Silver slovak coin 10 EUR 2024 - Ján Chryzostom Korec -100th birth anniversary stand

The Slovak silver euro coin was minted in standard quality on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Jan Chrysostom Korc.

Ján Korec decided to dedicate his life to the Christian faith and he was not deterred even by the communist regime, whose goal was the eliminate all religion. After the liquidation of monasteries and religious orders, the Jesuit went into civilian life and worked as a labourer. In fact, however, he was secretly ordained a priest in 1950 and became a bishop just a year later, at the age of twenty-seven. He took the name Chrysostom, he taught theology students and helped them to ordination. Despite the secrecy, his apostolic activity did not escape the attention of the State Security. He was arrested and sentenced for treason to twelve years of inhuman imprisonment. He continued his priestly ministry even after his release and became one of the most important representatives of the secret church in Slovakia. For his firm stand and unbreakable faith he received many awards and titles. He lived to the age of ninety-one, thus becoming the oldest bishop in the world.

The reverse side of the coin, which is the work of the medal maker Mgr. art. by Peter Valach, presents the dramatically modelled face of Jan Chrysostom Korce, who does not look at the viewer, but into his inner self. The medalist Tomáš Lamač, DiS., then dedicated the obverse side to a Christian cross, a crown of thorns, a prayer book, hands clutching a rosary and the Latin motto UT OMNES UNUM SINT (May they all be one). The relief is supplemented with the nominal value of 10 EURO, the inscription SLOVAKIA 2024 and the Slovak national emblem.

The coin was minted by the Kremnica Mint and issued by the National Bank of Slovakia.