Czech Village Priest Apologizes for Vandalizing Pumpkins

A priest in a Czech village has recently caused controversy after destroying Halloween pumpkins that were displayed near his church. Father Jaromir Smejkal admitted to stomping on the carved pumpkins for two consecutive days in a park in Kurdejov. He later apologized in an open letter to the mayor and shared it on the village Facebook page. In the letter, Father Smejkal expressed regret for his actions, stating that he would have acted differently if he had known the pumpkins were made by children. He explained that he saw the pumpkins as symbols of the "satanic feast" of Halloween and believed it was his duty as a priest to remove them. Father Smejkal also criticized the modern tradition of Halloween, considering it to be a response to the Catholic feast of All Souls' Day. Local children, who had carved the pumpkins as part of Halloween festivities, were upset when they found out their creations were destroyed. Although new pumpkins were placed in the park, they were also vandalized the following day. Father Smejkal clarified that his intentions were not to harm anyone, especially children, but rather to protect them from what he perceived as hidden evil. It is worth noting that the Czech Republic is considered to be one of the least religious countries, but some traditional religious holidays, such as All Souls' Day, are still widely celebrated. Many Czechs feel that their traditions are being overshadowed by Western imports, including commercialized versions of Halloween.