Canonization proceedings

Introduction

Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam!Welcome to the website that provides information about servants of God Jan Bula and Václav Drbola and their beatification proceedings. Jan Bula and Václav Drbola were priests who were illegally executed in connection with the “Babice trial”. There are a few localities in the Czech Republic that bear the name of Babice. The Babice that were brought to public notice in the second half of the 20th century were, and are until now, a tiny village at the southeast edge of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. It was just here where the threefold murder happened on 2nd July 1951. In spite of its tragic nature, this murder was just an episode in the subsequent actions that were accompanied by suffering, violence and further murders. The totalitarian Communist regime tried to use this terrorist act to eliminate and discredit the groups against whom it led the so-called “class struggle”. In the southwest Moravia it was aimed above all at the peasants, priests and the Catholic Church in general.

On 12th July 1951 commenced a trial in front of the State Court in Jihlava which was completed after two days by passing seven death sentences, two life sentences and five more custodial sentences of 20 to 25 years. Manipulated news about this monumental process spread through radio and press across the whole Czechoslovakia. The additional trials connected with the “Babice trial” formed a terrifying atmosphere directly in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. All of these “Babice trials” led to sentencing of dozens of people, passing of total sentences up to 100 years long and to 11 death sentences.

Jan Bula - portrét  Václav Drbola

R. D. [1] Jan Bula (1920-1952),
administrator [2] of the parish Rokytnice nad Rokytnou

R. D. Václav Drbola (1912-1951),
administrator of the parish Babice

 


[1]The abbreviation R. D. means the Latin reverendus dominus – Reverend Lord, it is used to designate a catholic priest.
[2]Administrator of parish is a temporary administrator who has the same duties as the parish priest.

CZ EN IT DE PL ES
My greatest support is that I served to God faithfully until the very end.Jan Bula