Velehrad opens annual Days of Goodwill with rare St. Luke relic

The annual Days of Goodwill celebrations begin in Velehrad on Saturday, marking one of Czechia’s most important Christian festivals commemorating the arrival of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Great Moravia. Tens of thousands of pilgrims and visitors are expected over the two-day event. This year’s programme honours doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare workers, with the skull of St. Luke, the patron saint of physicians, on display in the basilica’s Royal Chapel. Saturday features concerts, exhibitions, seminars and a gathering of wheelchair users from several countries. The celebrations conclude on Sunday with a pilgrimage Mass led by Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl.