Saint Apollinaris Carried the Prince Home

The legend relates that Bořivoj II, being at odds with his brother Vladislav, was seized by the Emperor Henry and carried off to Germany. There he was held for six years in the Rhine fortress of Hammerstein, until the emperor is said to have meant to have him executed. At last Saint Apollinaris, disciple of the Apostle Peter and martyr, appeared to Bořivoj and asked him: 'Do you wish to return to Bohemia?' And in that instant the gracious saint carried him to his homeland, near the present town of Sadská, which was a favourite seat of the Princes of Prague amid the extensive forests once belonging to the Slavníks. For that reason the prince founded a chapter there — and Charles IV afterwards transferred it, in 1362, to this place, which had from of old been called Větrov, and built the church here.