For a people who boast about their atheism they don’t half have a lot of churches, saints and synagogues.
And their St Vitus Cathedral in the Castle area of Prague does take a lot of getting around.
Thankfully I have the jaunty Jirina to fall back on.
King Charles IV is the Father of the Czechs and Good King Wenceslaus their patron saint.
But it is St Jan of Nepomuk, or John Nepomucene as he was known in Prague, who I want to flag up here.
Just Jan then, he fell out with King Wenceslas IV.
Add ‘Vengeful’ I’d say. His missus, the queen, shared a secret with the court priest Jan.
And when he refused to share it with him, Wenceslas had him thrown in the River Vltava.
But the most popular statue to him is on the Charles Bridge.
Where there is a local ritual (yeah!).
You touch the diagram of his drowning on his statue.
And then step back a few steps towards the Old Town from the statue and you will come to a cross.
And you will come to a cross with five stars on the left parapet of the bridge.
This is where Jan was thrown into the water in 1383.
Legend has it that this is the spot where he was thrown into the water and where five stars appeared on the water.
Use your left hand to touch the stars and the cross with your left hand and make a wish.
Now I must go and get myself ready for my date with Rihanna.
