Západočeská univerzita v Plzni

Fakulta filozofická

Bakalářská práce

2008 Lenka Schneiderová

 Západočeská univerzita v Plzni

Fakulta filozofická

Bakalářská práce

SACRED GEOGRAPHY AND GENII LOCI:

COMMUNITY SHRINES, FOREST SPRINGS AND
PROTO-CHRISTIAN RITUAL IN CENTRAL
EUROPE.

Lenka Schneiderová

Plzeň 2008
 Západočeská univerzita v Plzni
Fakulta filozofická

Katedra anglického jazyka a literatury

Studijní program Filologie

Studijní obor Cizí jazyky pro komerční praxi

angličtina - ruština

Bakalářská práce

SACRED GEOGRAPHY AND GENII LOCI:

COMMUNITY SHRINES, FOREST SPRINGS AND
PROTO-CHRISTIAN RITUAL IN CENTRAL
EUROPE.
Lenka Schneiderová

Vedoucí práce:
M.A. David Franklin
Katedra anglického jazyka a literatury
Fakulta filozofická Západočeské univerzity v Plzni

Plzeň 2008
 Prohlašuji, že jsem práci zpracoval(a) samostatně a použil(a) jen uvedených
pramenů a literatury.

Plzeň, duben 2008 ………………………

Table of contents

1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1

2 Anthropology................................................................................................... 4

2.1 Types of anthropology .............................................................................. 4

2.1.1 Cultural anthropology ........................................................................ 5

2.1.2 Archaeological Anthropology ........................................................... 5

2.1.3 Anthropology of Religion .................................................................. 6

3 Christianity ...................................................................................................... 9

3.1 The development of Christian teaching .................................................... 9

3.2 The Genesis of Christianity ...................................................................... 9

3.3 Bible........................................................................................................ 10

3.4 Christianity in the Czech Republic ......................................................... 16

3.5 Traditions of Christianity in the Czech Republic. .................................. 16

3.5.1 Carnival ............................................................................................ 16

3.5.2 Easter week ...................................................................................... 17

3.5.3 Easter ............................................................................................... 19

3.5.4 Advent .............................................................................................. 20

3.5.5 Christmas ......................................................................................... 20

3.6 Connection between human being, nature and Christianity ................... 21

3.7 Paganism or else worshipped nature ...................................................... 22

4 The research................................................................................................... 23

4.1 Methods of the research.......................................................................... 23

4.2 Kloubovka (See Appendix 2) ................................................................. 24

4.3 The chapel of Saint Vojtech (See Appendix 3) ...................................... 25

4.4 Draženov (See Appendix 4) ................................................................... 25

 4.5 Pocinovice – Good Water (See Appendix 5) ......................................... 26

4.6 Svatá trojice (See Appendix 6) ............................................................... 27

4.7 Chroboly ................................................................................................. 27

4.8 Kašperské Hory ...................................................................................... 28

4.9 Hory Matky Boží .................................................................................... 28

5 Conclusion ..................................................................................................... 30

6 Endnotes ........................................................................................................ 32

7 Bibliography .................................................................................................. 33

8 Abstract.......................................................................................................... 35

9 Resume .......................................................................................................... 36

10 Appendices .................................................................................................... 37
1

1 Introduction
Energy, power, sacredness and rest, these are the parts of ethereality flashed from
the forests. Springs rise from the Earth in these places. People are used to
drinking this water as good, healthy and in some cases magical liquid. In the past
they felt to be indebted to the God for that donation and they built small chapels
near these springs as an expression of their thanks. Pictures of the Virgin Maria
or Jesus, wooden crucifixes, fresh flowers and candles for remembering them
were placed there. These places were often called as pilgrimage ones.
Furthermore, a large number of legends is connected with them.

The goal of this Bachelor thesis is to find out the reason for building Community
shrines near the forest springs. It is usual that small chapels stand near the forest
springs or wells. The investigation deals with the question why the forest spring
seemed to be sacred. The sense of this thesis is to highlight the importance of
religion in human life.

However, the research itself is preceded by useful theory. The topic is discussed
from the anthropology point of view. Nevertheless, it is necessary to know at
least some basic facts about anthropology itself. Anthropology is a system that
deals with a human being. It studies behaviour and life of certain communities.
Anthropology gives the picture of the past in theoretical studies. However, the
practical part, as a research, is discussed more. There are given advices how to
prepare for the investigation and what strategy should be taken.

It is obvious that every part of some discipline includes sub-disciplines.

Anthropology is divided into parts each of them dealing with specific sphere. The
main sub-disciplines are mentioned in this text. Moreover, the two that were used
for the research are described individually. The cultural and the archaeological
ones were considered as the most important for this paper. It is also mentioned
which types of archaeological investigation are used generally and which of them
have been used in this research.
2

Religion is the pivot of the whole topic. Regarding to the area where the
investigation took place, the extensive term religion was nearly determined as
Christianity. The research should have taken place in the area of Central Europe.
Nevertheless, the economic situation allows to make the research only in the
Czech Republic. However, the interviews were made even with people from
Poland and the Slovak Republic. Christianity is the most widespread religion in
that part of the world. This Bachelor paper gives the reader a general overview of
the history of Christianity. The genesis and the development of this religion is
discussed there. Furthermore, a passage from John’s gospel from the Bible is
included. It tells a story connecting Christianity with nature, especially with a
well.

Customs and traditions are very important for this religion. A wide space was
provided to approximation of these traditions. They show the attitudes towards
the nature. The most important one is Easter, because it is remembering of the
death and the resurrection of Jesus. The others are Carnival, Easter week, Advent
and Christmas.

Next section considered to be important to know, at first from the theoretical and
then from the practical point of view, was the attitudes of religion and
Christianity towards nature. It is supposed to be nearly connected, because
according to Christianity, nature was caused by the Lord. On the other hand,
Paganism, mentioned in the thesis, adores more than one god. Moreover, this
belief prefers spirit atmosphere of the place to God. It is religion based on respect
for nature.

Following part of the Bachelor thesis targets the investigation itself. The methods
used in the research, are folded here. Before beginning of the whole work we
prepared a list of task what we should do. Then we thought of the tools that could
make easier the process of researching. We decided to buy a dictaphone to record
the interviews rather than to make notes on paper. The other step was to purchase
recommended books.
3

According to the books we defined places where the research would be taken.
We also read anthropological studies dealing with the structure of the
investigation. We highlighted the points important for our following activity.

Putting the relevant questions down in writing on paper we were prepared to

move on to the research itself. . The investigation took place mainly in western
and southern Bohemia. The towns and villages included in the final version of
the research were Kotoun, Vrčen, Draženov, Pocinovice, Trhové Sviny,
Chroboly, Kašperské Hory and Hory Matky Boži.
4

2 Anthropology
“Wishes to know unknown, control the uncontrollable, and bring order to chaos
find expression among all peoples.”[1]

Anthropology studies human being. It is a holistic science. It deals with the

whole structure of the human condition: past, present, and future; biology,
society, language, and culture. Anthropology studies not only nonindustrial
people but it is also a comparative science that offers a unique cross-cultural
perspective.

People share society with other animals. However, the culture is clearly human.
Cultures pose traditions and customs transmitted from generation to generation
through learning that collocate with the beliefs and behaviour of the people who
believe.

The important part of anthropology is the term adaptation. According to Mr.

Kottak in the book Anthropology: the exploration of human diversity, human
adaptation is the process by which organism copes with the environment. It
involves interplay between culture and anthropology. John Bennett has defined
cultural adaptation as “the problem-solving, creative or coping element in human
behaviour.”[2]

2.1 Types of anthropology

According to Conrad Phillip Kottak in his book: Anthropology: the exploration
of human diversity, anthropology practically deals with each way of human
being. However, it includes four main sub-disciplines: socio-cultural (cultural
anthropology), archaeological, biological and linguistic anthropology. American
anthropology varies from the European one in the way of understanding the sub-
disciplines. While the American anthropology studies the sub-disciplines as parts
penetrated together, the European one deals with them separately.[3]
5

Most anthropologists specialize in cultural anthropology. Nevertheless, most of

them are also familiar with the basics of the other sub-disciplines. The cultural
and the archaeological anthropologists are the most important for this thesis.
They study changes in social life and customs.

2.1.1 Cultural anthropology

Cultural anthropologists study society and culture. They investigate cultural
similarities and differences from past till now trying to consider the diversity in
time and space. Certain features as biological, psychological, social, and cultural,
are known as universal, because they are shared by all human populations.
Others are generalized (common to several human groups) and particularized
(not shared by all).[4]

Cultural anthropology has two aspects: ethnography (based on field work) and
ethnology (based on cross-cultural comparison). These two disciplines are
dependent on each other. The ethnography means the single research in
communities to study local behaviour, beliefs, traditions, social life, economic
activities, politics and religion. The ethnology then analyses the notes from the
research and from the other sub-disciplines such as archaeological anthropology,
which reconstructs social systems of the past.[5]

2.1.2 Archaeological Anthropology

“Archaeological anthropology reconstructs, describes, and interprets human
behaviour and cultural patterns through material remains.” [6]

Archaeology deals with evidence of “what people did, not what they think they
did, what they think they should have done, or what the interviewer thinks they
should have done.” HARRISON, Rathje, and Hughes 1994, p.108.

Thanks to material remains, the ethnographic knowledge and ethnological theory,

archaeologists analyze cultural processes, and history itself.
6

2.1.2.1 Ethnographic techniques

The investigation has to have a definite structure. It depends on the type and
place of the research. The characteristic techniques of an ethnographer include
the following:

1. Observation: Many ethnographers record their impressions in a personal

diary, which is kept separately from more formal field notes.

2. Participant observation: Staying for a couple of days or weeks in a certain

Community.

3. Conversation, Interviewing, and Interview Schedules: Asking people living in

the Communities.

4. The genealogical method

5. Detailed work with well-informed informants

6. Life histories of particular people

7. Emic and Etic Research Strategies: how native thinks and shifting the focus
of research from native categories to those of anthropologist.

8. Problem-oriented research of many sorts – it is impossible to study

everything.

9. Longitudinal research – The researcher returns to the place more times.

Note: The points 1, 2, 3 and 8 will be discussed later on in the investigation itself
(4.1)

2.1.3 Anthropology of Religion

Czech scientific study of religion is actually waking up from the hard lethargy, to
which it was led by forty-year long government of communistic dictatorship.
With regard to the rising importance of religion in contemporary world, this
rediscovery of religion studies is undoubtedly necessary. The modern, mature
world realized that e.g. the experts of Islam are as necessary as IT experts.
7

Czech experts miss experience, resources and theoretical background for doing
the research on variety of religions. It is mainly because of one-sided orientation
towards studying of religious traditions.

The religions could be understood as an anthropological constant. They have

long and various tradition of self-understanding. Theologians began to
investigate it to come up to another religious culture.

A tendency to uncover religion as a projection of human interests and yearnings

became the first impulse for the origination of scientific studies of religion.

Anthropology of religion is neither theological nor philosophical discipline. It

has to answer to basic criteria set to social sciences generally and to social
anthropology separately. In case of religion anthropology it means that
investigators try to construct subjectively meanings of social behaviour, which is
considered to be religious or which is thought to be religious on the base of
comparative experience of investigators.

While a sociologist could ask why different cultures had let originate various
types of religion, a contemporary anthropologist would rather investigate how the
institutions function and what they symbolize in different socio-cultural contexts
without being able to forget that religion include not only social behaviour, but
also internal emotional level.

“According to the research of the GfK agency from 2004, 32% of Czech
population claimed one’s right to believe in the Lord as the Creator. It is the least
from 21 investigated states. At the same time, the Czech Republic was the only
country where the number of unbelievers exceeded the number of believers.
Similarly, during the last investigation in 2001 59% of inhabitants declared
themselves as atheists. However, as the research ISSP in 1998 documented that a
big part of population believe in some type of mystical power; 50% of population
believe in amulets, 50% in horoscopes and 70% in prediction of the future. To
this type of devotion belongs mostly younger and more cultivated part of the
population.”[7]
8

Rituals belong to the important part of anthropology of religion. It is possible to

distinguish an intellectual and symbolical point of view on religion thanks to
conceptualization of rituals. The intellectuals after E.B Tylor understand religion
as a picture of the world. For example, Mircea Eliade stressed the priority of
cosmogenic myth over the ritual. However, the ritual, according to him,
represents restoring of the state of the creation, thus it connects the past with the
present.

Another type of the anthropological approach to the ritual could be called as a

symbolical one. E. Durkheim could be considered as a founder of that type. In
this optic religion is understood as a symbolical language that emits and vouches
social order.

If we accept the symbolical point of view on the ritual and religion, we will get
very near to functionalism. Even modern societies have a large number of rituals
which work in a similar manner.

Anthropology of religion is a wide discipline, which includes a spectrum of

ethereal branches. Sacred geography and genii loci: community shrines, forest
springs and proto-Christian rituals could be considered as one of them.
9

3 Christianity
One of the themes of this Bachelor thesis is religion. Religion is a very wide
conception. With regard to geographic determination, Christianity is supposed to
be investigated in the area of Central Europe, especially in the Czech Republic.

Firstly, it is important to know what Christianity is about, where it comes from

and how old it is. It is also useful to realize which kinds of Churches exist and
which celebrations are connected with Christianity in order to find out whether it
is closely connected with nature or just in some ways.

As it is written in on-line encyclopaedia www.wikipedia.cz, Christianity comes

from the Greek word χριστιανóς. It is monotheistic religion that deduces its
origin from the time of being of Jesus Christ. Christianity is the most widespread
religion in the world. The first use of the conception is chronicled by the Syrian
bishop Ignac from Antiochie († 106/107). The Catholic Church, the Orthodox
Church and the Protestant Church belong to the biggest groups of Christianity.

Christianity is not set out equally on the Earth. It is dominant in three continents
and these are America, Australia and Europe.The fourth continent Africa is
divided equally between Christianity and Islam. The only continent, where there
are not so many Christian people, is Asia. [8]

3.1 The development of Christian teaching

The origin of Christianity in the first century is corresponding with the Jews
expecting the arrival of Messiah. In contrast to Judaism, from which Christianity
has developed, the Christian people are not waiting for their Messiah but
consider him to be Jesus from Nazareth.

3.2 The Genesis of Christianity

After the year 63 BC the Jewish country is going to be under harder supremacy
of the Romans from the sight of the Jews. It is a very hard period of time for the
world. It makes an impression of the end of the earth. Jesus from Nazareth
10

appeares at that time. He is called Christ1. Christianity came from the small town
of Jesus’ followers and during the decades after Jesus’ death it became one of the
biggest religions of the world.

3.3 Bible
People who want to know something about Christianity and are willing to learn
about it they should firstly open the Bible.

The Bible is the most famous book and a guide how to behave as a believer.
Nowadays it even exists in its electronic publication (www.biblegateway.com). It
consists of two main parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The
purpose of this Bachelor thesis is to find out, if there is a mention written related
to the connection between nature and Christianity.

There is a part from the Bible called John 4 telling a story connected with a well:

“John 4:1-42 (New International Version) (For the original text see Appendix
1)

In John’s Gospel the Samaritan woman at the well is the first person to whom
Jesus openly reveals himself as Messiah. The pious Jewish leader, Nicodemus,
did not hear the words that Jesus tells this foreign woman when she states her
belief in the coming Messiah: “I am he, the one who is speaking to you” (John
4:26). This is also the longest private conservation Jesus had with anyone in the
New Testament (John 4:7-26).

4:3 [Jesus] left Judea and started back to Galilee. 4:4 But he had to go through
Samaria. 4:5 So he came to a Samaritan town called Sychar, near the plot of
ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 4:6 Jacob's well was there, and
Jesus, tired out by his journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon. 4:7 A
Samaritan woman came to draw water.

1
Christ – from the Greek word Christos and it has the meaning to be spread, it is similar to Hebraic
masiach, mesias – it is title and not name
11

Verse 4 says that Jesus “had to [Gk: edei] go through Samaria.” The use of edei
(had to) makes it clear that this is a divine appointment. It was not geographically
necessary for Jesus to go through Samaria, and Jewish travellers normally
travelled around Samaria. Jesus and his disciples entered a Samaritan village, and
the disciples went to buy food (v. 8) while Jesus sat by the well because he was
tired. A woman from the nearby village of Sychar came for water.

4: 7b and Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 4:8 (His disciples had
gone to the town to buy food.) 4:9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it
that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share
things in common with Samaritans.)

Jesus then did something that was a cultural taboo: he spoke to a woman in
public; and not just a woman, but a Samaritan woman. She was twice an outcast
in Jewish thought. Jesus asked her for a drink of water. She was understandably
shocked: a Jewish man was speaking to her, a Samaritan woman? He also should
not have wanted to share a vessel for drinking water with her since it would be
considered unclean. She was right to be confused.

4:10 Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is
saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have
given you living water." 4:11 The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket,
and the well is deep. Where can you get that living water? 4:12 Are you greater
than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks
drank from it?" 4:13 Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks this water will be
thirsty again, 4:14 but those who drink the water that I give them will never be
thirsty. The water that I give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to
eternal life." 4:15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may
never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water."

The conversation then turned to a discussion of living water versus the water in
the well. At this point many commentators say that the woman did not have the
12

ability to engage Jesus in serious theological conversation. Because she was a

woman she did not have the intelligence to keep up with the conversation
(O’Day, 384). That is why she was confused about this living water Jesus
offered. But the woman was no more confused over living water than Nicodemus
was over being born from above in the previous chapter (John 3:4, 9-10). The
woman was not confused because she was a woman, just as Nicodemus was not
confused simply because he was a man. Both of them were confused because
Jesus was introducing them to new spiritual truths. Nicodemus never quite “gets”
what Jesus was telling him in John 3. Yet, the Samaritan woman did come to
understand who Jesus was and what he was telling her. Although the woman still
wasn’t sure what this living water was, she wanted it.

4:16 Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back." 4:17 The woman
answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I
have no husband'; 4:18 for you have had five husbands, and the man you have
now is not your husband. What you have said is true!"

When Jesus told her to go and get her husband we find out that this woman has
had five husbands, and was now living with a man who was not her husband.
Many commentators have jumped to the conclusion that she was an immoral
woman who had been divorced five times (O’Day, 384). Yet, John 4 never says
she was divorced. There are at least two other possible reasons why this woman
has had five husbands.

One possibility is that she was unable to have children (the biblical language is
“she was barren;” cf. Gen 11:30). In a culture that placed supreme importance on
having children, especially sons, barrenness was solid ground for divorce (cf.
Deut 24:1). So it is possible that the men had married her, then found out that she
couldn’t have children so divorced her to marry more fertile women.

She could also be trapped by the Levirate marriage law. Her five husbands could
have been brothers for whom she was supposed to produce an heir (Matt. 22:24-
13

28). Either the family ran out of sons or the next son could have refused to marry
her. That she was living with a man now who was not her husband could have
been the lesser of two evils. Since the culture provided economic security only
within family structures, her only other choice after husband number five died or
divorced her could have been prostitution. Regardless of why the woman had
five husbands, the implication is still that she is a woman who cannot keep a
man.

4:19 The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 4:20 Our
ancestors worshipped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people
must worship is in Jerusalem."

After Jesus told the woman about her life, she knew that he was a prophet. Again
many commentators downplay the woman’s theological ability by saying that her
next question concerning the proper place of worship is a ploy to draw attention
away from her supposed immoral life (O’Day, 384). What they don’t
acknowledge is that the woman asked what is probably the most pressing
theological question for the first century Samaritans: where is the proper place of
worship?

The Samaritans were descended from the Israelite people who had not been
deported when the Assyrians conquered the Northern Kingdom (722/21 BC) and
imported other peoples into the region (2 Kings 17:22-41). They continued to
worship Jehova, but also allowed the worship of other gods from the resettled
peoples’ homelands.

Alexander the Great allowed the Samaritans to build or renovate a Samaritan

temple on Mt. Gerizim. This became a point of contention to the Jews who had
returned and rebuilt Solomon’s temple in Jerusalem. Tensions continued to
degrade until the temple on Mt. Gerizim was destroyed by the Jews in 128 B.C.
(The Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 726-7). Both groups believed that they
were worshipping Yahweh, and both believed that they had the right place to
14

worship Yahweh. The woman had met a prophet – someone who knew what had
happened in her life, and one she was sure could answer the most pressing
theological question of her heart and of the time.

4:21 Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will
worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 4:22 You worship
what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the
Jews. 4:23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to
worship him. 4:24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in
spirit and truth."

Jesus did not accuse her of changing the subject; he answered her question. It did
not matter where one worshipped God — it was how God was worshipped. There
would no longer be limitations of geography in worshipping God for God is
spirit, and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth.

4:25 The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called
Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us." 4:26 Jesus said to
her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you."

The woman stated her belief in the coming Messiah who would reveal all things
to them. Jesus then revealed something to this unnamed, foreign woman that he
did not reveal to Nicodemus, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you” (John
4:26). The Samaritan woman was the first person to whom Jesus revealed
himself as Messiah in the Gospel of John, and this is the first “I am” statement in
the gospel as well (Cunningham and Hamilton, 122; see “‘I am’ in John’s
Gospel”).

Why did Jesus reveal himself to this woman and not to Nicodemus? The woman
was not expecting a political Messiah. The Samaritans were looking for the ta’eb
or “restorer” (Sloyan, 54). The Samaritans were not looking for a political
Messiah from the line of David; they were looking for a prophet like Moses who
15

would restore the observance of the law of Moses as it should be (Sloyan, 54).
Jesus could reveal himself as Messiah to her without worrying about political
misunderstandings that would have arisen in Judah.

4:27 Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking
with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking
with her?" 4:28 Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She
said to the people, 4:29 "Come and see a man who told me everything I have
ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?"

The disciples returned with food scratching their heads and wondering why Jesus
is speaking to a foreign woman in public. Then the woman went to her people
and said, “Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He
cannot be the Messiah, can he?” (v. 28).

4:30 They left the town and were on their way to him. 4:39 Many Samaritans
from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me
everything I have ever done." 4:40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they
asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 4:41 And many more
believed because of his word. 4:42 They said to the woman, "It is no longer
because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and
we know that this is truly the Savior of the world."

She became the first evangelist in the gospel of John. She went and told her
people about Jesus and brought them to him, so they could see and hear for
themselves.

Jesus never approached people “randomly or casually but as possible bearers of

witness to him to whole populations” (Sloyan, 54). A foreign, single woman who
had had five husbands, and was now living with a man who was not her husband
was the one Jesus chose to bring a town in Samaria to him so that they could say,
“We have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the
world” (v. 42).[9]
16

3.4 Christianity in the Czech Republic

Most inhabitants are churchless in the Czech Republic. However, as regards the
believers most of them incline to the Roman Catholic Church. There are also
members of the Protestant Church of more liberate type. Most believers of the
Orthodox Church have foreign roots, for example Russian and Ukrainian.
Jehova’s Witnesses are also counted among the believers. They consider
themselves to be the only Christians. However, most of the Christian Churches
do not accept them as Christians.

The era of communism caused that people hardly believe in God. At the time of
the communist regime belief was suppressed. Czech population was not allowed
to express their attitude to some religion. That is the reason for being at the last
place in terms of belief in statistics.

3.5 Traditions of Christianity in the Czech Republic.

Christianity is connected with many traditions. Christians are able to express
their respect to the saints. It includes the Virgin Maria, Jesus Christ and the Lord
as well. The Czech Republic is known as a country, where not so many
Christians lived. According to the statistics, as it was already mentioned, this
state is considered as the country with the smallest number of believers. Citizens
of this country try to find what they could believe in, however mainly it is more a
fortune-teller or a healer than some specific religion, for example Christianity.

However, some traditions are kept. Sometimes because it is nice to have some
stereotype and on the other hand some people still believe in the Lord and try to
keep it. In the course of time the folk-memories are changed, however, it is
aimed to keep them as accurate as possible.

3.5.1 Carnival
It is a feast that takes three days and precedes Ash Wednesday. From that time
starts forty days Lent which ends at Easter. This feast is as movable as Easter is.
It could be between 1 February and 7 March.
17

Before Carnival people mostly prepared pig-sticking. It was called “fat

Thursday”. The traditional food was pork meat with sauerkraut. On that day
people should have eaten and drink as much as they could to be strong for the
whole year.

The main entertainment started on carnival Sunday- the first day people had
plentiful lunch and then they danced till the second day. On carnival Monday, in
most villages there were men’s balls that were only for married couples. People
believed that as high a landlady jump during the dance as high the corn will grow
next year.

The head of carnival was carnival’s Thursday, when there were processions of
masks and performances.

The news from Carnival celebrations are collected from the thirteenth century.
However the feast is certainly older. A lot of explorers connected this feast with
the tradition of pre-Christian, Pagan ceremony.

The carnival processions are still part of folklore’s celebrations in the Czech
Republic.[10]

Nowadays Carnival is not as common as it was in the past, however, it tends to

be returned. People try to get back the old tradition to keep Czech identity.

3.5.2 Easter week

The last week of the fourteen days Lent is for the memory of Christ’s suffering.
The mood of these ceremonies is sad. On Tuesday saint Marc’s Passions are read
and on Wednesday saint Lucas’s Passions are read. In this week teenagers were
going outside with rattles that indemnify the bells which should fly away to
Rome and because of that they did not ring.

Black Wednesday was the first day of Easter week before Easter Day. It was said
that the Wednesday is dirty or black because the chimneys were swept.
According to the myth, everyone who scowls during this day, he or she will be
scowling every Wednesday in the year.
18

The title Green Thursday is taken because of the green chasuble which was used
on this day. Moreover, on this day people ate only green meals (spinach,
cabbage...) to be healthy for the whole year. In the church the bells rang for the
last time and then flew away to Rome. Then there was silence till White
Saturday.

During the celebration on Green Thursday the bishop washed feet of twelve old
men or lay brothers and after the ceremony he feasted and gifted them. This
doing is connected with the last dinner of Dominical, when Christ did in the same
way to his followers.

A lot of traditions were related to Green Thursday. People woke up very early.
The family said a prayer and washed themselves with the dew, because it
protected them from diseases. In some places this tradition was kept on Good
Friday. On Green Thursday the landladies woke up early to sweep the house
before the dawn. The rubbish was taken to crossroads to keep fleas far away from
the house. Who ate bread with honey before sunrise he or she was to be protected
2
from snakebite. So called “hot-cross bans” were baked. If they had eaten
something with honey, it should have brought then health for the next year. On
Green Thursday people should not borrow anything and they should not argue
with anybody to avoid the quarrels and for money to find the way to them.

Good Friday was very sad. No mass was taken and the divine service was
composed of reading texts and singing. An important part of this day was
unfolding and showing respect for the saint crucifix.

Good Friday was connected with belief in magic power and miracles which
happened on this day. According to human belief the Earth was opening to
uncover the cache treasures. Because of that many people were seen looking for
the treasures in the forests, near the ruins and in other desolate places.

2
Hot-cross ban= it is a bread, which is made from proofing dough and has a strange shape.
19

White Saturday3 is the last day of the forty-day fast. Only the night divine
services were taken – vigils4.Before the big feast the fire was lighted which was
taken to the Church with help of paschal5. The fire’s sanctification became the
ceremonial rite. The finale of the day was the Rise, the ceremony in honour of
Jesus Christ’s resurrection. [11]

The candles, which are sacred by lighting from the sacred Easter paschal, are
brought to the Church. This custom is kept till nowadays.

Theis tradition has changed a little in the course of time. People keep the names
of the days before Easter, however most of them cannot say why the names are
as they are. The believers also keep the forty-day fast but not in such a strict way.

3.5.3 Easter
Easter is the most important feast in Christianity. It illustrates time when Jesus
was tortured to death and his resurrection. However, Easter was celebrated long
before the beginning of Christianity. It was a continuation of the Jewish tradition
called Pesach. Later, they welcomed Messiah and pagans welcomed coming of
spring and agricultural works.[12]

During Easter mass6 the priest sanctifies the food that people have brought. It
could be lamb as well as, cross buns, eggs, bread and wine. The landladies take
home these sacred dishes and during the luncheon the family eat them as a ritual.
It was believed, that if someone has lost the way and has reminded with whom he
or she had eaten the Easter lamb, he or she would find the way again.

The most important day within Easter is Easter Monday. On this day young boys
were coming to girls to beat them with a birch rod made of browse from a
willow. In return the boys received painted eggs from the girls. This procedure
was taken for girls to be healthy, joyful and hardworking for the whole year. This
habit is known from the fourteenth century. It is proved in the memories of the

3
The white is because of the white clothes of the people who have been adulterated on that day.
4
Vigils- it was the time (the day and the evening) before the big feast.
5
Paschal – the Easter candle from the beeswax
6
The Easter Sunday
20

preacher Konrad Waldhauser. However, keeping of this habit is different from

town to town. [13]

This is one of the feasts which are still topical. With some small changes the
tradition is being kept. Every year mothers bake Easter lambs, girls paint eggs
and boys make or nowadays buy the birch rods of twigs from willows. On Easter
Monday boys beat girls with those sticks and they are given painted eggs in
return.

3.5.4 Advent7
It is the time of arrival, Jesus Christ’s birth. Jesus was taken as a redeemer,
Messiah. Advent period lasts four weeks and it is the time of fast, when people
sing within the morning masses.

This time ends at Christmas. The holiday commemorates Jesus Christ’s birth.
The pre-Christian feast of winter solstice was replaced by Christmas. On 25
December it is the ceremony of Christmas Day to which precede Christmas Eve.
The feast of Saint Stephen on 26 December belongs to Christmas as well.
Following holiday are Sunday of God’s family, Innocent’s Day8, the Virgin
Maria’s celebration - it is on 1 January (the New Year).The next Christian
festival is on 6 January and it is called Epiphany celebrated in memory of the
coming of the Magi to the baby Jesus at Bethlehem. The following Sunday is the
Lord’s Day with which Christmas finishes.

3.5.5 Christmas
Christmas celebrations have always been connected with many unreligious habits
of magic character. For example, who kept fast on the Christmas Eve, he or she
saw a golden pig then. Christmas-Eve table looked very nice and it was full of
symbols of wealth and ward (bread, apples, nuts, honey etc.). Another custom is
Christmas mistletoe. It is kept till nowadays that when a boy and a girl meet each
other under the mistletoe, they can kiss each other.

7
The name advent came from the Latin adventus and it means “coming”
8
The Innocent’s Day (28.12.) – A reminding of the children who had been massacred by Herodotus.
21

Chrismas carols were connected with the New Year and with Christmas.
However, mostly they were telling and singing on Saint Stephen’s Day (26.12.).
The carols were the custom of the University students, then pupils of the town
schools, after that from the main schools and normal schools and finally from the
country servants. The carol was the wish for prosperity for the next year. The
construction of a crib is a young tradition. In front of the crib there was a gothic
box with waxworks. In the Czech countryside the crib extended in the beginning
of the nineteenth century.

Christmas tree is one of the most beautiful and the most poetic symbols of
Christmas. This habit comes from the beginning of the nineteenth century.
However, the use of the trees or their branches has a long tradition. The tree or
the branch was hanged upon the table in the room.

At the end of Christmas Three Kings used to come to houses and write on the
door C+M+B, in the Czech Republic it was K+M+B. These are not the beginning
letters of the names of the Magi how it is said, but it is only abbreviation from
Latin “Christus mansionem benedicat”9[14]

Some of the Christmas traditions are kept till nowadays. In most families they eat
carp and potato salad for Christmas dinner. The carols are sung in a large number
of families. Some people try to keep traditions by cutting the apple or steel
coasting. The traditions are different, however still not archaic.

3.6 Connection between human being, nature and Christianity

From the beginning of the world a human being was a part of nature. Nature was
admired, because no one knows how it functions. From the appearance of
religions nature stepped back to the background. However, nowadays belief in
God and nature is slowly disappearing. People need to have a proof of everything
and material values are more acceptable than the religious ones.

9
Christus mansionem benedicat – Christ blesses the house
22

The Christian people believe that God created nature and a long time after that he
created a human being to dominate on the Earth. People should love God and be
the helpers for him. They should appreciate nature and be nice to it. Mrs.
Jiroušková says in her article published on the internet that nature had been poor
without Christianity. It had not been clothed in glory, beauty and pleasure.
According to her a flower is more valuable than the humans’ arts.

In Christianity the human being is at the first place. However, nobody knows
why God created the nature first, but when the human came, only he or she could
notify God. And God created him or her to his picture. Nature is God’s creation
too. The Christian people cannot destroy it. Furthermore, they have to take care
of it and love it. They should take care more of God’s arts than of their own. The
work of humans’ hands will always be at the second place after the work of
God’s hands.

Christianity is a science. It is taught by a priest through the Church. Nobody can

say how to deal with that because the head of the Church is God. He has been
never seen. The belief is connected with the Bible. However, nobody can
determine what is right and what is wrong. The Christian people should behave
in agreement with the Bible. Among others they should adore nature.

3.7 Paganism or else worshipped nature

The definition of paganism: Polytheistic or pantheistic religion which worships
nature.[15]

Paganism is the religion of human being’s ancestry. This world-old religion

keeps on being topical all around the world. This religion venerates nature and
professes more than one God.

Spirit atmosphere of a place is very important in paganism. It could be a hill, a

lake or some spring and sentry godhood with many aspects e.g. Athena. [16]
23

4 The research
The area determined for the research was Central Europe. However, the
economic conditions did not allow to travel all over the Central Europe, the
investigation passed only in the Czech Republic, mostly in Western and Southern
Bohemia.

The aim of this work was to find out the reason for building the chapels with
Christian motives near the forest springs or wells. According to the fact that the
research was influenced by the people who are in touch with Christianity,
moreover, they attend the forest springs and spark there candles for Jesus and the
Virgin Maria, the investigation had to be made during the summer time, when the
weather conditions are good for walking.

We were tooled by a map, a dictaphone, a camera and a notebook. The research

has been practiced according to books written by Pavel Kozák10. The advances to
contact Mr. Kozák personally ended in failure. However, his literature helped us
at the beginning of the exploration. We have made a list of the springs which we
found in those books and we determined the path with the map.

Everything that could help us was prepared and the investigation itself was going
to start. The first point on the map was a spring called “Kloubovka11”

4.1 Methods of the research

The methods of the research were divided according to the book Anthropology:
The exploration of human diversity written by Corad Phillip Kottak. The
methods have been already mentioned in 2.1.2.1.

We used a personal dictaphone for recording the data from our informants. It is
easier and more accurate way of saving the useful information.

10
The books by Pavel Kozák: Tajemná místa Pošumaví, Tajemná místa Plzeňska, Tajemná místa od
Blaníku k Sušici and Tajemná místa na samém jihu Čech
11
Kloub=joint
24

The main part of the investigation was to interview the inhabitants from the
villages we made the investigation. We wrote down the name, and estimated age
of each person we spoke with. We used a personal interview rather than a
questionnaire. The questionnaire procedure tends to be more impersonal and
indirect. Furthermore, we took pictures of places we were.

The main part of the investigation was to collect all these information. We
processed it on sheets of paper and assigned the pictures to the places. Later, we
compared the researched data with the statistics.

4.2 Kloubovka (See Appendix 2)

Between a small village Chanovice and Nepomuk, there overlies very small
village Kotoun. Near this village in a forest, there is a spring to which people
ascribe miraculous power from the old ages. The legend says that the spring spurt
up to cure the poor infirm widow who after the death of her husband could not
sustained her children because of the painful disease of bones. The good water
cured the woman. The myth of the power of the water was told everywhere and
people started to call the spring “Kloubovka”. A small chapel sanctified to the
Virgin Maria was built there. A hand carved figure of Maria, which is marked by
two marble boards was placed there as thanks-giving from the aristocracy. On the
left side of the board, there is written: “MARIA MATKA BOŽÍ POMOHLA A
POMŮŽE NADÁLE. K. H. – 193012”, on the right side, there is written:
“MARIA POMOHLA! V OSELÍCH 1935 MARIANNA BOOS-WALDECK13”.
Nepomucko [online] Nepomuk, leto-podzim 2007. Dostupné na WWW:
<http://www.nepomucko.cz/>.

The energy in that forest was very strong. There was a special power in the air.
Unfortunately we did not meet any people who could tell us more information
about the spring and its history. However, it was visible that people who live
there have their belief. Near the chapel, there were candles and the place was
kept very clean.

12
Maria, the Gods mother, she has helped and will help in the future.K.H. 1930.
13
Maria helped! In Osely 1935 Marianna Boos-Waldeck.
25

The second point on the map was a place situated near Nepomuk. It was the
village called Vrčeň with a small well and the chapel of saint Vojtech.

4.3 The chapel of Saint Vojtech (See Appendix 3)

The chapel of Saint Vojtech is situated above the way from Vrčeň to Rožmitál
pod Třemšínem, in a forest called “Chlumec”. In the fall of XVI century, Adam
from Štemberk14 had small chapel built as veneration of saint Vojtech. The
village chapel was decorated by Maxmiliana, the Adam’s wife.

A large number of repairs were made on that building. The expressive one was
made in 1883. According to the tradition next to the shrine, there is a granitic
stone with pans in memory of saint Vojtech. [17]

The origin of this well with faith-bealing water connected the legend with the
person saint Vojtech, who shot at a stag but he missed and the shaft dug into the
rock and opened the spring of water.

The other version of the myth says that Vojtech opened the spring of the water
because of asking of thirsty wood-cutters. He was supposed to do it by the stroke
of pontifical crutch to the rock. At first the spring was inside to the chapel of
saint Vojtech and then it received name Good water.[18]

4.4 Draženov (See Appendix 4)

Next point of the research was a small town called Draženov. This town lies near
Domažlice. It is an interesting place because of the magic spring in the forest in
the south part of the village.

The first message about the magic cure comes from the nineteenth century, when
one pilgrim Johann Ottinlinger cleaned his injured leg in this water and from that
time his foot was in good form again. He made the wooden crucifix there. From
that time a lot of people followed him and they have been going there for help
with their health. They have built a small chapel there as a term of gratefulness.
However the chapel burnt into ashes, so the people from the village have built

14
The highest burgrave of Czech kingdom ( died in 1623)
26

another much bigger one made of stones. From its beginning the chapel is
dedicated to the Virgin Maria.[19]

The atmosphere there was very magic and the energy emitted from the forest
around. Moreover, the piece all around was restful and curative. Nevertheless, no
people were there for making an interview with us. There are two possible
reasons for that. Either their belief is not as strong as it was in the past or we
were there at the wrong time. However, in contrast with other places the research
took place, there were no candles visible at this one.

4.5 Pocinovice – Good Water (See Appendix 5)

The way was going on to a village called Pocinovice. People there were very
kind and helped us to get to the searched place with a forest spring. The citizens
unfortunately did not know much about the history of that place, so we were
forced to find the useful information in the chronicle. In the concrete the part
about the pilgrimage place Good Water written by Alois Mejchar (1923).

The pilgrimage place Good Water is located near the village. It is a small chapel
with tiny spring of water. In the chronicle it is said that the water has magic
power. According to a fable, in the old ages the horses were used to go out at
feed there. Old and blind mare lost its way and went to the forest near the field,
where the others were. The mare stepped into the spring with its foreleg at the
same time the farmer has found it. The water came into its eyes and the mare
started to see. From that time people were coming to the Virgin Maria to ask for
curing them. The legend spread around and everyone who suffered from some
health problem came to this place. It is said that the people were cured in most of
the cases. A small wooden chapel was built there in the seventeenth century. The
pilgrims hung painting on the door in order to remember the recovery. The
wooden chapel burnt down in 1908 with all the pictures. In that place there was
built a new brick chapel, which is there till nowadays. [20]

The chapel is not very far from the village itself. It is not possible to get directly
to the spring and the chapel by car. It is evident that people are trying to keep that
27

place in a good state and take care of it. Presence of some believers was to be
seen thanks to the candles there.

4.6 Svatá trojice15 (See Appendix 6)

In the South of Bohemia there is a small town Trhové Sviny. The pride of this
town is a chapel called Svatá trojice. It is considered to be a unique work of the
Czech baroque. It was built in 1708 – 1710 according to Diesenhofer’s proposal.
The style of that building reminds Russian Church. Near this chapel there is a
very small spring of water which is said to have magical power. According to the
legend the spring water should cure the eyesight. Thanks to that water there were
built spa in this town. [21]

The myth tells that three little boys in white shirts were appearing in the place
where the chapel is now. When a ploughman from the local estate was tilling his
field, these three boys appeared to him and suggested building a chapel there.
However, he did not have any tools and material to do that. So, they advised him
to go home to his barn. Everything was prepared there. He went to his house and
then started to build a new church. From that time the Svata trojice stands on that
place. [22]

4.7 Chroboly
Next point of the investigation was a forest spring in a village called Chroboly.
Near this spring there is a rebuilt chapel of the Virgin Marie Lurdske (See
Appendix 7).

In the book Tajemná místa pošumavi written by Pavel Kozak there is a picture of
this chapel from 2004. In that picture the building looks as if it was going to fall
down, but people from the village can make a merit of reconstruction of this
monument and now it almost looks like a new building.

Near to that chapel there is a small well. There we met two ladies who were
going to draw water from that well. They were willing to help us. They told us

15
Svata trojice=sacred trio
28

that the water should have power to cure eyes. However, they did not believe in
that legend. Moreover, they did not know why the water should cure our eyes.

Our question was if they knew why the chapel of the Virgin Marie Lurdske had
been built there. Nevertheless, the ladies did not know anything about the history
of that monument. They were not believers.

It was obvious, that people in that village are used to going there for water.
However, there was not visible any sign of keeping Christianity such as candles
for the Virgin Maria.

4.8 Kašperské Hory

Kasperske hory is a village near well known town Susice. There is a pilgrimage
chapel of the Virgin Marie Klatovske (See Appendix 8). Originally the
pilgrimage place was also called grantl according to a spring of magic water
which gushes out from the stone wall of well. Believers are used to going there
for several days in the beginning of August. A local fair is celebrated there
during that time. According to the old tradition people dip their handkerchiefs in
water and then they apply them to their tired eyes. [23]

The old chapel was built in the seventeenth century. In 1690 one married couple
George and Anna Prunovi placed a picture of the Virgin Marie Klatovske on the
wooden board. The chapel has been rebuilt and expanded for the huge interest of
pilgrims.

In comparison with other pilgrimage places and chapels this one does not give a
feeling of freedom and rest. It is situated fast beside the street. People can find it
easily, however this place lacks peace.

4.9 Hory Matky Boží

Only a few kilometers from Kašperské Hory there is a town Hory matky bozi. It
was the last point of our research. There is a place called Calvary (See Appendix
9). The term Calvary is known all over the world. It means that there are placed
thirteen points with the paintings of Jesus Christ’s way with the crucifix.
29

As we asked about the traditions of building that Calvary, we got answer from
Mrs. Pistejova (70 years old), who comes from Slovakia, however lives in the
Czech Republic (CR). She commented that, in general, more believers live in
Slovakia than in CR. That is also the reason for building more Calvaries there.
This Calvary is almost in every village in Slovakia. In the Czech Republic it was
usual in the past but nowadays less and less people believe in God and there is
almost nobody to take care of places connected with Christianity.

To sum up the research, it is visible that the history trench to the present in a big
volume. Nevertheless, in the past people believed in God more than nowadays
and almost everything was connected with Him. Christianity was the sense of
life. It was important to which church people belonged. This investigation was
targeted to the natural forest springs in connection with Christian rituals. It is
important to know that these dilemmas are connected with the Catholic Church.
Humans attributed a miraculous power to water from the wells and springs in the
forests. They built chapels there to thank to the Virgin Maria, which tells us that
it is the matter of the Catholic Church.
30

5 Conclusion
Anthropology itself studies a human being. It includes the ways of behaviour
within population, their access to the countryside, rituals and many others
activities. Religion is an important part of the human being. People need to
believe in something from the old times. God is the existence that functions in
almost every religion. He represents an icon for which the people could live and
behave according to the rules set by him.

Belief acted as a drive for the population to develop their mental strength and life
energy. The sacred buildings were made in honour of the icon. Also the specific
rituals and traditions originated and sequentially were kept.

To keep the boarders of this thesis, we should focus on Central Europe. To be

even more specific we were talking about the Czech Republic. The population
here began to believe in one certain icon, called simply the Lord. This religion is
called Christianity. In Christianity the believers adore the Lord, Jesus as the
Lord’s son and the Virgin Maria as Jesus’s mother. This religion has brought big
changes in architecture. The cathedrals, churches, chapels and other sacred
buildings have been built. The purpose of those buildings was to have places to
attend and pray there with other believers. They were able to commit themselves
to a vicar.

Among the other things, the forest springs were considered to be sacred as well.
People attributed magical power to these springs. Moreover, they have small
chapels built near these water resources to thank to the Virgin Maria for that
sacred place. To express their cohesion with the Lord, they believed that the
Virgin Maria and Jesus Christ had attended these places regularly. The respect
was shown by a lighted candel. The rituals of the believers proceeded the whole
day. For Christians, Sunday was accepted as the sacred day. People did not work
on that day. They tried to look as good as they could. They got dressed into the
best clothes they owned and went to the church. The lunch was also festive. The
sacred places as forests springs were attended mostly on Sundays as well,
31

however, not only on that day. This ritual was created as thanksgiving to the
Lord. For most population, their belief and rituals connected with it, were the
sense of their life.

However, during the era of communism belief was lost. The Czech Republic is
highly fated by this era till nowadays. People try to find their belief again. There
is also tendency to reconstruct the historical, sacred places.

Nevertheless, nowadays the times are more rational and full of stress. Even if a
lot of people desire to keep peace and faith in their lives, our lifestyle is hectic,
fast and full of pressure. It is long process and it would take long time to touch
the surrounded states.

The research has shown that religion and faith are still alive in people’s minds.
The chapels are reconstructed, the water in forest springs is kept in
cleanness.Some people still find time to walk to the forest, come into the chapel
and light a candle for remembering their icon.
32

6 Endnotes
1. KOTTAK, Anthropology:the exploration of human diversity,p. 2.

2. BENNETT, Northern Plainsmen: Adaptive Strategy and Agrarian Life;

American Anthropologist,p.19

3. KOTTAK, Anthropology:the exploration of human diversity,p. 3

4. KOTTAK, Anthropology:the exploration of human diversity,p. 6-7

5. KOTTAK, Anthropology:the exploration of human diversity,p. 7

6. Mgr. et. Mgr. NEŠPOR, Antropologie náboženství, p. 4

7. Křesťanství [online], p 1

8. John’s gospel [online]

9. Křesťanské tradice [online], p. 1

10. Křesťanské tradice [online], p. 1

11. VONDRUŠKA, Velikonoce – něco s historie [online]

12. Křesťanské tradice [online], p. 1

13. Křesťanské tradice [online], p. 1

14. MORGANA,Pohané a pohanství [online], p. 2

15. MORGANA,Pohané a pohanství [online], p. 2

16. MAŠEK, Contribution near the chapel.

17. POPP, Contribution near the chapel.

18. Dr. VOGELTANZ, Kronika města Draženov.

19. MEJCHAR, Kronika města Pocinovice.

20. KÁLAL, Kostel Nejsvětější Trojice [online].

21. SOUČEK, Svatá Trojice [online].

22. POKORNÝ, Za tajemstvím zázračných studánek, p. 54.

33

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34

VONDRUŠKA, Vlastimil. www.stripky.cz. [Online]

http://www.stripky.cz/svatky/velikonoce/historie.html.

Křesťanské tradice. www.czech.cz. [Online]

http://www.czech.cz/kultura/article_detail.aspx?id=1488-Christian-
traditions&language=cs-CZ.
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8 Abstract
The Bachelor thesis deals with the connection between religion and nature.

The first main part is related to anthropology, which is divided into other sub-
groups, such as types of antropology, cultural antropology, archaelogical
anthoropology and antropology of religion.

The next part concern Christianity and terms connected with this religion, such as
the development of Christian teaching, the genesis of Christianity, Bible,
Christianity in the Czech Republic, traditions of Christianity in the Czech
Republic, connection between human being, nature and Christianity and
paganism.

The last part of the thesis included the research, its methods and the particular
places where the investigation took place.
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9 Resume
Tato bakalářská práce se zabývá spojením náboženství s přírodou.

První z hlavních částí se týká antropologie, která je rozdělena na další

podskupiny, jako jsou typy antropologie, kulturní antropologie, antropologie
archeologie a antropologie náboženství.

Další oddíl se zabývá křesťanstvím a termíny spojenými s tímto náboženstvím,

jako je vývoj křesťanského učení, vznik křesťanství, bible, křesťanství v České
republice, křesťanské tradice v České republice, spojení mezi lidským bytím,
přírodou a křesťanstvím a pohanství.

Poslední část práce zahrnuje výzkum, jeho metody a jednotlivá místa, kde se
výzkum prováděl.
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10 Appendices
Appendix 1:

1.1.1.1.1 Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman

1The Pharisees heard that Jesus was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John, 2although in
fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. 3When the Lord learned of this, he left Judea and
went back once more to Galilee.

4Now he had to go through Samaria. 5So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot
of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was
from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His
disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask
[a]
me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. )

10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would
have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this
living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself,
as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the
water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water
welling up to eternal life."

15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming
here to draw water."

16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

17"I have no husband," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had
five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain,
but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on
this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what
we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true
worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father
seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain
everything to us."

26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

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10.1.1.1.1 The Disciples Rejoin Jesus

27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one
asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come,
[b]
see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ ?" 30They came out of the
town and made their way toward him.

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not
say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They
are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for
eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and
another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard
work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

10.1.1.1.2 Many Samaritans Believe

39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told
me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them,
and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.

42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard
for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."
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Appendix 2:
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Appendix 3:
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Appendix 4:
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Appendix 5:
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Appendix 6:
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Appendix 7:
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Appendix 8:
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Appendix 9:
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