The new church in Lesná will begin serving parishioners on May 1, 2020

Brno – On the first of May next year, on the day of the birth of patroness Maria Restituta, a new church could open for believers in the Brno neighborhood of Lesná. The shell of the church with a circular floor plan is complete, as is the standalone tower. Craftsmen are working on the floors and electrical installation. A suitable technical solution is being sought to ensure good acoustics in the circular space, said priest Pavel Hověz to reporters today.

The church is adorned externally with simple symbols of Christianity and various forms and phases of life – such as an open book, a branch, a fish, and also a pint of beer, which, it is said, blessed Maria Restituta also enjoyed. A native of Husovice, now part of Brno, she lived in Vienna as a nun and nurse. The Nazis executed her in 1943.

On the church tower, Greek letters are portrayed in the form of a cross, spelling out the words fos and zoé, meaning light and life. This is a motif from a small lead cross from the ninth century, found during excavations near the foundations of the church in Sady near Uherské Hradiště. According to Hověz, the new church is thus connected to the beginnings of Christianity in Moravia. A carillon will be located at the top of the tower.

The church building, with concrete walls, features a distinctive vault illuminated by a round window with colored glass. The vault changes color depending on the angle and intensity of sunlight, sometimes resembling a rainbow.

Lesná has only had a spiritual center so far, not a full-fledged church. The new church will have 250 seats for sitting and space for standing, Hověz said. The construction will cost approximately 110 million crowns, excluding interior equipment. The parish has obtained most of this from small donations. Further, parishioners will seek funds for the church's furnishings.