Reviving Tradition: Join the St. Wenceslas Pilgrimage in Stará Boleslav
The main celebration day for St. Wenceslas is Sunday
On Sunday, September 28 2025, people from across the country will gather at Mariánské náměstí in Old Boleslav to celebrate the legacy of Prince St. Wenceslas. The traditional pilgrimage mass will begin at 10:00 a.m. The spiritual activities will continue throughout the day, including morning praises, the Mass, prayers for the nation, a farewell to the relics, and a Greek Catholic liturgy. This important day will also feature the main cultural program in Marian Square, where well-known artists, including the singer Anna K., will perform. Local bands will have opportunities to play at the Houštka summer cinema, and popular carousels will also be available for enjoyment.
Visitors can take a break in the “rest” zone located in the Dean’s Garden next to the Basilica of St. Wenceslas. They can stroll through the St. Wenceslas Marketplace, where there will be craft demonstrations and showcases of hunting and falconry. Kids can enjoy fairy tales and might even encounter the Prince St. Wenceslas!
Pilgrimage Mass and exhibition of St. Wenceslas’s relics
The spiritual section of the St. Wenceslas pilgrimage starts on the evening of 27 September. Following the tradition of past years, on the eve of the National St. Wenceslas Pilgrimage, when the relics are ceremoniously transported from Prague Castle to Stará Boleslav, bells will peal across the nation to invite everyone to join in prayer for our country. At 7:00 p.m., the relic of St. Wenceslas will arrive in Brandýs nad Labem below the castle and continue in procession to Stará Boleslav. To the sound of bells, by 7:50 p.m., the relic will be carried into the Basilica of St. Wenceslas and placed in the historic Romanesque Crypt of St. Cosmas and Damian. Following this, there will be a St. Wenceslas Concert and Vespers.
The main event of the entire St. Wenceslas celebration is the Pilgrimage Mass, which will take place on 28 September at 10:00 a.m. at Marian Square in Stará Boleslav. The principal celebrant will be Mons. Jude Thaddeus Okolo, the Apostolic Nuncio, with Mons. Jan Graubner, the Archbishop of Prague, serving as the preacher. At 2:00 p.m., there will be a prayer for the nation by Palladius of Bohemia in the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. After the mass at Marian Square, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the skull of St. Wenceslas will be showcased in the Crypt of St. Cosmas and Damian within the Basilica of St. Wenceslas, supervised by clergy and members of the Castle Guard. At 5:00 p.m., the relic will return to Prague Castle.
The tradition was powerfully revivified by Emperor Charles IV. and has been nurtured by the joint efforts of the Collegiate Chapter of St. Cosmas and Damian, the City of Brandýs nad Labem – Stará Boleslav, the Czech Bishops’ Conference, and the Archbishopric of Prague since 2003. This tradition of pilgrimages to the roots of Christian culture has significantly influenced the Czech nation and statehood for many centuries. Over the years, the National St. Wenceslas Pilgrimage has become a prominent event celebrating Czech Statehood Day as well as one of the most significant spiritual gatherings in Bohemia. In 2009, Stara Boleslav had the honor of hosting Pope Benedict XVI during the National St. Wenceslas Pilgrimage.
