The name of Luke the Evangelist has been known to the Christian world for centuries. He is the author of the third Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles, an educated physician and, according to tradition, also a painter who knew the Virgin Mary herself and captured her likeness. However, few people know that his head rests in Prague. According to legend, he was born in ancient Antioch, accompanied Paul on his travels after Jesus’ death, and finally died a martyr at the age of eighty-four, hanged on an olive tree. His body travelled from Thebes to Constantinople and on to Padua, where thousands of pilgrims bow before his tomb at the Basilica of St Justina. However, the most valuable item, the evangelist’s head, had already found a home in Prague by the 14th century. In November 1354, the Holy Roman Emperor and Czech King Charles IV stopped at Luke’s tomb, obtained the skull with fifteen teeth, and had it ceremoniously transported to Prague Castle. At St Vitus Cathedral, it is stored in a reliquary made of gilded silver, decorated with two sapphires: a small starry sky for the writer who brought so much light into history. However, the turbulent 15th century took its toll: the lower jaw disappeared without a trace and parts of the facial skeleton were divided into other reliquaries over the centuries. But the essential thing remains in Prague: Luke’s cranium. A silent repository of thoughts from a man who spoke of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son, and whose language remains one of tenderness, precision and hope. Perhaps that is why, in the dim light of the cathedral, we are struck by a simple question: how much faith is enough for each day? And once again, his verse about the lilies that “toil not, they spin not; yet I say to you, that Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these,” rings in our ears. A reminder that the most essential needs are taken care of, even when the world seems unbearable. Pražský hrad – Katedrála sv. Víta | Zdroj: Prague City Tourism Where to experience the story in Prague Cathedral of St Wenceslas, St Vitus and St Adalbert (Prague Castle) – St Vitus Treasure and St Adalbert’s Reliquary. Luke; rare Gothic goldsmith work with sapphires. Chapel of the Holy Cross, Second Courtyard of Prague Castle – a place where items from the St Vitus Treasure are traditionally displayed; ideal for soaking up the “silence” of the relics. Chapel of the Holy Cross, Second Courtyard of Prague Castle – a place where items from the St Vitus Treasure are traditionally displayed; ideal for soaking up the “silence” of the relics. Jižní zahrady | Zdroj: www.hrad.cz Tip for a walk Enter Prague Castle from Hradčanské Square, walk through to St Vitus Cathedral and pause for a moment at the treasury. Then head to the South Gardens and let Luke’s words about lilies linger in your mind – only when you see the view of the city will you understand why his head remained here, while his body continues to rest in Padua. Introductory photo | Painting by Master Theodoric, St. Luke the Evangelist, National Gallery in Prague | Source: www.wikipedia.com