It is said that, being very young, this saint of the 14th century was saved of a grave sickness thanks to the prayers of his parents. As thanksgiving, his parents consecrated him to the service of God. He was ordained a priest and was the pastor in Prague. He became a great preacher and the queen called him to be her confessor. The king wanted to know what the queen had told him and when John refused to reveal the secret of confession, the king put him in prison. He was tortured and hurled into a river. He is the patron of the Czech Republic.