CatholicSaints.Info

Saint John Nepomucene

detail of a stained glass window of Saint John Nepumocene; date and artist unknown; the confessional of Saint Aloysius Church, Columbus, Ohio; photographed on 12 April 2014 by Nheyob; swiped from Wikimedia Commons; click for souce image Also known as

Jan Nepomucký
John Nepomucen
John of Nepomuk
John Wolflin
Johannes von Nepomuk
Martyr of the Confessional

Memorial

20 March
16 May on some calendars

Profile

While a child, he was cured by the prayers of his parents; they then consecrated him to God. Priest. Known as a great preacher who converted thousands. Vicar-general of Prague (in the modern Czech Republic). Counselor and advocate of the poor in the court of King Wenceslaus IV. He refused several bishoprics. Confessor to the queen, he taught her to bear the cross of her ill-tempered husband the king. Imprisoned for refusing to disclose the queen‘s confession to the king. When he continued to honor the seal of the confessional, he was ordered executed. Symbol of Bohemian nationalism. His image has been used in art as a symbol of the sacrament of Confession, and many bridges in Europe bear his likeness as their protector.

Born

c.1340 at Nepomuk, Bohemia (in modern Czech Republic) as John Wolflin

Died

burned, then tied to a wheel and thrown off a bridge into the Moldau River (in the modern Czech Republic) to drown on 20 March 1393
on the night of his death, seven stars hovered over the place where he drowned

Beatified