The Bishopric of Brno has requested the issuance of the Žďár nad Sázavou Green Mountain

Brno/Žďár nad Sázavou - The Brno bishopric requested at the end of last month the transfer of the Church of St. John of Nepomuk on Green Mountain in Žďár nad Sázavou. The monument, inscribed on the UNESCO list, is currently managed by the National Heritage Institute, and it is subject to church restitution. Žďár priest Vladimír Záleský told ČTK today that the church plans to keep this pilgrimage site open for tourists. Regular services will return to the church, but they will not restrict the guided tours.
    The bishopric submitted the request for the transfer of Green Mountain on June 27. According to Záleský, the transfer should take place within six months, provided no complications arise. In the near future, the parish would like to take care of some necessary repairs to the church in agreement with the heritage officials. According to Záleský, all the windows need to be refurbished, drainage systems need to be installed around the church, and a new floor is needed in the sacristy. He stated that the site is not in good condition and will need significantly larger investments in the future.
    Green Mountain significantly contributes to tourism in the city. The church, which is the masterpiece of the famous architect Jan Blažej Santini-Aichl, was visited by nearly 27,000 tourists last year, according to heritage officials' statistics. According to Záleský, the transfer of the pilgrimage church to church ownership will not restrict visitors. "We will definitely strive to improve services for tourists, both in terms of language and expertise," he stated. Spiritual and cultural events, including concerts, should increase.
    According to the restitution law, the state will return to churches property wrongfully confiscated during communism, with a value of approximately 75 billion crowns. Over 30 years, they will also pay a total of 59 billion crowns, increased by inflation. At the same time, the state will gradually stop covering the salaries of clergymen. The first lands in church restitution have already been returned, and the number of applications is now in the tens of thousands, said Tomáš Holub, Secretary General of the Czech Bishops' Conference, to ČTK on Saturday at Velehrad.