Tale of the Headless Capuchin

Capuchin monastery - nowadays (2002)

Undoubtedly the outstanding specter of Chrudim, the Capuchin in this story was a young man who entered the local Capuchin monastery and took the name Fortunate. As demonstrated by his fate, the name turned out to be less than a lucky choice. While taking his vows, he apparently failed to lay aside all mundane temptations and so it happened that he made the acquaintance of the lady Vorsila, wife of the wealthy butcher Petr Myslivecek. While returning home one day, the butcher spotted Fortunate through the window as he knelt before the lady, apparently informing her of the depth of his feelings for her. Now this butcher was a man with a very hot temper. He tore into the room and with one swift blow of his axe separated the Capuchin's head from his body. He then wrapped it in a piece of cloth and threw it into the river, after which he disposed of the headless torso on the "Capuchin" ramparts, before turning himself in to the authorities.

The fate of the butcher has long been forgotten but, we are assured, the restless and headless Capuchin periodically leaves his interment in the monastery's crypt when danger threatens, to give warning of impending disaster by appearing on the ramparts.

Thus he is said to have appeared in 1698, following which a monastery employee fell into the well and drowned. Another sighting occurred in 1746, by none other than the director of the town's offices, and the very next day a fire broke out in the monastery. The last appearance was on Saturday, May 14, 1827, and was immediately followed by the arched ceiling of the monastery's refectory falling down, unfortunately while guests were present.

It may be of interest to note that this discriminating apparition chose to appear only to quite respectable persons who happened to have just departed the pub "Na Travnicku" after being properly fortified with beer.