Cardinal Dominik Duka, Prague Archbishop, Dies at 82
Cardinal Dominik Duka, former archbishop of Prague, passed away early Tuesday at a hospital in Prague, the Prague Archdiocese announced. No cause of death was disclosed.
Early Life and Persecution
Born Jaroslav Václav Duka on April 26, 1943, in Hradec Králové, he experienced intense persecution under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia after 1948. The state seized churches, imprisoned outspoken priests, and closely monitored religious services through secret police.
Religious Life and Imprisonment
Duka secretly joined the Dominican Order in 1968, adopting the name Dominik, and was ordained two years later. Despite being banned from priestly duties in 1975, he remained active in the church, which led to a 15-month prison sentence in 1981.
He was incarcerated in Bory prison in Plzeň, where he met dissident playwright Václav Havel, later president of Czechoslovakia following the 1989 Velvet Revolution.
Legacy and Contributions
After the fall of communism, Cardinal Duka helped negotiate compensation for churches whose properties were seized during the communist era. He also led the funeral mass for Václav Havel at St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague in December 2011.
Cardinal Duka “was persecuted by the communist regime and later helped negotiate compensation for churches for property seized during that era.”
He “led the funeral mass for Havel at Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral when he died in December 2011.”
Author’s summary: Cardinal Dominik Duka, a symbol of resilience against communist oppression, played a crucial role in restoring church rights and honoring dissident leaders in post-communist Czech Republic.