Wikipedia

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Czech Republic

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Czech Republic (Czech: Církev Ježíše Krista Svatých posledních dnů v České republice) refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in the Czech Republic. At year-end 1989, there were less than 100 members in the Czech Republic.[4] In 2022, there were 2,643 members in 12 congregations.


The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Czech Republic
(Logo in Czech)
The building on the corner is a meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which also houses a Family History Center and other church offices. The building to the right is the Spanish Embassy.
AreaEurope Central
Members2,643 (2022)[1]
Stakes1
Wards7
Branches5
Total Congregations[2]12
Missions1
FamilySearch Centers2[3]

History

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The Czech translation of the Book of Mormon, originally published in 1933.
Membership in the Czech Republic[5][1]
YearMembership
1989 <100
1999 1,654
2009 2,093
2019 2,636
2022 2,643
*Membership was published as a rounded number.
 
Age structure of the LDS Church in the Czech Republic according to data obtained during the 2011 Census of Population, Houses and Apartments. Data source: Czech Statistical Office

During the Austro-Hungarian Empire

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The first missionaries to reach the area now part of the Czech Republic were Thomas Biesinger and Paul Hammer who arrived in Prague during March 1884 as part of a mission to Austria-Hungary. Prostelysing was illegal and Biesinger was convicted for his activities and spent a total of 68 days in captivity. Upon his release he managed to convert one of the witnesses who had got him imprisoned, one Antonin Just, and he would be the first person baptised into the LDS church on Czech soil.[6]

As part of Czechoslovakia

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A mission to Czechoslovakia was created July 24, 1929 by John A. Widtsoe[7] and the first Czech language Book of Mormons were printed in February 1933.[8]

In 1936 Wallace Toronto became the second president of the Czechoslovak mission and would remain president for 36 years, a record for LDS mission presidents.[9]

After a brief evacuation of missionaries during the Sudetenland crisis in 1938, the US leaders in the Czechoslovak mission began preparing local members to take over should another evacuation be necessary.[10] Following the German invasion of Czechoslovakia in March 1939 the church reduced the amount of missionary work and focussed mostly on their baptised members.[11] Four American missionaries were arrested by the Gestapo over charges relating to foreign currency and were held in solitary confinement for over a month. Whilst their Mission President negotiated for their release he received word from church headquarters to begin evacuating the Czechoslovak mission. After successfully arranging the release of the missionaries the evacuation was completed by 31 August 1939[12] In the ten years from the start of the Czechoslovak mission until the evacuation, 137 converts were baptised and 57 missionaries had served.[13]

On 28 June 1946 Toronto and two missionaries entered the country and re-established the mission after a 7-year absence.[14]

 
Meetinghouse of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Brno.

In 1949 the, now Communist, government of Czechoslovakia stopped issuing permits to LDS missionaries, effectively rendering their presence in the country illegal.[15] In 1950 the Czechoslovak police arrested two LDS Missionaries and held them incommunicado for three weeks. The Czechoslovak mission was closed shortly afterward when it became apparent that their release was contingent on the mission closure. This had been the only mission in an East European Communist country[16] Local members continued to operate services, though the church was no longer recognised by the government.[17]

Missionaries returned to Czechoslovakia in 1990.[7]

After the Velvet Divorce

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In 2016, the LDS Church created its first stake in the Czech Republic.[18]

Stake and congregations

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Prague (FHC)
 
Jihlava
 
Liberec
 
Olomouc
 
Třebíč
 
České Budějovice
 
Brno (FHC)
 
Hradec Králové
 
Jičín
 
Ostrava
 
Plzeň
 
Uherské Hradiště
class=notpageimage|
LDS Church Locations as of February 2023
Green = Stake Center and meetinghouse
Purple = meetinghouse
(FHC) = Family History Center
 
Pilsen branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at Zikmunda Wintra 7

As of February 2023, the following congregations are located in the Prague Czech Republic Stake which encompasses the entire country:[19]

Prague Czech Republic Stake

  • Odbočka Jihlava (Jihlava Branch)
  • Odbočka Liberec (Liberec Branch)
  • Odbočka Olomouc (Olomouc Branch)
  • Odbočka Třebíč (Třebíč Branch)
  • Odbočka České Budějovice (České Budějovice Branch)
  • Sbor Brno (Brno Ward)
  • Sbor Hradec Králové (Hradec Králové Ward)
  • Sbor Jičín (Jičín Ward)
  • Sbor Ostrava (Ostrava Ward)
  • Sbor Plzeň (Plzeň Ward)
  • Sbor Praha (Prague Ward)
  • Sbor Uherské Hradiště (Uherské Hradiště Ward)

Missions

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The Czech/Slovak Mission is headquartered in Prague. It emcompases the countries of Czech Republic and Slovakia.

Slovakia

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The Bratislava Slovakia District serves the members in Slovakia and has 305 members in four branches (Bratislava, Košice, Trenčín, and Žilina).[20]

Temples

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As of February 2023, the Czech Republic was part of the Freiberg Germany Temple district.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Czech Republic", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 31 May 2023
  2. ^ Excludes groups meeting separate from wards and branches
  3. ^ Czech Republic Family History Centers, familysearch.org, retrieved August 29, 2022
  4. ^ "Deseret News 1991 to 1992 Church Almanac: Country Information: the Czech Republic", Church News, Deseret News
  5. ^ Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac Country Information: the Czech Republic
  6. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 112–113. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  7. ^ a b Mehr, Kahlile (August 1994). "Czech Saints: A Brighter Day". Ensign. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  8. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 125. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  9. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 131. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  10. ^ Boone, David F. (2001). "The Evacuation of the Czechoslovak and German Missions at the Outbreak of World War II" (PDF). BYU Studies. 40 (3): 123–124. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  11. ^ Boone, David F. (2001). "The Evacuation of the Czechoslovak and German Missions at the Outbreak of World War II" (PDF). BYU Studies. 40 (3): 125–126. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  12. ^ Boone, David F. (2001). "The Evacuation of the Czechoslovak and German Missions at the Outbreak of World War II" (PDF). BYU Studies. 40 (3): 128–133. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
  13. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 137. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  14. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 139. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  15. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 141. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  16. ^ Prince, Gregory A.; Wright, Wm. Robert (2005). David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism. University of Utah Press. p. 281.
  17. ^ Mehr, Kahlile (1992). "Enduring Believers". Journal of Mormon History. 18 (2): 143–144. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  18. ^ Newsroom Facts & statistics https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/search?q=czech+republic&lang=eng&domains=news-and-events
  19. ^ "Classic Maps", churchofjesuschrist.org, retrieved 2021-06-04
  20. ^ "Facts and Statistics: Statistics by Country: Slovakia", Newsroom, LDS Church, retrieved 3 June 2023
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