Select a language
"First the fighter, now the diplomat," announces Lidovay Noviny upon the appointment of Dominik Duka as Archbishop of Prague. The Vatican has decided that the Czech church should remain under the rule of an clergyman persecuted by the communist regime. In the early '80s, Duka was imprisoned in Pilsen-Bory where he met dissident Vaclav Havel. While his predecessor, Cardinal Miloslav Vlk, fought for the restoration of church property confiscated by the communists, Archbishop Duka is expected to play the role of "a good diplomat" in the longstanding ownership dispute, to the point where he might even be viewed as a "politician in a cassock," writes Lidovay Noviny. He will have to conduct "tough talks" with the state, but also within the church, where he must convince the rank and file that the property issue is not the main priority for an institution "that has other reasons to exist."
Was this article useful? If so we are delighted!
It is freely available because we believe that the right to free and independent information is essential for democracy. But this right is not guaranteed forever, and independence comes at a cost. We need your support in order to continue publishing independent, multilingual news for all Europeans.
Discover our subscription offers and their exclusive benefits and become a member of our community now!
