in 1393. As Hajek's annals enjoyed a wide success, they influenced all subsequent historians for two centuries, up to the Latin edition, critically annotated by the translator, which considerably reduced Hayek's credit as a reliable historian. Events September 23 - Battle of Blore Heath. ... For Roman Catholic priests, the confidentiality of anything that they learn from penitents during the course of confession is absolute. ... This article is about the year 1471, not the BT caller ID service accessible by dialling 1-4-7-1. ... Events The São Tomé settlement is founded. ... Year 1383 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Year 1383 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. ... Events Ottoman Turks occupy Veliko Turnovo in north-central Bulgaria. ...

Further and less reliable details about John of Nepomuk are provided by the annalists of the XVII and XVIII centuries. Boleslaus Balbinus, S.J., in his Vita b. Joannis Nepomuceni martyris ^[10] gives the most rich account. The Jesuit historiographer of Bohemia Boleslaus Balbinus or Bohuslav Balbín (4 December 1621, Königgrätz — 29 November 1688, Prague), the Bohemian Pliny, whose Vita beatae Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670, [1] is in large part responsible for the developed legend of Saint John of Nepomuk. ...

Although the theory of Hajek von Liboczan has no credit today, some historians believe the refusal of betraying the seal of confession might have been the secret reason why Wenceslaus took vengeance on John of Nepomuk as soon as a credible excuse provided the opportunity.

A controversial figure

Monument on Cathedral Island in Wrocław, Poland

John of Nepomuk is seen by Catholics as a martyr to the cause of defending the Seal of the Confessional, by romantic nationalists as a Czech martyr to imperial interference, and by most historians as a victim of a late version of the inveterate investiture controversy between secular rulers and the catholic hierarchy. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1408x1782, 568 KB) Summary Ostrów Tumski - Cathedral Island: St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1408x1782, 568 KB) Summary Ostrów Tumski - Cathedral Island: St. ... Motto: Miasto spotkaÅ„ (the meeting place) Coordinates: , Country Poland Voivodeship Lower Silesian Powiat city county Gmina WrocÅ‚aw Established 10th century City Rights 1262 Government  - Mayor RafaÅ‚ Dutkiewicz Area  - City 292. ... The Seal of the Confession(al) is the absolute confidentiality for Roman Catholic priests, of anything that they learn from penitents during the course of confession. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... A medieval king investing a bishop with the symbols of office. ...

The connection of John of Nepomuk with the inviolability of the confessional is part of the transformation of an historical figure into a legend, which can be traced through successive stages. The archbishop, who hastened to Rome soon after the crime, in his charge against Wenceslaus, called the victim a martyr; in the vita written a few years later miracles are already recorded, by which the drowned man was discovered. About the middle of the fifteenth century the statement appears for the first time that the refusal to violate the seal of confession was the cause of John's death. Two decades later (1471), the dean of Prague, Paul Zidek, makes John the queen's confessor. The unscrupulous chronicler Wenceslaus Hajek speaks in 1541 (probably owing to carelessness in the use of his sources) of two Johns of Nepomuk being drowned; the first as confessor, the second for his confirmation of the abbot. The priest penitent privilege, also known as the clergy privilege, is an application of the principle of privileged communication that purports to protect the contents of communications between a member of the clergy and communicant, who shares information in confidence. ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... Vita or VITA can refer to any of a number of things: Vita (Latin for life) can also refer to a brief biography, often that of a saint (i. ...

The place on the bridge parapet where John of Nepomuk was thrown into the Vltava.

The legend is especially indebted for its growth to the Jesuit historiographer Boleslaus Balbinus the "Bohemian Pliny,", whose Vita beati Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670. Although the Prague metropolitan chapter did not accept the biography dedicated to it, "as being frequently destitute of historical foundation and erroneous, a bungling work of mythological rhetoric", Balbinus stuck to it. In 1683 the Charles Bridge was adorned with a statue of the saint, which has had numerous successors; in 1708 the first church was dedicated to him at Hradec Králové; a more famous Pilgrimage Church of Saint John of Nepomuk was founded in 1719. The place on Charles Bridge where John of Nepomuk has been thrown into the river and drowned (Prague). ... The place on Charles Bridge where John of Nepomuk has been thrown into the river and drowned (Prague). ... The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... The Jesuit historiographer of Bohemia Boleslaus Balbinus or Bohuslav Balbín (4 December 1621, Königgrätz — 29 November 1688, Prague), the Bohemian Pliny, whose Vita beatae Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670, [1] is in large part responsible for the developed legend of Saint John of Nepomuk. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... Charles Bridge and Prague Old Town Charles Bridge as viewed from Petřínská rozhledna - lookout tower Charles Bridge (Czech:  ) is a famous historical bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague, Czech Republic. ... Hradec Králové (help· info) (German: Königgrätz) is a city of the Czech Republic, in the Hradec Králové Region of Bohemia. ... The Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora (Gruneberg) in Žďár nad Sázavou, near the border between Bohemia and Moravia, is the final masterpiece of Jan Santini Aichel, a maverick Czech architect who combined the Borrominiesque Baroque with references to Gothic elements in both construction and...

Meanwhile, in spite of the objection of the Jesuits, the process was inaugurated which ended with his canonization. On May 31, 1721, he was beatified, and on March 19, 1729, he was canonized under Pope Benedict XIII. The acts of the process, comprising 500 pages, distinguish two Johns of Nepomuk and sanction the cult of the one who was drowned in 1383 as a martyr of the sacrament of penance. This article is about the process of declaring saints. ... is the 151st day of the year (152nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1721 (MDCCXXI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 78th day of the year (79th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events July 30 - Baltimore, Maryland is founded. ... Pope Benedict XIII (February 2, 1649 – February 21, 1730), born Pietro Francesco Orsini, later Vincenzo Maria Orsini, was pope from 1724 until his death. ... In traditional usage, the cult of a religion, quite apart from its sacred writings (scriptures), its theology or myths, or the personal faith of its believers, is the totality of external religious practice and observance, the neglect of which is the definition of impiety. ...

According to some protestant sources the figure of St. John Nepomuk is a legend due to Jesuits and its historical kernel is really Jan Hus, who was metamorphosed from a Bohemian Reformer into a Roman Catholic saint: the Nepomuk story would be based on Wenceslaus Hajek's blending of the Jan who was drowned in 1393 and the Jan who was burned in 1415. The resemblances are certainly striking, extending to the manner of celebrating their commemorations. But when the Jesuits came to Prague, the Nepomuk worship had long been widespread; and the idea of canonization originated in opposition not to the Hussites, but to Protestantism, as a weapon of the Counter-Reformation. In the image of the saint which gradually arose, the religious history of Bohemia is reflected. The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Jan Hus ( ) (IPA: , alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c. ... Jan Hus ( ) (IPA: , alternative spellings John Hus, Jan Huss, John Huss) (c. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... The Hussites comprised an early Protestant Christian movement, followers of Jan Hus. ... Topics in Christianity Preaching Prayer Ecumenism Relation to other religions Movements Music Liturgy Calendar Symbols Art Criticism Christianity Portal This box:      Protestantism encompasses the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated with the doctrines of the Reformation. ... The Counter-Reformation or the Catholic Reformation was a strong reaffirmation of the doctrine and structure of the Catholic Church, climaxing at the Council of Trent, partly in reaction to the growth of Protestantism. ...

The cult

The figure of Saint John of Nepomuk is often encountered in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Poland and Lithuania. He is usually portrayed with a halo of five stars, commemorating the stars that hovered over the Vltava River on the night of his murder. Other attributes useful to identify his pictures are: a priestly dress, the palm of martyrs, carrying a cross, an angel indicating silence by a finger over the lips. His tomb, a Baroque monument cast in silver and silver-gilt that was designed by Fischer von Erlach, stands in St Vitus Cathedral, Prague. A statue of Saint John of Nepomuk has often been erected on bridges in many countries. such as on Ponte Milvio in Rome. A halo (Greek: ; also known as a nimbus, glory, or Gloriole) is a ring of light that surrounds an object. ... The Vltava   (Moldau in German and many other Germanic languages, Moldva in Hungarian, unrelated to the Moldova river of Romania) is the longest river in the Czech Republic, draining into the north from its source in Å umava through ÄŒeský Krumlov, ÄŒeské BudÄ›jovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe... For other uses, see Baroque (disambiguation). ... There are two Austrian architects named Fischer von Erlach: Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach (1656-1723) Joseph Emanuel Fischer von Erlach (1693-1742) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... External links Cathedral page on Prague Castle Administration site Categories: Buildings and structures stubs | Prague | Roman Catholic cathedrals ...

Notes

Tomb in St Vitus Cathedral Sofia of Bavaria (Czech: ; German: ; 1376 - 26 September 1425) was a Queen of Bohemia and the wife of Wenceslaus, King of Bohemia and ruler of the Holy Roman Empire (as King of the Romans). She was a daughter of John II, Duke of Bavaria and of the House of Wittelsbach. ... The Bollandists are an association of Jesuit scholars publishing the Acta Sanctorum (the Lives of the Saints). ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... External links Cathedral page on Prague Castle Administration site Categories: Buildings and structures stubs | Prague | Roman Catholic cathedrals ...

The Drowning John of Nepomuk bas-relief on the monument in Otyń, Poland Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1536 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 450 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1536 × 2048 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 495 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (1772 × 2145 pixel, file size: 846 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) The act of drowning Saint John Nepomucene as depicted on his statue in OtyÅ„, Poland Scena przedstawiajÄ…ca Å›mierć Jana Nepomucena na cokole pomnika w...

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Saint John Nepomucene

External links

• The "official" page of John of Nepomuk
• Catholic Encyclopedia (1910): "St. John Nepomucene" This provides a Catholic point of view
• Christian Classics Ethereal Library at Calvin College: "John of Nepomuk" This provides a Protestant point of view. It was also the source of the unitial version of this article.