There are tens of thousands of statues and monuments of him all over Europe, chapels and churches are dedicated to him, and he is the patron saint of many cities around the world. According to legend, the body of the most famous Czech saint, St. John of Nepomuk, was found by fishermen in the Vltava River. It was around 9pm, but his head was shining brightly as five lights appeared around it. The saint therefore became a protector against the watery element and, as San Juan Nepomuceno, is still the patron saint of the Spanish marines. Meet Saint John of Nepomuk, first disciple of the confessional mystery and protector against slander. There can be many occasions, the water festival in his honour, with a four hundred year tradition, is just one of them! Saint John of Nepomuk is the most famous Czech saint in the world, whose memory is commemorated on 16 May.He was born around 1340, studied law at the University of Prague and then in Italy at the University of Padua. He was an excellent lawyer and priest and thanks to his abilities he became the Vicar General of the Archbishopric of Prague. Legend has it that John of Nepomuk was confessor to Queen Sophie of Bavaria and died because he refused to divulge her confessional secrets to the king. However, the reality is different. John of Nepomuk was the victim of political disputes between the king and the archbishop. At the time, there was a papal duality, with King Wenceslas IV supporting the Pope in Avignon, but the Archbishop supporting the Pope in Rome. From his position as Vicar General, John of Nepomuk protected the freedom and independence of the Church from the King’s power. However, King Wenceslaus IV saw this as a rebellion against royal majesty and had Jan Nepomucky arrested and tortured. His lifeless body was thrown from Charles Bridge into the Vltava River on March 20, 1393. Under strange circumstances, after about a month, the body washed ashore and a miracle happened. Five star-like lights shone around the body. Therefore, when we see a statue with five stars around its head, we cannot be mistaken, it is St. John of Nepomuk. He was close to people for his moral values, and his cult spread very quickly in Bohemia and abroad. Already at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries he was counted among the patrons of the Czech lands. In 1683, a statue of him by Jan Brokoff was erected on Charles Bridge near the place from which he was to be thrown into the river. It became a model for many other statues. The statue of St. John of Nepomuk stands on 7,000 other bridges across Europe, where it protects against high water. In Venice, his statue is the only one that stands on the banks of the Grand Canal (at the confluence with the Canale Cannaregio), where regattas turn right by it. However, his cult is also widespread in Spain and South America. Although the canonization proceedings for the canonization of St. John of Nepomuk in 1729 do not list among the miracles the five lights that shone around the saint’s head floating on the water’s surface, they do mention the miracle of the preservation of the tongue that was found in the saint’s skull when his tomb was opened in St. Vitus Cathedral. This miracle has been interpreted as a consequence of the saint’s secrecy regarding the alleged confessional secret. According to the account, the part of his body that proved that he had not spoken even when he was tortured by the king’s executioners was miraculously preserved. However, later examination revealed that the organic tissue found in the saint’s skull was not a tongue but the remains of a mummified brain. This relic has always been considered the most valuable in the Kingdom of Bohemia. The magnificent silver tombstone built in St. Vitus Cathedral on the site where the saint was martyred was built in 1735-1771 and the canopy adorning the tomb was commissioned by Empress Maria Theresa herself. In Venice, in the Church of San Paolo, there is a fresco representing St John of Nepomuk and a painting by Tiepolo of Nepomuk and the Madonna and Child. The Venetians transferred his cult to Cuba, where there is a church dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk. The Jesuits took his cult to Mexico, where he was one of the most popular saints in the 18th century. The Spanish double first name Juan Nepomuceno is derived from his name. There is even a painting by Velázquez called “Sacred Conversation” in a museum in Zaragoza, Spain, which depicts St. John Nepomuceno, among others. In the Church of St. Mary Anne in Rome, there is also a painting of St. John of Nepomuk. St. John of Nepomuk became a symbol of an entire epoch and an indelible part of the Czech landscape. His attributes are a canon’s robe, five stars around his head, a crucifix in his right hand, a palm tree, a book and a finger on his mouth. In Prague alone we can find five churches dedicated to St. John of Nepomuk. The churches are located in the districts of Hradčany, Nové Město, Dejvice, then in Košíří, which is built in the style of functionalism, and last but not least in Velké Chuchle. To honour St. John of Nepomuk, spectacular St. John of Nepomuk pilgrimages have been celebrated over the centuries. St. John of Nepomuk is also commemorated every year by the inhabitants and visitors of Prague during the St. John of Navalis Water Festival, which takes place on 15 May on the eve of St. John’s Day. Pilgrims from all over the world, including Venetian gondoliers, do not miss this spectacular celebration. The first revival of the festival took place in 2009, following the first St. John’s Ship Festival held on 15 May 1627.