Cardinal Dominik Duka died in Prague on Tuesday at the age of 82. He was Archbishop of Prague for more than 12 years until 2022. Among Hungarians he was known for his honest and unshakeable admiration for our nation as and history, as well as a fervent advocate of the friendship between Czechs and Hungarians.
“Today, Tuesday, November 4, three hours after midnight, the Lord of Life called Cardinal Dominik Duka, Archbishop Emeritus of Prague, to eternity. May the infinitely merciful God open his arms to him and fill him with his love and bliss,” announced his death the Archdiocese of Prague.
Dominik Duka during our meeting in Prague. Photo: Hungary Today
The 36th Archbishop of Prague was born on April 26, 1943, and was baptized Jaroslav. After graduating from high school, Duka worked in engineering works, where he trained as a locksmith, and only after two years of military service was he accepted in 1965 to the Cyril and Methodius Faculty of Theology in Litoměřice.
Related article
Former Archbishop of Prague Dominik Duka Awarded the János Esterházy Prize
The beatification of János Esterházy remains an unfinished task, as does his political rehabilitation.Continue reading
Duka became a Dominican after joining the order in 1968. He was ordained in June 1970, but was only able to serve as a priest for five years before losing the state approval that was necessary at the time and spending 15 years working as a draftsman at Škoda Plzeň. He continued to devote himself to spiritual activities for which he was imprisoned by the Czech communist regime from 1981 to 1982. Nevertheless, he remained active in the Dominican Order and became its head in 1986. He was appointed bishop of Hradec Králové in 1998.
Duka took office as Archbishop of Prague in April 2010, and two years later, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him cardinal. He remained in office until 2022. In recent years he was ostracized by the Czech mainstream media for his steadfast faith in Christian values and his views on protecting unborn life. He was vilified for refusing to worship a god aligned with the values and expectations of our liberal global outlook. Yet he stood firm for what he believed in throughout the difficult and undignified attacks he had to endure during the years of the left-wing government of Petr Fiala, just like he did during the years of communist oppression.
New Prime Minister-elect Andrej Babis remembered him on social media saying that “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Cardinal Dominik Duka. A great personality has left us, a man of strong faith who for many years helped shape the spiritual and social life of our country. I liked him very much and enjoyed listening to his kind voice. My sincere condolences go out to his loved ones, friends, and all those for whom he was a source of support and inspiration. May his memory be honored.”
Cardinal Duka was also one of the greatest and most steadfast friends Hungary had on the international scene. He stood by Christian Hungary even during periods when the whole world, and almost all of our former allies seemed to have turned against us. During our interview he has quoted our national poet Sándor Petőfi by heart: “Despise those who sell themselves for a better mouthful”. He believed that this is the moral attitude that Hungarian history is based on. On account of our resistance against the Mongols, Ottoman Turks, Habsburgs, communists and more recently, the Hungarian stance on migration he famously said:
You must realize that you have saved Europe”.
Cardinal Dominik Duka (R) with Cardinal Péter Erdő in Parliament during the János Esterházy Award. Photo: Hungary Today
He has visited our capital Budapest only as recently as March this year, where he received the János Esterházy Prize from the Rákóczi Association. During the ceremony held at Parliament, Cardinal Duka has blessed the rosary of Hungarian martyr politician János Esterházy.
Dominik Duka, blesses the rosary of Count János Esterházy. Photo: Hungary Today
Related article
“You Have Saved Europe!” – Interview with Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka
“The clear answer here is that Hungary and Poland are the real hope.”Continue reading
Featured Image: Hungary Today
The post Hungary Has Lost a Dear Friend: Czech Cardinal Dominik Duka Passes Away appeared first on Hungary Today.
Source link
