St. Zdislava Pilgrimage

Desiring a solitary life of prayer, she instead had to submit to the demands of her family´s status, marrying Lord Havel of Lemberk. Rather than lamenting her situation, Zdislava used her station in life to serve the poor, sometimes exasperating Havel, who wished she concentrated a bit more on her status at court.  Despite their disagreements, she had 4 children, and Havel eventually respected the merits of his wife´s service; a respect that led Havel to help Zdislava found two Dominican houses in northern Bohemia. 

How does her life speak to us today? Zdislava imagined one type of life for herself, but her actual situation ended up very differently.  Instead of regret, she adjusted to her reality and used her situation to love God and love people in a different way than she might have imagined.  To put a twist on the adage, “Life gave her limes, but she was still able to make lemonade.” Most of us are not nobility, but this is not an excuse: Each of our situations is a unique context by which we can love God and love others and BE loved by God and others.  So maybe there is something to learn along St. Zdislava´s path.

Speaking of which…  If you would like to physically walk in her footsteps, we would be happy to take you on a single or multi-day trip / pilgrimage to the heart of her life in northern Bohemia.  A single-day experience includes visits to home at Lemberk castle and the Dominican cloister she founded in Jablonné v Podještění, the cloister which now holds her remains.  Multi-day visits are tailored to you and your group´s fitness level and interests.  Generally speaking, a trip to this area involves exceptional natural beauty, hearty food, and poignant experiences of Czech history.

$375 / $450 - for a 9 hour day trip from Prague

$325 / $400 - per day for two 8 hour days (plus lodging)

Included:
Cost of transportation in private vehicle (fuel, highway fees, taxes and parking)
English speaking driver & guide

Not included:
Cost of lodging, meals and entry fees.