The two most famous relics of the Christian world – the Spear of Destiny and the Holy Grail – meet at one single moment in legends: the spear pierced Christ’s side and the chalice caught the blood and water. However, few cities bear the traces of both stories as tangibly as Prague. When it became the seat of the Holy Roman Emperors in the 14th century, the crown jewels and the treasure with the Spear of Destiny arrived here. A century later, the Grail became a symbol of the determination of the divine warriors who followed the teachings of Master Jan Hus. Not as a material object, but as an ideal of loyalty and truth. Tradition tells of the Roman soldier Longinus, who pierced Christ’s side, and when he touched the blood, he was cured of his blindness: the soldier became a witness to the faith. His story gives the Spear a human face. It is not a weapon, but a turning point, the moment when you suddenly see the world differently. In 1350, the Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King Charles IV had the coronation treasure ceremoniously brought to Prague, and the relics were displayed annually on what is now Karlovo náměstí (Charles Square) during the Feast of the Holy Lance and Holy Nails. Thousands of pilgrims flocked to the city at that time, and for a short while Prague was the beating heart of the entire Holy Roman Empire. At the beginning of 1421, Charles’ son and later Emperor Sigismund of Luxembourg took the treasure from Bohemia, and today you can find traces of it in Vienna’s Hofburg Palace. However, the story of the Spear left a permanent mark in Prague. Meanwhile, in 1409, the provost of the Vyšehrad Chapter, Wenceslas of Buřenice, brought Longinus’ body from Rome to Prague. He placed it in a golden coffin, which rests in a stone sarcophagus in the Basilica of St Peter and Paul at Vyšehrad, like a hidden treasure whispering of eternity. Charles IV | Source: Prague City Tourism However, in November 1420, religious turmoil broke out. The temple was looted, the coffin torn apart, and according to tradition, Longinus’ remains ended up in the Vltava River near today’s Vyšehrad Tunnel. All that remained was a silent sarcophagus, too heavy to disappear, and with it a strange knowledge that the river guards the saint’s remains. Prague thus brings together two stories under one sky: the imperial relic of power and the Grail as a symbol of conscience. When you stand before the Gothic portal of the Church of Our Lady before Týn on Old Town Square and look at the relief of the Crucifixion, you will see Longinus with his spear and perhaps even the moment of enlightenment that has drawn pilgrims and curious visitors to the city for hundreds of years: the feeling that legends transform into reality here. Basilica of St. Peter and Paul at Vyšehrad | Source: Prague City Tourism Where to experience the story in Prague Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Vyšehrad (K Rotundě) – Longinus’ stone sarcophagus, a silent tomb that survived even the fall of the golden coffin. Vltava River near the Vyšehrad Tunnel – the site of the legend of Longinus’ remains; the view from the riverbank has a special significance. Church of Our Lady before Týn, Old Town – Gothic portal with a relief depicting the Crucifixion on the northern façade: Longinus with the spear right before his eyes. Charles Square (New Town) – the former site of the annual exhibition of the relics of the Lance and Nails of Christ; try to imagine the crowds of pilgrims who flocked here from all over Europe. Church of Our Lady before Týn | Source: Prague City Tourism Tip for a walk Start at Týn, continue to Charles Square and arrive at Vyšehrad at sunset. Three stops that connect legends, history and the rhythm of today’s Prague – and leave you feeling like you’ve touched something essential. Introductory photo | Painting of Saint Longinus in the Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul at Vyšehrad in Prague | Source: www.wikipedia.com | Author: Petr Vodička