President, dignitaries mark Czech Statehood Day

A ceremony has taken place in the town of Stará Boleslav to mark the feast day of the Czech patron saint Wenceslas. Speaking at the event, President Václav Klaus and Archbishop of Prague Dominik Duka stressed the importance of traditional values, family and patriotism. The president praised family as an age-old environment for the relationship of man and woman and for the education of further generations. He lamented the ridiculing of things considered traditional and conservative as being old-fashioned and excluded from public debate. Around 4,000 people attended the event, among them many church and government officials. St Wenceslas, or Václav, who was murdered in Stará Boleslav in or around 935, is one of the founders of the Czech state. His feast day was declared a national holiday (Czech Statehood Day) in 2000.