Jan Hus Presbyterian Church in NYC (Photo: Emily O'Dell)
When I was visiting Little Bohemia in New York on Saturday before protesting downtown at the Millions March NYC, I took some time to admire the Jan Hus Presbyterian Church–named after the 14th century Czech priest (and Dean of Charles University) who was burned at the stake for his denunciation of the Catholic Church’s corruption and his attempts to reform it. A few years ago, when I was living in Prague and re-connecting with my Czech roots, I enjoyed visiting the beautiful Bethlehem Chapel–where Jan Hus used to preach. After Hus was excommunicated in 1412, the Pope ordered the Bethlehem Chapel demolished, but the Old Town Council refused to comply with the Pope’s demands. Jan Hus’ brutal execution triggered the Hussite Wars and a series of papal crusades against his followers. In 1999, Pope John Paul II expressed his “deep regret for the cruel death inflicted” on Hus. Today, this New York church named in his honor bears the inscription “Truth Prevails”–a famous Jan Hus saying.
