410-Year-Old Hymnal Donated to Czech Center

The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center is honored to announce the receipt of a truly extraordinary artifact: a Brethren hymnal, or Kancional, printed in 1615 and donated by Barbara Jecmenek Gaston on September 13, 2025. This rare volume is a symbol of faith, perseverance, and cultural continuity across generations and continents.

Dating back over four centuries, this hymnal once belonged to ancestors of the donor who were members of the Unity of the Brethren in Moravia. During a long epoch of religious oppression, these books played a critical role in sustaining Protestant faith among Czech communities, even at great personal risk. Kancionals were often burned if discovered, and their owners faced dire consequences. The story of survival attached to this book is a testament to the strength and devotion of those early families.

The Journey to Texas

This special hymnal journeyed from Vsetin, Czechoslavia, to Texas in 1873, brought by Jan and Marie Hribek Bubela, third greatgrandparents of the donor. Settling in the Fayetteville area, they used the book for worship in their home. The hymnal’s story became a part of local history in 1874, when the Czech Moravian Brethren Church at Ross Prairie was completed. This church still stands, testament to enduring faith. The donor’s father was baptized there in 1907 by Reverend Jindrich (Henry) Juren.

Plans for Display

This rare Kancional will eventually be on public display in the newest addition to the Czech Village at the Heritage Center: a Brethren church estimated to be completed in 2027. The addition will provide the perfect context to share the hymnal’s story and to honor those who used it as a lifeline to both faith and homeland.

Donor’s Words

“I am honored to donate this Brethren song book, a Kancional, to the Texas Czech Historical and Cultural Center in memory of my parents, Ruby Muenzler and Richard Arnold Jecmenek. It was printed in 1615, and was owned by my ancestors who were members of the Unity of the Brethren in Moravia. It was instrumental in keeping their protestant faith alive throughout the many years of Catholic domination in which Protestants were persecuted. These books were burned when found, and often the persons who possessed them were executed.

“My third great grandparents, Jan and Marie Hribek Bubela brought the Kancional from Vsetin, Czechoslavia, to Texas when they immigrated in 1873. They settled in the Fayetteville area and used it during communal worship in their homes. In 1874 the community of believers completed the building of the present day Czech Moravian Brethren Church at Ross Prairie. My father was baptized in that church in 1907 by the Reverend Jindrich (Henry) Juren.

It is time for the legacy of this precious book to be recognized for its significance in preserving Czech culture and language and, most importantly, the Brethren faith.”

– Barbara Jecmenek Gaston

A Testament to

Czech Heritage

This generous donation both preserves an irreplaceable artifact and brings new meaning to the Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center’s mission. It is acts like these that ensure Czech traditions, language, and history remain a vibrant part of Texas’s multicultural tapestry for generations to come