Good King Wenceslas Is Patron Saint of the Czech Republic

"Good King Wenceslas" is a popular Christmas carol about a king who goes out to give alms to a poor peasant on the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr whose feast has been celebrated from the very earliest days on December 26. During the King’s journey, his page is about to give up the struggle against the cold weather, but is able to continue by following the king's footprints, step for step, through the deep snow. The legend is based on the life of the historical Saint Wenceslas I, Duke of Bohemia (907–935).

Wenceslas I (b. 907 – September 28, 935) was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination in 935, purportedly in a plot by his own brother, Boleslav the Cruel.

Wenceslas was considered a martyr and a saint immediately after his death, when a cult of Wenceslas grew up in Bohemia and in England. Within a few decades of Wenceslas' death four biographies of him were in circulation. These hagiographies had a powerful influence on the High Middle Ages’ conceptualization of the rex justus, or "righteous king"—that is, a monarch whose power stems mainly from his great piety, as well as from his princely vigor.

Referring approvingly to these hagiographies, the chronicler Cosmas of Prague, writing in about the year 1119, states:

 “But his deeds I think you know better than I could tell you; for, as is read in his Passion, no one doubts that, rising every night from his noble bed, with bare feet and only one chamberlain, he went around to God’s churches and gave alms generously to widows, orphans, those in prison and afflicted by every difficulty, so much so that he was considered, not a prince, but the father of all the wretched.”

Several centuries later the legend was claimed as fact by Pope Pius II, who himself also walked ten miles barefoot in the ice and snow as an act of pious thanksgiving for Wenceslas’ life and saintliness.

Although Wenceslas was, during his lifetime, only a duke, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I posthumously "conferred on [Wenceslas] the regal dignity and title" and that is why, in the legend and song, he is referred to as a "king."  

King Wenceslas is the patron saint of the Czech state.

In 1853, English hymnwriter John Mason Neale wrote the "Good King Wenceslas" lyrics, in collaboration with his music editor Thomas Helmore, and the carol first appeared in Carols for Christmas-Tide, 1853.

According to older Czech sources, Neale's lyrics are a translation of a poem by Czech poet Václav Alois Svoboda, written in Czech, German and Latin.

The words are familiar to many European and American Christians and are sung at Christmas during church services.

Good King Wenceslas (J. M. Neale, 1853)

Good King Wenceslas looked out, on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even;
Brightly shone the moon that night, tho' the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath'ring winter fuel.

“Hither, page, and stand by me, if thou know'st it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence, underneath the mountain;
Right against the forest fence, by Saint Agnes' fountain.”

“Bring me flesh, and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither:
Thou and I will see him dine, when we bear them thither."
Page and monarch, forth they went, forth they went together;
Through the rude wind's wild lament and the bitter weather.

"Sire, the night is darker now, and the wind blows stronger;
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer."
"Mark my footsteps, good my page. Tread thou in them boldly.
Thou shalt find the winter's rage freeze thy blood less coldly."

In his master's steps he trod, where the snow lay dinted;
Heat was in the very sod which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor, shall yourselves find blessing.

You are surely asking, dear readers, why I would go to such length about a Christmas carol. I have to say, first, that it is a good carol, with a sound moral message.  

But, more personally, it is the carol that marks the Christmas feast for my sister and me. We are usually far apart geographically, but wherever we may be on Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day, we call and sing Good King Wenceslas over the phone.  Our custom began when we lived near one another more than 40 years ago and we could sing the carol around the Christmas tree, and since that time, we have not missed a Christmas rendition of Good King Wenceslas, no matter where we are.

So, Happy Holidays, everyone, and Merry Christmas and Happy Boxing Day and St Stephen's Day to my Christian readers, and special Greetings to The Czech Republic, whose devotion to the saint has made his good deeds known around the world.

And, to my sister - don’t forget to keep your phone line available next December 25 because I’ll be phoning, as I always do.

PS: For my readers who prefer more political December 26 facts:

In 1799, four thousand people attended George Washington's funeral where Henry Lee declares him as "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

In 1944, General George Patton's Third Army broke the encirclement of Nazi forces surrounding U.S. forces at Bastogne, Belgium.