Ján Chryzostom Cardinal Korec (22 January 1924 – 24 October 2015) was born in Bošany, near Nitra. In 1939 he entered the Society of Jesus. Following the suppression of religious orders under the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, he had to return to civilian life. In secret, he was ordained a priest in 1950 and a bishop in 1951. Prohibited from publicly exercising his episcopal ministry, he worked as a labourer while serving as a leader of the underground Church. He was imprisoned for several years for his religious activities among students. His keen spiritual insight stood out in a wide range of published works. Although his focus was on spiritual literature, he also wrote about the difficulties of religious life in Slovakia. In January 1990 he became rector of the Seminary of Ss Cyril and Methodius in Bratislava, and the following month Pope John Paul II named him Bishop of Nitra. On 28 June 1991 the Pope made him a cardinal. He is buried at St Emmeram’s Cathedral, Nitra.
Obverse:
The obverse depicts a pair of hands joined in prayer and holding a rosary. They are placed on top of an open book and behind them is a cross adorned with a crown of thorns. The open book rests on a closed book, below which is a ribbon bearing the inscription ‘UT OMNES UNUM SINT’, the cardinal’s episcopal motto expressing his desire for the unity of all. On the left side of the design is the Slovak coat of arms, and inscribed along the upper edge are the name of the issuing country ‘SLOVAKIA’ and the year of issuance ‘2024’. On the right side appear the coin’s denomination ‘10’ and currency ‘EURO’, one above the other. Below them are the mint mark of the Kremnica Mint (Mincovňa Kremnica), consisting of the letters ‘MK’ placed between two dies, and the stylised letters ‘TL’, referring to the obverse designer Tomáš Lamač.
Reverse:
The reverse shows a portrait of Cardinal Korec. On the left side are the stylised letters ‘PV’, referring to the reverse designer Peter Valach. Inscribed along the edge from the upper left to the centre right are the name ‘JÁN CHRYZOSTOM KOREC’ and, after a medial dot, the dates of his birth and death ‘1924–2015’. A semicircular line separates the inscription and portrait.
| Designer: | Tomáš Lamač (obverse), Peter Valach (reverse) |
| Composition: | .900 silver, .100 copper |
| Weight: | 18 g |
| Diameter: | 34 mm |
| Edge: | • TRPITEĽ ZA VIERU • JÁN CHRYZOSTOM KARDINÁL KOREC (Sufferer for the Faith • JÁN CHRYZOSTOM CARDINAL KOREC) |
| Producer: | Kremnica Mint |
| Engraver: | Dalibor Schmidt |
| Issuing volume: | 4,050 coins in brilliant uncirculated quality 9,150 coins in proof quality |
| Issuing date: | 22 January 2024 |
