Kkostel svatého Prokopa

The Chapel of St. Procopius stands in the centre of Sudkov, a village in the Desná river valley south of Šumperk, right at the foot of the wooded slopes of the Jeseníky mountains. This Baroque building went up in 1795, funded and built at the initiative of local residents who wanted a place of worship of their own, closer to home, rather than always making the trip to the parish church. Today the chapel belongs to the Roman Catholic parish of Postřelmov, and Mass is held there on Saturdays at 5 p.m.

Why St. Procopius?

St. Procopius is one of the best-known Czech saints of the medieval period, remembered as the founder of Sázava Monastery and linked to the tradition of Slavonic-language liturgy on Czech lands. Dedicating a village chapel to him fits a wider habit, common across Bohemia and Moravia, of naming newly built chapels after saints who already had a strong local following — there's no surviving record explaining exactly why this particular dedication was chosen for Sudkov, but the fact that the chapel has carried his name for more than two centuries speaks to how firmly that choice took hold.

How does the chapel fit into the village today?

Sudkov first appears in written sources in 1353 and now has around 1,220 residents. The Chapel of St. Procopius is described as the architectural landmark of the village centre — the building that stands out from the rest of the local architecture and catches the eye of anyone arriving in the village. In the 19th century, Sudkov's character changed with the construction of a flax-spinning mill, which gave the settlement an industrial edge and shaped its population growth. The chapel, already decades old by then, stayed a fixed point of reference through that period of change.

Is the chapel the only place of worship in Sudkov?

No. Alongside the Catholic chapel of St. Procopius, the village also has a prayer house of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, built in 1937. It's a separate, much newer building, and its presence says something about the religious diversity of this small community during the interwar period — worth keeping in mind so the two buildings aren't mixed up when planning a visit.

How do you get to the chapel?

A green-marked hiking trail runs through Sudkov and crosses local and regional cycling routes, making the chapel an easy stop for anyone exploring the area around Šumperk on foot or by bike. The village itself sits in the gentle river landscape of the Desná valley, right where it meets the forested foothills of the Jeseníky range.

Frequently asked questions

When was the Chapel of St. Procopius in Sudkov built? In 1795, in the Baroque style.

Which parish does the chapel belong to? The Roman Catholic parish of Postřelmov.

When are services held? On Saturdays at 5 p.m.

Is there another religious building in Sudkov besides the Chapel of St. Procopius? Yes — a prayer house of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren from 1937, a separate building from the Catholic chapel.

How do you reach Sudkov? The village lies in the Desná river valley south of Šumperk, and a green hiking trail through it connects with the local cycling network.