The famous statue of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague is located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana, Prague. The devotion and the church drew millions of Roman Catholic faithful to Malá Strana throughout the years. Its earliest history can be traced back to Prague in the year 1628 when the small, 19-inch (48 cm) high, wax statue of the Infant Jesus was given by Princess Polyxena von Lobkowicz (1566-1642) to the Discalced Carmelites, to whom she had become greatly attached.
On November 15, 1631, the army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden took possession of the churches of Bohemia's capital city. The Carmelite friary was plundered by the Lutheran Swedes, and the image of the Infant of Prague was thrown into a pile of rubbish behind the altar. Here it lay forgotten, its hands broken off, for seven years, until it was found again in 1637 by Father Cyrillus and placed in the church's oratory. One day, while praying before the statue, Father 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 honor me, the more I will bless you." Since then, the statue has remained in Prague and has drawn many devotees worldwide to go and honor the Holy Child. Claims of blessings, favors and miraculous healings have been made by many who petitioned before the Infant Jesus. Statuettes of the Infant Jesus are placed inside many Catholic churches, sometimes with the quotation, "The more you honor me, the more I will bless you." |
