SPIRITUALITY
The Greek Christian missionaries Cyril and Methodius introduced Christianity in the 9th century. In the 15th century, the religious reformer Jan Hus denounced corruption in the Catholic Church. He was burned at the stake as a heretic. The day of his death is still celebrated as a national holiday. Under the Habsburgs, the Protestant faith was suppressed and most Czechs were forced to become Catholic. A group continued to practise the Protestantism of the Hussites. Today, these Protestants are known as the Czech Brethren.
During the Communist regime, religion was suppressed, but in the 1980s, Cardinal František Tomásek defied the Communist rule and invited Pope John Paul II to visit Czechoslovakia. The Pope made his first visit in 1990. More than 100,000 Czechs and Slovaks attended the celebration. Today, religion is being revived in the Czech Republic. About 40% of Czechs are Catholics, and about 5% are Protestant. Protestant denominations include the Czech Brethren, Lutherans, and the Reformed Church. About 3% of Czechs are Orthodox Christians. 
Jews have lived in Central Europe since the 10th century. During the Second World War, as in the rest of Europe, they were persecuted. Many were sent to Terezín (then called Theresienstadt), a distribution camp from which the Germans sent Jews to concentration camps in Eastern Europe. Several thousand Jews still live in the Republic, mostly in Prague. The Jewish cemetery and the synagogues are among the oldest in Europe.

 Although most Czech Christians do not attend religious services regularly, they do observe name days. This is the day that commemorates the Christian saint after whom one is named. Newspapers publish lists of saints' feast days, and people celebrate the feast day of the saint whose name they share. The name days are as important as birthdays. Family and friends give flowers and gifts, and wish the person a "Happy Name Day."
  Did you know?
According to a 16th century legend, Rabbi Jehuda Low ben Bezalel of Prague brought a clay statue to life by putting a piece of paper in its mouth with the Hebrew word for "God" written on it. He called it the Golem, which means "shapeless mass" in Hebrew. Although he intended that his creature would protect the Jews of Prague, the Golem attacked the Jews as well and had to be destroyed.