Zprávy památkové péče 2018, 78(4):300-306 | DOI: 10.56112/zpp.2018.4.03

Lomec near Vodňany - the constructional transformation of the complex in the first half of the 20th century as a reflection of the spiritual life of a Marian pilgrimage site

Jan Uhlík

Ústav dějin umění AV ČR, v. v. i.

The history of Lomec as a place of pilgrimage began to develop at the end of the 17th century, when Count Filip Emanuel Bucquoy placed the cornerstone of a new Marian church on a hilltop. After the completion of the church, a mercy statue of the Virgin Mary de Foy was placed inside. The Count's father, Count Karel Filip Bucquoy, attributed to the statue his rescue from a storm that struck his ship in 1685 when sailing from Italy to Spain. The end of the 19th and the first half of the 20th century were an active and busy time for Lomec which, in many respects, followed up on the previous developments. At the same time, however, it brought about significant changes, both in building modifications to the complex and in its administration and day-to-day operation.
The 1890's constituted a kind of prelude to the construction activities of the first two decades of the 20th century. Following his first appointment as Lomec priest, Josef Leška became an active player during these two decades. One of the most important building modifications in Lomec during this period was the addition of the new one-storey school building in 1903. Together with the former castle and the "old school", it created the building's three-wing layout basically as we know it today. The old wooden choir box in the pilgrimage church was removed in 1910 and replaced by a new iron choir a year later.
Probably at the turn of 1922 and 1923, as part of the ongoing land reform, the ownership of the Lomec Church and its associated buildings and land were transferred into the ownership of the Czechoslovak State as represented by the Ministry of Agriculture. This transfer also included the patronage obligations of the former owner. In 1926, Josef Leška returned to the position of Lomec priest after eleven years. Leška evidently never lost interest in the events in Lomec and was actively engaged when possible even before his appointment. He arrived in Lomec equipped with a thorough knowledge of the condition of the premises at the time, and most likely with a clear vision of the necessary changes and modifications. Despite the unfavorable conditions caused by the lack of clarity regarding patronage relationships and obligations, by disputes in competence among the ministries, and by a persistent lack of funds allocated by the state to their respective purposes in the 1930's, he still managed to realize a series of construction projects in Lomec, including a marked improvement of the overall technical condition of the church and its exterior and interior appearance. He also built a new bell tower on the northern edge of the complex. The year 1936 also brought about a fundamental adjustment to property-law relations in Lomec. After many years of negotiations that dated back to the second half of the 1920's, Leška managed to reach an agreement with the Czechoslovak state on the assignment of construction and land lots, including the Lomec church and the building of the Roman Catholic Church.
If we follow at the modifications realized in Lomec during this period, we find a close connection between the needs of the day-to-day operation of the site and its spiritual life of the time and the needs that all of the aforementioned building activities sought to best satisfy. Although, of course, one can not ignore the influence of the external circumstances which often significantly complicated the life and work of the local parish priests, it is clear that the personality of the spiritual administrator played a key role in promoting the necessary changes. In this respect, Lomec was extremely lucky; Father Josef Leška, in his twenty years of activity in the local parish, proved his fervor for the cause even in cases where others would most likely fail. His personal dedication, the sincerity of his actions, and his ability to achieve surprisingly good results under the given circumstances can serve as an inspiration for contemporary work in the field of cultural heritage care and the search for its appropriate use within the context of the needs of contemporary life.

Keywords: Lomec near Vodňany, pilgrimage site, first land reform, 20th century, Josef Leška

Published: December 1, 2018  Show citation