St. Adalbert of Prague

Patron Saint of Poland and Czech Republic

St. Adalbert of Prague was born in 956 in the Czech Republic. In 982, even though he was still incredibly young, he became the bishop of Prague. Because he was so young, the expectations for him as bishop were low, but he became one of the most influential bishops in that region. He helped lead missionary efforts to assist the Hungarians, Poles, and Prussians. Even though he sometimes faced danger in this work, he continued being a missionary in his diocese and the surrounding region. He was martyred in 997 when he was only forty or forty-one years old. He is a model who reveals how we can achieve much, even tasks usually thought fitting for people with greater experience, while we are still young.

Pilgrimage Site in the United States

• Basilica of St. Adalbert — Grand Rapids, MI