Orthodox church and memorial plaques for Matéj Pavlik, later Bishop Gorazd II.
Hrubá Vrbka is also the birthplace of Matéj Pavlik. This name may not mean anything to many, so here's a brief history lesson. Matéj Pavlik was born in Hrubá Vrbka on May 26, 1879. The local Protestant priest recognized early on that young Matéj was intelligent and arranged for him to attend the Episcopal School in Kroměříž, where he completed his matriculation exams and transferred to the Episcopal College in Olomouc. In 1921, Matéj Pavlik was finally consecrated as an Orthodox bishop in Belgrade and henceforth bore the name Gorazd II. Shortly after his consecration, he moved to Prague, where he took over the Orthodox diocese, which included, among other things, the famous Prague Church of St. Cyril and Methodius, where Gorazd II hid the paratroopers involved in the Heydrich assassination attempt. After the hiding place was discovered, Gorazd II was arrested by the Gestapo, convicted, and executed in Prague on September 4, 1942. On September 5, 1987, Gorazd II was canonized in Olomouc. Since his execution, he has been considered a martyr in the fight against fascism.