“Good King Wenceslas (wen-SEH-sloss) looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight, gath’ring winter fuel.”1
Have you heard this Christmas tune? Written in the 1800s, this carol is a beautiful tribute to a kindly young man named Wenceslas (sometimes pronounced WHEN-slis) from medieval times. Let’s look at his legacy and the true story behind “Good King Wenceslas.”
Wenceslas’ Beginning
For context of this true and tender tale, we must first backtrack to two missionary brothers—Cyril and Methodius. They were missionaries responsible for creating a written language for the Slavic people to evangelize Czechoslovakia (presently the Czech Republic). While there, the zealous missionaries were able to share the Gospel with the prince and his wife, Ludmilla (lud MILL uh or lewd MEE luh), who became strong believers.
Now, what do the prince of Czechoslovakia and his wife have to do with Wenceslas? Well, they were his paternal grandparents, meaning his father’s parents. It seems their strong Christian faith helped shape the heart of young Wenceslas. You see, when Wenceslas was just 13, his father—the duke of Bohemia—died in battle. (Bohemia was a province in former Czechoslovakia.) Wenceslas then moved in with his paternal grandparents. It was Ludmilla’s idea. She wanted her dear grandson to grow up under their Christian influence.
As one example of how dedicated Ludmilla was to Wenceslas, she planted a tree in his name. Ludmilla planted the seedling when Wenceslas was just a baby. The tree was watered with his own bathwater. It supposedly still stands today even though it’s over one thousand years old!
Drahomira
Unfortunately, this tender arrangement between grandmother and grandson didn’t last. You see, there is another character in this story that needs to be introduced—that is the mother of Wenceslas. Her name was Drahomira (dray uh MY ruh or druh haw MEE ruh.) She didn’t like the special treatment or the Christian upbringing that Wenceslas was receiving from his paternal grandparents. Drahomira was from a strong pagan background. This difference of faith caused a lot of tension between the royal families. To add to the tension, Drahomira was ruling Bohemia until Wenceslas was old enough to take his father’s place. The nobles who surrounded her had pagan beliefs too. They may have influenced Drahomira to do something dreadfully wicked. To get Wenceslas out from under his grandmother’s influence, Drahomira arranged for Ludmilla to be strangled to death!
Upon losing his grandmother, Wenceslas was now back under his mother’s care, along with her pagan traditions. But Wenceslas could not be swayed in his beliefs. Because of his grandparents’ guidance, he had grown to have a strong, genuine faith in Jesus Christ. He remained faithful in secret!
But Wenceslas was soon spared from this trying situation, and justice was done. In 922, Drahomira was banished by the authorities for Ludmilla’s murder! With Drahomira gone, Wenceslas became the rightful duke of Bohemia when he was 18 years old. As a demonstration of his character, do you know what one of Wenceslas’s first acts was as the new duke? Remembering the biblical command to “Honor your father and your mother” (Exodus 20:12), Wenceslas brought his mother out of banishment. He forgave her for killing his grandmother! That was just the beginning of Wenceslas’s kindness.
Wenceslas’s kindness and generosity extended to the rich and poor alike. He was greatly dedicated to giving shelter to the homeless as well as to buying the freedom of slaves—especially the freedom of slave children. In an effort to spread Christianity further, Wenceslas invited missionaries to Bohemia.
hen, of course, there is the story of “Good King Wenceslas” from the traditional Christmas carol. (The song refers to Wenceslas as a king, although he was really a duke.) It describes a scene from the life of Wenceslas that gives a touching glimpse into his heart. The carol tells of a cold, bitter night when Wenceslas and a page, or helper, notice a poor man gathering firewood. The kindhearted king asks where the man lives. When learning that the poor man lives against a faraway fence, the king instructs the page that they will go that very night and provide the man with a meal.
Boleslav Plots against Wenceslas
Unfortunately, not all appreciated the generous heart of Wenceslas. In fact, some considered it a weakness. His younger brother Boleslav (BO leh slav) thought it was not fitting for a king to mingle with the poor. He was also jealous that Wenceslas had a son who might rule as the next duke instead of him. As the sad story goes, Boleslav invited Wenceslas to a feast at church. If only he knew! On September 28th, 929, Wenceslas turned up the steps of the church to find Boleslav and other members of the nobility surrounding him. They stabbed and beat him ruthlessly. His brother delivered the final blow. He was only 25 years old. “Good King Wenceslas” was buried at the church of St. Vitus in Prague, Czechoslovakia. A statue in his memory still stands in the Prague city square. And September 28th is dedicated as St. Wenceslas Day. Isn’t it fitting to have such a generous character remembered in a carol?
Activities
Younger and Middle Students—Christmas Carol
With parental guidance, find the Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas” on the internet. Sing the carol together and discuss the meaning of the words.
Middle and Older Students—Pay it Forward
The expression “pay it forward” refers to the act of repaying a good deed to a third party rather than to the original benefactor. For example, when Wenceslas helped the poor man, the poor man could pay it forward by offering something to another in need. And that other person could pay it forward and so on.
1. In remembrance of Wenceslas, start a “pay it forward” chain in your class or family. Surprise another person with a good deed or an act of service!
2. Have that person surprise another with a good deed and so on until all have participated as both a giver and a recipient. (Do this by having the last person do something for the original benefactor.)
3. What Bible passages talk about acts of service? (See Matthew 25:31–46.)
4. Write down your “pay it forward” good deeds (or take pictures) to document.
References
1. John Mason Neale, “Good King Wenceslas,” Hymnary.org, https://hymnary.org/text/good_king_wenceslas_looked_out.
