Cemetery in Popovice

Cemetery in Popovice is a small parish cemetery in the village of Popovice, home to fewer than a thousand people in the Uherské Hradiště District of the Zlín Region in Moravia, Czech Republic. It's a modest place, but its history reaches back to the early 20th century and is closely tied to the story of the local Roman Catholic parish.

Where is Popovice located?

The village lies just a few kilometers from the town of Uherské Hradiště, in a region known for its vineyards and Moravian folk traditions. Present-day Popovice grew out of what was once the "Upper" part of a village historically split into a Lower and an Upper section. Today it's a small, compact village, and the cemetery sits right at its center, next to the parish church dedicated to Our Lady of the Rosary.

When was the cemetery established?

Before 1910, Popovice had no burial ground of its own — residents were laid to rest in the cemetery in Sady (formerly known as Derfle), a district of Uherské Hradiště that the local parish belonged to at the time. Funeral processions leaving Popovice would pause at a designated spot in the village, where mourners said their farewells before the procession continued on to Sady. The village's own cemetery was founded in 1910, and three years later, in 1913, a rectory was built and Popovice welcomed its first resident parish priest, Father Josef Černý.

How is the cemetery connected to the parish's history?

Until 1913, Popovice had no parish of its own and belonged to the neighboring parish in Derfle. The roots of local worship go back much further, though: a document from 1247 records that Duke Oldřich of Carinthia donated a chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary in Popovice to Velehrad Monastery, and the village remained part of the monastery's estate for centuries. In 1533, the monastery sold Popovice to the town of Uherské Hradiště, folding it into the town's holdings. A chapel was built in the village in 1851, while the current parish church was constructed in the 1930s, after the parish and the cemetery had already been established.

What else is there to see nearby?

On parish grounds stands a wooden cross dating back to 1860, which was relocated twice over the years before being restored and placed on parish property in 2006. Together with the cemetery and the church, it forms a small but coherent cluster of memorial sites tied to the community's history.

When is a good time to visit?

The cemetery and church are worth a stop if you're already exploring the Uherské Hradiště area, known for its vineyards, folklore, and Moravian sacral architecture. Given the village's small scale, it makes sense to pair a visit with a longer trip around the region — to Uherské Hradiště itself, or to nearby Velehrad Monastery, whose history was tied to Popovice for centuries.

Frequently asked questions

When was the cemetery in Popovice established? It was founded in 1910. Before that, residents of Popovice were buried in the cemetery in Sady (Derfle), now part of Uherské Hradiště.

Did Popovice always have its own parish? No — until 1913 the village belonged to the parish in Derfle. An independent parish was created in 1913, when Father Josef Černý became the local priest and a rectory was built.

What is the village's connection to Velehrad Monastery? From 1247 to 1533, Popovice and its chapel belonged to the estate of Velehrad Monastery, which later sold the village to the town of Uherské Hradiště.

What else can you see besides the cemetery? Nearby stands the parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary, along with a restored wooden cross dating from 1860, located on parish grounds.