On St. Wenceslas Lore Books

Description

A book about Prince Wenceslas and how his brother had him killed.

Text

On Saint Wenceslas
and his death

There was a prince in Bohemia named Vratislav and his wife was Drahomíra. A son was born to them and they named him Wenceslas. After the untimely death of his father, he was to sit on the throne, but he was still immature, so his mother administered the country and his grandmother Ludmila took care of Wenceslas’s upbringing. His brother Boleslav grew up with him, but they did not have much in common. By the grace of God, Wenceslaus learned to read and write, he was educated in books and firm in his faith, and he could wield a sword, but he loved peace and his country above all else. He did good to all the poor, clothed the naked and fed the hungry, protected the servants of God and built many churches. He was an example to his people and a ruler more pleasing than all; he always negotiated with his enemies in good terms, and they had to bow down before his piety. He glorified God with all his heart and did so many good deeds that it would be impossible to count them.

It is no wonder that the Devil sowed hatred in the hearts of many corrupt men and set them against Wenceslas. Like Judas, he stirred them up to rise against their lord, and they whispered to Boleslaus that his brother wanted his life. Boleslaus, believing these words, out of fear and malice devised a plan to deprive his brother Wenceslas of his throne and his life.

He knew that whenever the dedication of a temple was celebrated somewhere, Wenceslas himself would go to the temple to pray. So he entered the castle of Boleslaus on the Sunday of the Feast of Cosmas and Damian, and when he had heard the mass, he was going back to Prague. But his brother detained him and invited him to dine and drink, which Wenceslas did not refuse. Early in the morning Wenceslas rose and hurried to the morning service. When he met his brother at the gate of the church, he said to him, “Brother, you served us well yesterday.” Then Boleslaus, prompted by the devil, replied, “And now I will serve you even better,” and after saying this he struck Wenceslas on the head with his sword. And the dogs of Boleslaus rushed in, and together with their master they slew Wenceslas, and left his body cut in pieces before the church. Boleslaus then succeeded his brother on the throne.

Wenceslas has been canonized and made the patron saint of the entire Czech Lands. To him we cry out when things are worst and to him we pray, “Saint Wenceslas, patron of our country, intercede for us!”