Infant Jesus of Prague

Infant Jesus of Prague (Czech "Pražské Jezulátko") is a famous statue of infant Jesus located in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana, Prague. Its history started in the beginning of the 17th century when a statue of the Infant Jesus was brought into Bohemia by a Spanish Princess. This princess had been given the statue as a wedding gift by her mother, Maria Manriquez de Lara of Spain, and the statue eventually was given to the Discalced Carmelites in Prague. The statue was set up in the oratory of the monastery, and twice a day, special devotions to Jesus were performed before it.

Disturbances in Bohemia due to the Thirty Years War brought an end to the special devotions, and on November 15, 1631, the army of King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden took a possession of the churches of the capital city of Bohemia. The Carmelite friary was plundered by the Lutheran Protestant Swedish, 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 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. Statuetes 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."

The exact origin of the Infant Jesus statue was not truly known, but historical sources point to a small 28cm high sculpture of the Holy Child with a bird in his right hand carved in around the year 1340. Many other Infant Jesus sculptures were also carved by famous masters throughout Europe in the Middle Ages.

Today, thousands of pilgrims pay homage to the Infant of Prague each year. The tradition of the Infant Jesus procession and the coronation continues to this day. On May 27, 1995, a solemn procession of the Infant Jesus took place in the streets of Prague with Cardinal Sin of Manila (Philippines) and Cardinal Vlk of Prague leading the procession. This ceremony was the closing highlight of the annual Feast of the Infant Jesus in Prague.

In Ireland (North and South) some brides will place a child of Prague statue outside their house the night before their wedding. This is meant to ensure that there will be good weather for the wedding day.

Novena to the Infant of Prague

This prayer is recited at the same time every hour for nine consecutive hours in one day. It is used by supplicants with urgent requests that cannot wait for the nine days required for most novenas.

O Jesus, You have said,"Ask and you shall receive,seek and you shall find,knock and it shall be opened to you."Through the intercession of Mary,Your Most Holy Mother, I knock,I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.

(Make your request)

O Jesus, You have said,"All that you ask of the Father in My Name,He will grant you." Through the intercession of Mary,Your Most Holy Mother,I humbly and urgently ask Your Fatherin Your Name that my prayer be granted.

(Make your request)

O Jesus, you have said,"Heaven and earth shall pass awaybut My word shall not pass."Through the intercession of Mary,Your Most Holy Mother,I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.

(Make your request)"

Bibliography

* "The Infant of Prague", by the Reverend Ludvik Nemec, Benziger Brothers, Inc, 1958.
* "Miraculous Images of Our Lord", by Joan Carroll Cruz, OCDS, TAN Books and Publishers, Inc, 1995. ISBN 0-89555-496-8
* " Holy Infant Jesus", by Ann Ball & Damian Hinojosa, The Crossroad Publishing Company, 2006. ISBN 0-8245-2407-1

ee also

*Infant Jesus
*Divine Infant Jesus
*Santo Niño de Cebu
*Santo Niño de Atocha
*Holy Infant of Good Health

External links

* [http://www.pragjesu.info/ Official website of the Infant Jesus of Prague ]
* [http://www.ijpparish.org/ Infant Jesus of Prague Parish and School, Flossmoor, Illinois USA ]
* [http://www.richmonddiocese.org/parishes/parishdetail.asp?pid=121 Shrine of the Infant of Prague, Wakefield, Virginia USA ]