Causae of the Order

Blessed Hroznata ( Life of the Saints and Blesseds)

Hroznata was born around 1170 into a Bohemian noble family and after the premature death of his father was raised by his sister Wojslawa in Krakow. After returning to Bohemia this gifted young man married, but soon lost both his wife and young son. Instead of participating directly in the Crusades in the Holy Land he founded the Norbertine abbey of Teplá around the year 1193 and a convent for Norbertine nuns at Chotešov around 1200. Later he himself entered the Order at Teplá. Tradition recounts that Hroznata was clothed with the white habit of the Norbertines by Pope Innocent III in Rome. On account of his long experience in dealing with economic affairs, Abbot John named him substitute and provisor of the abbey. Fr. Hroznata applied himself with all his might to defend and preserve the temporal goods of the abbey. On account of this he made enemies who eventually captured him and put him in prison, where he died of hunger. This well-known founder of monasteries and zealous Norbertine, who showed himself a loyal steward and unbending defender of his abbey, ended his earthly life on July 14, 1217.

Pope Leo XIII confirmed his cult as Blessed in 1897 and a hundred years later Pope John Paul II named him the patron of the newly erected Czech diocese of Plzen. At the beginning of 2004 Bishop František Radkovský opened the cause for canonization in his capacity as actor, for which the Order is very grateful. The sessio prima was convoked on September 11, 2004, during a pilgrimage in Teplá. Fr. Marian Slunecko, OPraem, Prior of Teplá, has accepted the responsibility of Vice-Postulator. Let us pray for the continued success of the process!