History and Culture
Orthodoxy in the Czech Lands and Slovakia: A History of Survival
From the mission of Sts. Cyril and Methodius to Nazi persecution and communist rule, Orthodox Christianity has endured political upheaval and preserved its identity.
Orthodox Christianity in what are modern day Czechia and Slovakia has been a minority tradition with a long historical memory. It is also one of the youngest autocephalous Orthodox Churches. It begins with two Byzantine brothers in the ninth century, passes through long periods of religious life influenced by Rome and the Reformation and reaches the twentieth century, under Nazi occupation and communist rule.
What follows is a quick walk through the main periods, meant to show how a small community kept its identity through changes of state, border and ideology.
