Czechs mark Jan Hus anniversary

Czechs mark the 595th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, a 15th century priest, reformer and religious thinker who was burned at the stake in Constance as a heretic. July 6 is a national holiday in the Czech Republic, with religious services held around the country commemorating Jan Hus’s legacy. President Václav Klaus attended a service held in Prague’s Bethlehem Chapel, where Hus preached.

Jan Hus (John Huss) was a Catholic priest and rector of the University of Prague who was strongly influenced by the teachings of the English reformer John Wycliffe. He was excommunicated by the Catholic Church in 1411 before being condemned as a heretic and executed in Constance four years later.