Dispute over Prague Cathedral Ends

[Czechia/Kreuz], The Church has capitulated in its year-long legal battle over the Cathedral which was robbed by the Communists in 1953. On Monday President Vaclav Klaus and Archbishop Dominic Duka (67) signed the agreement. The Church therein repudiates its rights of ownership. Msgr Duka is in his first month in office. His predecessor Miloslav Cardinal Vlk, wanted to make a constitutional appeal and if necessary to go before the European Human Rights Court, against the refusal to return the Cathedral.

Since the Cathedral had been stolen from the Church by the Communists, many years have come and gone.

[Czech News]Klaus said the disputes about the cathedral had thereby ended and that the state and the Catholic Church would take care of the cathedral jointly.

Under the agreement, the Prague Castle Administration is to provide the real estate, two buildings in the Castle complex, necessary for the church to use the cathedral and the Prague Castle will keep looking after the real estate.

"The court dispute about the cathedral and some other real estate at Prague Castle has been terminated by the declaration we have just signed. As it has been for long past centuries, the state and the Catholic Church will by joint forces take care of the cathedral that they together consider an exceptional national symbol in its historical, spiritual and cultural sense," Klaus said after signing the declaration this afternoon.

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