There are tens of thousands of statues and monuments of him all across Europe, chapels and churches are dedicated to him, and he is the patron saint of many cities around the world. According to legend, the body of the most famous Czech saint, St. John of Nepomuk, was found by fishermen in the Vltava River. It was around 9 o’clock in the evening, but his head was shining brightly because of five lights that appeared around it. Hence, the saint became a protector against the water element and he is still the patron saint of the Spanish marines under the name San Juan Nepomuceno. Get to know St. John of Nepomuk, the first disciple of confessional secrecy and protector against slander. The water festival in his honour, with its four hundred year tradition, is just one of many opportunities to meet him! St. John of Nepomuk is the most famous Czech saint in the world, who is commemorated on 16 May. He was born around 1340, studied law at the university in Prague and later at the university of Padua in Italy. He was an excellent lawyer and priest, and thanks to his abilities he became vicar general of the Prague archbishopric. Legend has it that John of Nepomuk was the confessor of Queen Sophie of Bavaria, and died because he refused to reveal her confessional secrets to the king. However, the true story is different. John of Nepomuk was a victim of political disputes between the king and the archbishop. At that time there was a papal duality, with King Wenceslas IV supporting the pope in Avignon, while the archbishop supported the pope in Rome. In his position as vicar general, John of Nepomuk protected the freedom and independence of the Church from the king’s power. However, King Wenceslas IV saw this as a rebellion against the royal majesty and had John of Nepomuk arrested and tortured. His lifeless body was thrown from Charles Bridge into the Vltava River on 20 March 1393. About a month later, under strange circumstances, the body washed ashore and a miracle happened. Five star-like lights were shining around the body. Therefore, if we see a statue with five stars around its head, there is no mistake that it is St. John of Nepomuk. The people held him in high esteem for his moral values and his cult spread very quickly in Bohemia and abroad. As early as the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, he was counted among the patrons of the Bohemian lands. A statue of him by Jan Brokoff was erected on Charles Bridge in 1683 near the place from which he was allegedly thrown into the river. It became a template for many other sculptures. A statue of St. John of Nepomuk stands on 7,000 other bridges all across Europe, where it protects against high water. In Venice, his statue is the only one standing on the banks of the Grand Canal (at the confluence with the Canale Cannaregio), where regattas turn right next to it. However, his cult is also widespread in Spain and South America. In the canonisation proceedings for St. John of Nepomuk in 1729, the miracles do not include the five lights that shone around the saint’s head as he floated on the water, but they do include the miracle of the preservation of the tongue that was found in the saint’s skull when his tomb was opened in St. Vitus Cathedral. This miracle was interpreted as a consequence of the saint’s silence in the matter of the alleged confessional secret. According to records, the part of his body proving that he did not speak – even after being tortured by the king’s executioners – was miraculously preserved. Upon later examination, however, it was discovered that the organic tissue found in the saint’s skull was not a tongue, but the remains of a mummified brain. This relic has always been considered the most valuable in the Kingdom of Bohemia. The magnificent silver tombstone erected in St. Vitus Cathedral on the site where the saint was martyred was built in 1735-1771 and the canopy adorning the tombstone was commissioned by Empress Maria Theresa herself. The church of San Paolo in Venice houses a fresco representing St. John of Nepomuk and a painting by Tiepolo depicting Nepomuk and the Madonna and Child. The Venetians transferred his cult to Cuba, where there is a church dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk. The Jesuits brought his cult to Mexico, where he was one of the most popular saints of the 18th century. The Spanish double-barrelled first name Juan Nepomuceno is derived from his name. There is even a painting by Velázquez titled “Sacred Conversation” in a museum in Zaragoza, Spain, which depicts St. John of Nepomuk, among others. In the Church of St. Mary Anne in Rome, there is also a painting of St. John of Nepomuk. St. John of Nepomuk became the symbol of an entire era and an indelible part of the Bohemian landscape. His attributes are a canonical robe, five stars around his head, a crucifix in his right hand, a palm, a book, and a finger on his lips. There are five churches dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk in Prague alone. They are located in the city districts of Hradčany, Nové Město and Dejvice, another one built in functionalist style is in Košíře, and last but not least in Velká Chuchle. Magnificent St. John of Nepomuk pilgrimages have been celebrated in his honour over the centuries. St. John of Nepomuk is also commemorated every year by the inhabitants and visitors of Prague during the Navalis Water Festival, which takes place on 15 May on the eve of St. John’s Day. Pilgrims from all over the world, including Venetian gondoliers, never miss this spectacular celebration. The first renewed festivities took place in 2009, following up on the first St John’s Boat Festival held on 15 May 1627. Come and see it too!