Prague archbishop to lead penitential pilgrimage

Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl will lead a walking pilgrimage to Hájek, near Prague, on October 5 to seek reparation for sins committed within the Church. The archbishop announced the penitential event in his first pastoral letter since his installation in April.

In his September 6 letter, Přibyl addressed recent scandals that have damaged trust in the Prague archdiocese. He noted that the Church recently faced serious suspicions regarding moral and financial offenses, as well as violence and abuse by a priest.

The archbishop specifically addressed the case of Antonín Juriga, a permanent deacon and former executive director of the archdiocese. Czech police arrested Juriga on August 6, charging him with rape, abuse, extortion, and making threats, while also investigating him for possible financial offenses. Přibyl stated he acted immediately and firmly, and that competent authorities must now investigate all suspicions to ensure appropriate consequences are drawn.