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Saint-Quirin
Moselle Lorraine Place de l'Église |
Saint Jean NépomucèneSaint John of NepomukNepomuk c. 1345 - Praha 1393confessor of the queen of Bohemia; patron saint of bridges (Wikipedia) |
18th century |
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Fontaine
- Vicaire général de PragueSaint Jean Népomucène
- Confesseur de la Reine - Martyrisé en 1393 - Canonisé en 1729 Saint protecteur des ponts |
As confessor of the queen of Bohemia he refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. At the behest of King Wenceslaus of Bohemia he was thrown from the Charles Bridge in Prague and drowned. John of Nepomuk is patron saint of bridges.
His figure is often encountered in Central and Eastern Europe, including the Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Poland and Lithuania. He is usually portrayed with a halo of five stars, commemorating the stars that hovered over the Vltava River on the night of his murder, also is said that the five stars are supposed to symbolize the five letters of Latin word "tacet", which means "silent".
Other attributes are a priestly dress, the palm of martyrs and a large crucifix, to which he is usually looking.
As additional figures there are often one of more little angels, respectively indicating silence by a finger over the lips, with a crucifix and with the bible.
There are several sites listing statues of Saint John of Nepomuk:
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