The Infant Jesus of Prague ( cs, Pražské Jezulátko: es, Niño Jesús de Praga) is a 16th-century

wax Waxes are a diverse class of organic compounds that are lipophilic, malleable solids near ambient temperatures. They include higher alkanes and lipids, typically with melting points above about 40 °C (104 °F), melting to giv ...

-coated wooden statue of the

Child Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

holding a '' globus cruciger'' of

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

origin, now located in the Discalced Carmelite Church of Our Lady of Victories in

Malá Strana Malá Strana (Czech for "Little Side (of the River)", ) or more formally Menší Město pražské () is a district of the city of Prague, Czech Republic, and one of its most historic neighbourhoods. In the Middle Ages, it was a dominant center o ...

Prague Prague ( ; cs, Praha ; german: Prag, ; la, Praga) is the capital and List of cities in the Czech Republic, largest city in the Czech Republic, and the historical capital of Bohemia. On the Vltava river, Prague is home to about 1.3 milli ...

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, or simply Czechia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Historically known as Bohemia, it is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the southeast. The ...

. First appearing in 1556, pious legends claim that the statue once belonged to

Teresa of Ávila Teresa of Ávila, OCD (born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada; 28 March 15154 or 15 October 1582), also called Saint Teresa of Jesus, was a Spanish Carmelite nun and prominent Spanish mystic and religious reformer. Active during t ...

and was consequently donated to the Carmelite friars by Princess Polyxena of Lobkowicz in 1628. The image is routinely clothed by the Carmelite nuns in luxurious fabrics with imperial regalia and a golden crown while his left hand holds a globus cruciger and the right hand raised in a gesture of benediction. It is venerated on

Christmas day Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, ...

and the first Sunday of May commemorating both its centenary and “episcopal coronation” in 1655. Pope Leo XII signed and granted its first pontifical decree of

canonical coronation A canonical coronation ( la, Coronatio Canonica) is a pious institutional act of the pope, duly expressed in a bull, in which the pope bestows the right to impose an ornamental crown, a diadem or an aureole to an image of Christ, Mary or J ...

on 24 September 1824, notarized by the

Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church The Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church is an office of the papal household that administers the property and revenues of the Holy See. Formerly, his responsibilities included the fiscal administration of the Patrimony of Saint Peter. As reg ...

, Cardinal Pietro Francesco Galleffi on behalf of the Patriarchal Council of the “Vatican Chapter”, as the first Christological image granted this prestigious honor. On 30 March 1913, Pope Pius X granted authorization via the decree ''“Significat Nobis” '' to erect a namesake

confraternity A confraternity ( es, cofradía; pt, confraria) is generally a Christian voluntary association of laypeople created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy. They are most c ...

based on former regulations promulgated by

Pope Clement VIII Pope Clement VIII ( la, Clemens VIII; it, Clemente VIII; 24 February 1536 – 3 March 1605), born Ippolito Aldobrandini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 2 February 1592 to his death in March 1605. Born ...

, which was signed and notarized by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val.

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the soverei ...

crowned the image for the second time during his Apostolic visit to the Czech Republic on 26 September 2009. The venerated image, along with its canoness custodians will celebrate its 200 years of pontifical coronation in 2024.

History

The exact origin of the Infant Jesus statue is not known, but historical sources point to a 19inch (48 cm) sculpture of the Holy Child with a bird in his right hand currently located in the Cistercian monastery of ''Santa María de la Valbonna'' in Asturias, Spain, which was carved around the year 1340. Many other

Infant Jesus The Christ Child, also known as Divine Infant, Baby Jesus, Infant Jesus, the Divine Child, Child Jesus, the Holy Child, Santo Niño, and to some as Señor Noemi refers to Jesus Christ from his nativity to age 12. The four canonical gospels, a ...

sculptures were also carved by famous masters throughout

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located entirel ...

in the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

. Often found in early medieval work, the significance of the bird symbolizes either a soul or the Holy Spirit. The sculptures of the Holy Child were dressed in imperial regalia reflecting the aristocratic fashion of that period. One legend says that a monk in a desolated monastery somewhere between Córdoba and Seville had a vision of a little boy, telling him to pray. The monk had spent several hours praying and then he made a figure of the child. The

House of Habsburg The House of Habsburg (), alternatively spelled Hapsburg in Englishgerman: Haus Habsburg, ; es, Casa de Habsburgo; hu, Habsburg család, it, Casa di Asburgo, nl, Huis van Habsburg, pl, dom Habsburgów, pt, Casa de Habsburgo, la, Domus Hab ...

began ruling the

Kingdom of Bohemia The Kingdom of Bohemia ( cs, České království),; la, link=no, Regnum Bohemiae sometimes in English literature referred to as the Czech Kingdom, was a medieval and early modern monarchy in Central Europe, the predecessor of the modern Czec ...

in 1526; the kingdom developed close ties with Spain. The statue first appeared in 1556, when María Maximiliana Manriquez de Lara y Mendoza brought the image to Bohemia upon her marriage to Czech nobleman Vratislav of Pernstyn. An old legend in the

Lobkowicz The House of Lobkowicz (''Lobkovicové'' in modern Czech, sg. ''z Lobkovic''; ''Lobkowitz'' in German) is a Czech noble family that dates back to the 14th century and is one of the oldest Bohemian noble families. The family also belong to the G ...

family reports that María's mother, Doña Isabella, had been given the statue by

herself. María received the family heirloom as a wedding present. In 1587, she gave it to her daughter, Polyxena of Lobkowicz as a wedding present. In 1628, Princess Polyxena von Lobkowicz donated the statue to the impoverished Discalced Carmelite friars (White Friars). Upon presenting it, the Princess Polyxena is reported to have said: "Venerable Fathers, I bring you my dearest possession. Honour this image and you shall never be poor.”Cruz OCDS, Joan Carroll, ''Miraculous Images of Our Lord'', TAN Books and Publishers, Inc, 1995 The statue was placed in the oratory of the monastery of Our Lady of Victory, Prague, where special devotions to Jesus were offered before it twice a day. The Carmelite novices professed their vow of poverty in the presence of the Divine Infant."The History and Veneration of the Infant Jesus of Prague", pragjesu.cz
/ref> Upon hearing of the Carmelites' devotions and needs, the Emperor Ferdinand II of the House of Habsburg sent along 2,000 florins and a monthly

stipend A stipend is a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses, such as for scholarship, internship, or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from an income or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work p ...

for their support. Kostel Panny Marie Vítětné z Vrtbovské zahrady

In 1630, the Carmelite novitiate was transferred to

Munich Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the third-largest city in Germany, after Berlin and Ha ...

. Disturbances in Bohemia due to the

Thirty Years' War The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, lasting from 1618 to 1648. Fought primarily in Central Europe, an estimated 4.5 to 8 million soldiers and civilians died as a result of battle ...

brought an end to the special devotions, and on 15 November 1631 the army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden took possession of Bohemia's capital city. The Carmelite friary was plundered and the image of the Infant of Prague was thrown into a pile of rubbish behind the altar. Here it lay forgotten for seven years, its hands broken off, until in 1637 it was found again by Father Cyrillus and placed in the church's oratory. One day, while praying before the statue, Cyrillus claimed to have heard a voice say, "Have pity on me, and I will have pity on you. Give me my hands, and I will give you peace. The more you honour me, the more I will bless you." Since then, the statue has remained in Prague and has drawn many devotees worldwide to honour the Holy Child. Claims of blessings, favours and miraculous healings have been made by many who petitioned before the

. In 1739, the Carmelites of the Austrian Province formed a special devotion apart from their regular apostolate. In 1741, the statue was moved to the epistle side of the Church of Our Lady of Victories in Prague. Copies of the Infant Jesus arrived in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

in 1680, and it has been popular in Polish homes, and Bohemia in general, where the copies are typically placed in glass-enclosed gables. After the start of the Counter-Reformation era of the 17th century, the statue spread among the Christian communities of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

, Australia, Caribbean,

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

and Sri Lanka.

Description

The statue is a 19inch (48 cm) representation of the

, carved out of wood, which is covered with linen, and the surface modeled in coloured wax."Statue of the Infant Jesus", Prague City Line
/ref> The surface of the wax is quite fragile. In order to protect the fragile wax surface, the bottom half below the waist is enclosed in a silver case."The statue of Infant Jesus of Prague", Our Lady of Victory Church
Since 1788, the statue's raised two fingers have worn two rings, as a thanksgiving gift by a noble Czech family for healing their daughter. Some earlier records indicate that the original wig was possibly white.Ball, Ann. "A Handbook of Catholic Sacramentals," Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor. Prager Jesulein c1870 MfK Wgt

Vestments

Several costly embroidered vestments have been donated by benefactors. Among those donated are those from Empress Maria Theresa and Emperor

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, which are preserved to this day. A notable garment in the collection is an ermine cloak placed on the statue the first Sunday after Easter, which is the anniversary day of the coronation of the statue by the Archbishop of Prague

Ernst Adalbert von Harrach Count Ernst Adalbert von Harrach (4 November 1598 – 25 October 1667) was an Austrian Catholic Cardinal who was appointed Archbishop of Prague and Prince-Bishop of Trento. His name in Czech is Arnošt Vojtěch hrabě z Harrachu. Early life Adalbe ...

on 4 April 1655. In 1713 the clothing began to be changed according to the liturgical norms. Other valuable garments worn by the image are vestments studded with various gemstones, embroidered with gold, and silk fabrics as well as handmade

lace Lace is a delicate fabric made of yarn or thread in an open weblike pattern, made by machine or by hand. Generally, lace is divided into two main categories, needlelace and bobbin lace, although there are other types of lace, such as knitted o ...

customised purposely for the statue. *Green - Ordinary Time *Purple - Lent, Candlemas and Advent *Red or gold - Christmas and Easter *Royal blue - Immaculate Conception / Feast of Assumption. The image ordinarily follows the liturgical colors used by Catholic priests, as a representation of its priesthood.

Devotion

Prague is one of the major pilgrimage centres in Central Europe, with the Prague church housing the Infant Jesus statue offering regular Mass in Czech, Spanish, Italian and German languages. The Feast of the Infant Jesus of Prague celebrates the mystery of the Incarnation, and is observed on January 14."What is the origin of the Infant Jesus of Prague?", The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
/ref> Each year on the first Sunday of May, a coronation feast and 45-minute public procession with a copy of the statue takes place amid a sea of devotees and tourists. The first procession, initiated by the Earls of Martinice, took place in 1651; the statue of the Infant Jesus travelled from one Prague church to another. The newest crown was donated by

during his visit to Prague in 2009. The 1984 miniseries '' Teresa de Jesús'' shows

with a statue in a number of scenes. As novice mistress, Therese of the Child Jesus placed the statue in the novitiate at Lisieux, because she knew the many blessings the Divine Child brought to the Carmelite novices in Prague when it was placed in their midst.Davies, O.Carm., Peter. "The Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague"
/ref> Statuettes of the Infant Jesus are placed inside many Catholic churches, sometimes with the quotation, "The more you honour me, the more I will bless you." In

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, the statue is popular and is called "Child of Prague". A wedding gift of a statue of the Child of Prague is particularly auspicious. Irish brides hoping for good luck and good weather on the wedding day ritually place a copy of the statue outside their homes. Devotion to the Child of Prague and belief in its power to influence the weather is still strong in many parts of Ireland. It is also common to see the Child of Prague displayed in the window of houses in some of the older parts of Dublin and the practice of putting it out in the hedge or burying it in the garden as a solicitation for good weather is widespread in areas as far apart as Cork, Dublin, Sligo and the county of Leitrim. Statues of the Infant of Prague have been consecrated in churches of the U.S. states of Oklahoma,

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its capita ...

and

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

Rituals

Copies of the Infant of Prague statue are venerated in many countries of the Catholic world. In the church where the original is housed, it is ritually cared for, cleaned and dressed by the Carmelite sisters of the church, who change the Infant Jesus' clothing to one of the approximately one hundred costumes donated by the faithful as gifts of devotion.
Alternate Link
/ref> The statue has had a dedicated robe for each part of the ecclesiastical calendar. The statue is venerated, with the faithful believing that Jesus has powers to give favours to those who pray to the Infant of Prague. Copies of the statue are also venerated by Spanish-speaking Catholic faithful around the world. Once every four years, two wooden statues of Infant Jesus made in Prague are sent to various Catholic churches of the world. The Prague church also has a dedicated service that every week ships copies of the statue, cards, religious souvenirs and other items globally to Catholic devotees. Churches modelled on the Prague church have been founded elsewhere, such as in the United States and Africa, where the devotees sing, dance, preach and shout. The devotional worship of Infant Jesus of Prague is not limited to Prague, and during the 18th century it expanded to churches in Central Europe. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as plaster and metal moulding became more affordable, the statues of the Infant of Prague spread rapidly into the homes of modern Europe.

Pontifical approbations

* Pope Leo XII — granted a decree of pontifical coronation on 24 September 1824, notarized by the

, Cardinal Pietro Francesco Galleffi on behalf of the Patriarchal Council of the “Vatican Chapter” . It is the first Christological image to be granted a prestigious honor. * Pope Pius X — granted authorization via the decree “Significat Nobis” in 30 March 1913 to erect a namesake

based on former regulations promulgated by

, which was signed and notarized by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val. *

— during an apostolic visit to the

in September 2009, visited the Church of Our Lady Victorious in

and donated a golden crown with eight shells with numerous pearls and garnets, which is at present worn by the statue. Since that year, the 1924 "cushion crown" of the image is now permanently kept in the Carmelite museum on display behind the church while the garnet crown donated by Benedict is the one that is permanently worn by the statue.

Confraternity of the Divine Infant of Prague

Pope Pius X established the Confraternity of the Infant Jesus of Prague and placed it under the canonical guidance of the Carmelite Order on 30 March 1913. The Papal bull was signed and executed by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val. The Arch-Confraternity of the Holy Infancy, founded in 1636 in

Beaune Beaune () is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Côte d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Lyon and Dijon. Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France, and the center of Burgundy wine production and business. The annua ...

, France is not the same thing as the devotion to the Miraculous Infant of Prague, but they are akin to each other.

Child Jesus statues venerated in other countries

St John Nepomuk Parish Church District St Louis Mo

* Since 1200, pious legends and religious devotion within the Iberian peninsula, among communities of

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

and

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

, the Santo Niño de Atocha carrying a basket spans various miraculous legends. The legend was also carried over to Mexico where similar Christian mythologies were later re-created. * Since 1499, in Rome, Italy, another statue similar to it is called '' Santo Bambino'' (literally, "Holy Child") and ritually revered especially during the Christmas season such as at the

Basilica of Santa Maria in Ara Coeli The Basilica of St. Mary of the Altar of Heaven ( la, Basilica Sanctae Mariae de Ara coeli in Capitolio, it, Basilica di Santa Maria in Ara coeli al Campidoglio) is a titular basilica in Rome, located on the highest summit of the Campidoglio. ...

in Rome.

Pope Leo XIII Pope Leo XIII ( it, Leone XIII; born Vincenzo Gioacchino Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was the head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 to his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the second-old ...

granted the image a pontifical decree of coronation in 1897. * Since 1521, the Santo Nino de Cebu image of the

arrived in the

Cebu, Philippines Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas Regions of the P ...

with Spanish Conquistador

Ferdinand Magellan Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the Eas ...

. The image is currently housed in a Spanish basilica church built in 1739. A yearly nine-day celebration or novena was introduced in 1889 that includes a procession held in the statue's honour, attracting over a million pilgrims each January.

Pope Paul VI Pope Paul VI ( la, Paulus VI; it, Paolo VI; born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini, ; 26 September 18976 August 1978) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 21 June 1963 to his death in Augus ...

granted the image a pontifical decree of coronation in 1965. * Since 1536, originally from Belgium, the expressions, accessories and hand posture of Santo Niño de Cebú are similar to the

Infant Jesus of Mechelen The Infant Jesus of Mechelen () is an unadorned 16th-century wooden image depicting the Child Jesus holding a globus cruciger and imparting a blessing. It is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris, as a typical representative of a type of image produce ...

, and it is believed that both statues originated from the same European source, in

Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...

with the devotion to the Philippine image starting earlier of the two. * Since 1897, in

Missouri Missouri is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking 21st in land area, it is bordered by eight states (tied for the most with Tennessee): Iowa to the north, Illinois, Kentucky and Tennessee to the east, Arkansas t ...

United States of America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territo ...

, a statue of the image enshrined at the Saint John Nepomuk parish was given a diocesan coronation on 4 January 1948 by its parish priest, Father Albert Prokes. The venerated image dates back from 1897, brought to America by Monsignor Joseph Hessoun (1853—1903) from his native

Czechoslovakia , rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי, , common_name = Czechoslovakia , life_span = 1918–19391945–1992 , p1 = Austria-Hungary , image_p1 ...

. Pious believers donated their personal jewelry to the image, executed into a crown, pendant and ornaments by local jeweler Edgar Schmidt. * Since 1902, the Bambino Gesu of Arenzano in the Basilica of Arenzano is an image copy brought over by Italian Marquess Delphina Gavotti of Savona. A former painting copy of the image was initially brought over by the Carmelite friars. Pope Pius XI granted a decree of pontifical coronation on 24 February 1924 and was crowned by Cardinal Rafael Merry del Val on 6 September 1924. * Since 1971, in Bangalore, India, a statue of the infant Jesus has been enshrined at Infant Jesus Church in Viveknagar.

References

External links

Official website of the Infant Jesus of Prague

Davies, O.Carm., Peter. "The Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague"
{{Authority control Catholic adoration of Jesus Christianity in Prague Statues of the infant Jesus Malá Strana