Czech Scouts to carry Peace Light of Bethlehem across the country

Continuing a 32-year-old tradition, Boy and Girl Scouts in the Czech Republic will carry the Peace Light of Bethlehem across the country this year once again during the weekend before Christmas.

Since 1987, the Peace Light has been lit at the site where Jesus was said to be born in Bethlehem and transported to Austria during the advent period ahead of Christmas. From there, it has been collected by scout organizations across Europe for distribution within their countries.

Czech Scouts have been participating in the project since 1989.

Scouts in Austria will receive the Peace Light of Bethlehem today in Salzburg, but due to current regulations the official ceremony will take place online without the physical participation of international scout organizations.

On Sunday, December 13, the light will be transferred to Czech Scouts at the border between Drasenhofen and Mikulov.

On Saturday, December 19, Boy and Girl Scouts in the Czech Republic will transport the Peace Light via train and transfer it to collection points in cities, towns, and villages across the country.

If you would like to collect the Peace Light yourself directly from the scouts, a train schedule with times and locations can be found at the Czech Scouts website. The Peace Light can also later be transferred from collection points across the country; a map of those can be found here.

A kerosene lamp is recommended for collection of the Peace Light, though a candle within a jar will also work. Just bring a wooden stick to transfer the light.

Due to the ongoing development of the COVID-19 situation in the Czech Republic, additional regulations may dictate collection of the Peace Light this year.

This year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, scouts organizations in some countries including the United Kingdom have cancelled the Peace Light tradition.