St. John’s NAVALIS
The St. John’s Navalis is a feast celebrating the Czech best known saint St. John of Nepomuk, the patron of all people from water. The feast takes place always on the eve of the St. John’s day – 15th May. During the Baroque period this feast was one of the biggest and most opulent celebrations. Pilgrims from all over the country came to Prague to honour the memory of St. John of Nepomuk, but also to listen to the music that was produced on the water level of the river Moldau, to see the firework and other kinds of attractions. The tradition of the Baroque feast was renewed in 2009. Since then the celebrations have taken place each year and they have a firm scenario – mass in the St. Vitus Cathedral, festive procession from the cathedral across the Charles Bridge and a baroque concert on the river, the celebrations end with a firework. Each year has its own accompanying program – concerts, prayers, gondoliers, the Dragon Boats regatta and others.
Big interest of the public shows that St. John is still favoured amongst the people but also that they want to celebrate him also in the present time.
