St. Wenceslaus

Wenceslaus was born around 903 in Bohemia. His father was Duke Wratislaw and his mother was Dragomir. Wratislaw was a Christian, but Dragomir was a pagan. His grandmother St. Ludmilla educated Wenceslaus in the Faith. After his father died, Dragomir reigned as regent. She was opposed to Christianity. At the people's urging, Wenceslaus took over his father's office. He put his duchy under German protection and brought in German priests. He advocated the Latin rite instead the Slavic one, because many priests were unfamiliar with the Slavic rite. Wenceslaus took a vow of virginity and was well-known for his virtue. The Emperor Otto I made him Duke. On September 28, 935 Wenceslaus' brother Boleslaw murdered him because of religious and political differences; their mother, Dragomir had told her son to kill his brother. Three years later, Boleslaw repented of the murder and had his brother’s remains honorably buried. The feast of St. Wenceslaus is September 28.