Epiphany procession, mass staged in Prague

Prague, Jan 5 (CTK) - Thousands of Praguers and tourists watched the Epiphany procession of the Magi on camels and their retinue in period costumes walking from the Hradcany square outside Prague Castle to a live Nativity scene nearby Saturday.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Epiphany mass was celebrated in St Vitus Cathedral at Prague Castle by Prague Archbishop Cardinal Dominik Duka.

He then blessed the procession from a balcony of the Archbishop Palace at Hradcany square.

Prague is really glad that it can join this tradition, he said.

The participants in the Magi's procession symbolically bowed before the Infant Jesus and gave him the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Primarily children admired the procession, especially the exotic camels borrowed from a circus for this occasion.

The procession was accompanied by music with pipers and the Prague Castle Guard orchestra playing. At the end they were all jointly singing a Christmas carol on the birth of Jesus Christ.

People then greeted the Magi and gave them small presents. They will please the patients at the child ward of the Prague-Motol Teaching Hospital on Sunday.

The event was organised by the Idente Youth civic association, the Prague Archdiocese Charity and the Prague Archbishopric.

The Epiphany public-fund raising campaign was also launched these days.

Prague Charity spokesman Jan Oulik recalled that a record sum of over 75 million crowns had been collected in 2012 within the Epiphany campaign.

Most of the money goes to people in need in the respective region where it was collected. About 10 percent are allocated to foreign aid.

Besides, the Epiphany march for the monarchy was held on Prague this afternoon. It started at the monument of St Wenceslas, a symbol of Czech statehood, on Wenceslas square in the centre. It was organised by the editorial board od the student revue Babylon in support of the reestablishment of monarchy in the Czech Lands.