Church of Saints John and Paul

The Church of Saints John and Paul is a three-nave Roman Catholic parish church whose twin facade towers dominate the skyline of Horní Bečva, a village of roughly 2,400 people in the Vsetín District of the Zlín Region.

When was the church built?

Construction of the church and its adjoining rectory began in 1791. The following year, in 1792, an independent pastoral administration was established in Horní Bečva, and the church dedicated to the holy martyrs John and Paul was completed that same year. The newly built rectory doubled as a schoolhouse, where local children were taught from the outset. The finished building was consecrated on 23 May 1802.

What did the original building look like?

The first version of the church was a solid masonry structure with a wooden ceiling and a single wooden tower on its facade. In 1800 that tower was fitted with two bells, and the roof was covered in wooden shingles, a common choice for rural churches in the region at the time.

What changed after the Second World War?

The church's present appearance, with the twin towers that now define its facade, dates to a postwar reconstruction carried out in 1946-1947. Two pyramidal towers were raised, holding four bells between them, while a smaller turret with its own bell was added above the sanctuary. The renovated church was reconsecrated on 3 July 1947 by the Archbishop of Prague, Dr. Josef Beran.

Can visitors see inside the church?

The building remains an active parish church. Mass is celebrated daily at 7:30 a.m., with two Sunday services at 8:00 and 10:00 a.m. — the most reliable opportunity to step inside the three-nave interior. Outside service hours, the church is typically closed, as is common for rural parish churches in the region.

Why is it worth a stop?

Horní Bečva sits away from the busiest tourist trails in the surrounding area, so the church functions primarily as a landmark and the spiritual heart of the village rather than a major visitor attraction in its own right. Still, the twin-towered silhouette, visible from many points along the valley, gives the village a clear visual anchor and a natural reference point for anyone passing through.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the church in Horní Bečva dedicated to? It is dedicated to the holy martyrs John and Paul, which gives the building its name.

When exactly was it built? Construction started in 1791, the church itself was completed in 1792, and it was consecrated on 23 May 1802.

Why does the church have two towers? The two pyramidal towers seen today were added during the 1946-1947 postwar reconstruction, replacing the single original wooden tower. Four bells were hung in them.

Who consecrated the rebuilt church? The renovated church was consecrated on 3 July 1947 by the Archbishop of Prague, Dr. Josef Beran.

What are the Mass times? Mass is held daily at 7:30 a.m., and on Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m.

Where is Horní Bečva located? It's a village of about 2,400 residents in the Vsetín District of the Zlín Region, in the eastern Czech Republic.