Nepomuk

John Nepomuk (14th century)

Johannes Nepomuk was a Bohemian priest in the 14th century. He has no direct connection to the town of Lüdinghausen. But as a bridge saint (he was canonized in 1729), he can often be found in the Steverstadt. Five times - to be precise.

Nepomuk was the confessor of the wife of the Bohemian King Wenceslas IV. According to the legend that led to the later canonization of John Nepomuk, his dispute with the king was not the result of a clerical conflict, but rather his refusal to break the seal of confession. According to the story, the priest did not want to reveal to the king what his wife, suspected of infidelity by Wenceslas, had confided to him. Wenceslas therefore had him tortured and then thrown into the water from Prague's Charles Bridge. However, there is historical evidence that Nepomuk was murdered for ecclesiastical reasons.

Nepomuk is often depicted with his finger on his lips as a symbol of keeping the secret of confession.