A mini pilgrimage on Holy Saturday

By Ricky, on April 6th, 2015

Cross on Dáblický háj © Ricky Yates

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the afternoon of Holy Saturday, I was one of five members of the St. Clement’s congregation, who went on a mini pilgrimage. We met at Ládví metro station in the north-eastern Prague suburbs, and from there took the bus further out to Dáblice from where we began our pilgrimage walk.

Dáblice is a village which now adjoins the Prague conurbation. We climbed from the village centre, up onto Dáblický háj, a beautiful area of heathland and woods. At the top of the hill is an observatory and adjacent to it on a rocky outcrop, a cross.

From this point, there are wonderful views out across the northern Bohemian countryside.

 

 

 

The view from Dáblický háj © Ricky Yates

There followed a . . . → Read More: A mini pilgrimage on Holy Saturday

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Liberation Day – 8th May 2012

By Ricky, on May 8th, 2012

Statue of Soviet Marshall Ivan Konev with floral tributes © Ricky Yates

Inscription alongside the statue © Ricky Yates

Today is a public holiday here in the Czech Republic, as it is in several other European countries. The public holiday marks the ending of World War Two, sixty-seven years ago, on 8th May 1945.

I took the photograph on the left today. It is of a statue that stands in Námestí Interbrigády, a large square on one side of Jugoslávských partyzánu, the main thoroughfare leading from our nearest Metro station at Dejvická, to Podbaba where we live. And the person it portrays is Marshall Ivan Stepanovich Konev of the Soviet Red Army, who led the troops that liberated Prague from Nazi occupation, finally entering the city early on 9th May 1945, just a few hours after the unconditional surrender of all Nazi troops . . . → Read More: Liberation Day – 8th May 2012

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Terezín

By Ricky, on September 6th, 2009

'Arbeit Macht Frei' – 'Work makes you free' – the ironic inscription over an archway in the small fortress at Terezín © Ricky Yates

The imposing fortress and small town of Terezín lies about 80 km north of Prague. It is situated at the strategic location of the confluence of the Labe (Elbe) and Ohre (Eger) rivers and was constructed on the orders of the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Joseph II in order to keep the Prussians at bay. It was formerly known as Theresienstadt in honour of the Empress Maria Theresa. On the eastern side of the Ohre lies the original small fortress whilst on the western side there is a far larger fortress within which there is a small town with a sizeable central square and a grid iron pattern of streets.

In 1940, soon after the outbreak of the Second World War, the Gestapo took over the . . . → Read More: Terezín

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