The Vatican, May 31 (CTK) – Pope Francis received Czech pilgrims and blessed a painting of the Lidice Madonna by Czech painter Zdirad Cech, which they donated to him and which will be put on permanent display in Rome, during a general audience on Wednesday, Pavel Dokladal, from a Czech parish, has told CTK.
The pilgrims brought the painting on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the obliteration of the Czech village Lidice, central Bohemia, by the Nazis in June 1942.
The delegation includes two women who survived the tragedy, in which all men were executed and children and women sent to concentration camps or for upbringing in Germany.
“At the close of the general audience, the Holy Father met the author of the painting, Zdirad Cech, in the presence of Cardinal (Dominik Duka) and Daniel Fajfer, a representative of the Czech Ecumenical Council of Churches, and blessed the painting,” Dokladal, from the east Bohemian Koclirov parish, said.
Dokladal pointed to last year’s audience with the Pope, in which a Czech delegation headed by Culture Minister Daniel Herman handed him a statue of Agnes of Bohemia, which is now placed in the Chapel of the Patron Saints of Europe in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
On Wednesday, Duka handed to Francis a commemorative medal on the event.
Tonight, the Lidice Madonna will be displayed in Santa Croce di Gerusalemme which is the titular basilica of Czech Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, who died on March 18 at the age of 84. A Mass for the child victims of armed conflicts will be said in the basilica.
It is to be led by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Duka will concelebrate it.
A Prague children choir, established by the Prague Archbishopric, will sing at the Mass.
Duka will say a Mass in the basilica on Thursday evening.
