Zdislava Berka

Zdislava dedicated a large part of her time and her family's resources to the relief of the poor, the sick, and the homeless. She personally cared for the infirm and welcomed refugees. Having become one of the first laypeople to join the Dominican Third Order, she was actively involved in the propagation of the Order in Bohemia. With the support of her husband, she founded the Dominican convent of Jablonné v Podještědí, adjacent to the Church of Saint Lawrence, as well as another convent in Turnov. She also participated in the foundation of a commandery of the Hospitallers of Saint John with a hospital in Český Dub. She passed away prematurely on January 1, 1252, at Lemberk Castle.

From the moment of her death, Zdislava was surrounded by an immense reputation for holiness. Her tomb, located in the Church of Saint Lawrence in Jablonné v Podještědí, became a highly frequented place of pilgrimage. Numerous miracles and physical healings are attributed to her. At the beginning of the 14th century, the Chronicle of Dalimil reports that she healed a multitude of the sick and resurrected five people. At the end of the 17th century, the noble Berka of Dubá family actively relaunched the canonization process and had a Baroque basilica erected over her tomb.

The immemorial cult of Zdislava was officially confirmed on August 28, 1907, by Pope Pius X. The process toward canonization resumed in the 20th century. On July 2, 1994, Pope John Paul II signed the decree recognizing the heroic nature of her virtues. She was solemnly canonized by John Paul II on May 21, 1995, at the Neředín airport in Olomouc, Czech Republic, during a historic celebration that gathered more than 250,000 faithful.

The spirituality of Saint Zdislava is based on an intimate union with Christ through contemplative prayer and active charity. She received Holy Communion almost daily and showed that holiness is fully accessible to the laity within married and family life. Today, she is venerated as the patroness of families, difficult marriages, and the sick. Her legacy remains extremely vibrant in the Czech Republic, as shown by the immense national emotion sparked by the theft and restitution of her skull in May 2026.