to function only under the state's strict control and supervision and priests' salaries paid by the state. Churches were seized, priests jailed or executed and those allowed to celebrate liturgies did so under the supervision of the secret police. After the Velvet Revolution, some churches and monasteries were returned, but the churches have since sought to get back other assets such as farms, woodlands and buildings. During the Communist regime, various underground Catholic movements existed. Among these is the Koinotes group, centered on Bishop Felix Davidek, whose vicar general was Ludmila Javorová, ordained by him to the presbyterate. 2012 Agreement In January 2012 the Czech government agreed to pay billions of dollars in compensation for property seized by the former totalitarian regime from the Church. The compensation plan was to be spread over 30 years Under the plan, the country's 17 churches, including Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox, would get 56 percent of their former property now held by the state – estimated at 75 billion koruna ($3.7 billion) – and 59 billion koruna ($2.9 billion) in financial compensation paid to them over the next 30 years. Eighty percent of funds and property will go the Catholic Church, by far the biggest recipient. The state will also gradually stop covering their expenses over the next 17. In 2008, a similar bill was approved by the government but Parliament rejected it. Structure Archdiocese of Prague Diocese of Plzeň Diocese of Litoměřice Diocese of České Budějovice Diocese of Hradec Králové Archdiocese of Olomouc Diocese of Brno Diocese of Ostrava-Opava Apostolic Exarchate of the Greek Catholic Church in the Czech Republic About 200 of the Czech Republic's 1,370 priests are from neighbouring Poland. References External links Tomáš Petráček, Bohemian Secularity: How Czech Society and State went from "Catholic" to "World´s most Atheist". Czech Republic Czech Republic