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General Delegation of Bohemia and Moravia

General Delegation of Bohemia and Moravia.jpg

In 1411, The Province of Bohemia separated from the Upper German Province and become a Province in its own right. It was made up of the friaries of Prague (founded in 1347) and Tachov (1385), and other friaries in Poland, Bylorussia and Hungary. In 1440, after the war of the Hussars, the friaries of Bohemia were given back to the Upper German Province.

In 1462, the Province of Poland and Bohemia was founded, and after the destruction of the Province during the Reformation, Bohemia was once again erected as a province in 1593. After many changes to its composition, the Province was suppressed by the Emperor Josef II in 1781.

In 1908, the friary of Kostelni Vydri was founded. It was incorporated into Upper Germany in 1922 and later - in 1927 - was placed directly under the jurisdiction of the Prior General. Religious Orders were suppressed by the Communists in 1949, but some friars managed to survive and to secretly promote the Carmelite way of life, admitting new members into the Order from time to time. The General Delegation of then Czechoslovakia was erected in secret by the General Council on 2 October 1984. Towards the end of 1989, when the country finally won its freedom, normal communications were once again opened between the friars in Czech Rep. and the General Council of the Carmelite Order in Rome.
At present the General Delegation of Bohemia and Moravia has about 20 religious working in the Czech Rep. and in Italy.

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