In Markovce they honoured St. Wenceslas and sang a chorale

During the festive liturgy in Markovce they baptised children and, in the presence of Archbishop Juraj, honoured the memory of St Wenceslas.

On Monday 28 September 2026, a festive service was held in the Church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God in Markovce, celebrated by Archbishop Juraj of Michalovce and Košice. During the service, Vladyka Juraj gave the sacrament of baptism and chrismation to the son of the church's parish priest, Martin Halík, and to the daughter of local believers.

The sacraments were given in the presence of many clergy. Concelebrating with Vladyka Juraj were Archdean Miloš Nikifor Surma of Sobrance, Peter Savčak of the Prešov eparchy, the grandfather of the newly baptised boy, Fr. Libor Serafim Halík, and the local parish priest and father of the baptised boy, Fr. Martin Halík, assisted by Archdeacon Maroš Hopta. Among the guests present were also Fr. Viliam Fencik and Fr. Nikolaj Pružinský.

At the end of the service, a slava cake was blessed and broken before the icon and relics of the holy Prince Wenceslas, with petitions for the newly baptised children, their parents and godparents, and also with a prayer for the blessing of the Czech nation. The clergy of Czech origin sang together with Vladyka Juraj the St Wenceslas Chorale, with invocations of the patron saints of the Czech lands and of members of the Přemyslid family, such as Blessed Přibyslava, Blessed Milada and the martyr Podiven.

Fr. Martin Halík, whose son was baptised on this occasion, is a very well-known figure in the Czech and Slovak Orthodox community. On Česká televize he was featured in the programme “Cesty víry”, in the episode titled “Ajťák z osady”. This successful web designer and Orthodox priest gave up his original ambitions so that he could devote himself fully to helping socially disadvantaged and Roma children in eastern Slovakia, where he founded the Christian Roma Mission.