The legend of Infant Jesus of Prague

The statue of Infant Jesus holds a globe in his left hand with a cross mounted on it. His left hand is raised in blessing. The first two fingers are raised, and the other three are folded. He wears a crown on his little head. He wears red coloured robes and is attired like a king. Many miracles are attributed to the holy Child. He has healed many sick devotees and answered the prayers of the faithful.  

The miraculous wooden statue of the Infant Jesus was a prized possession of a Spanish noblewoman, Maria Manriquez Mendonza, who brought it to Prague when she moved there after her marriage. She then presented it to her daughter, Princess Polyxena von Lobkovie. In 1629, Polyxena offered it to the Carmelite Monastery, and told them that as long as they venerated the Infant, they would never be in want.

Tragically, the infant was desecrated during the Spanish Thirty Years War. The church was run over by the Swedish army, and the statue was tossed aside. Its arms had been cut off in the melee. Seven years later, a priest replaced it in the church, and repaired the statue. Over time, the glory of the Infant has spread to several parts of the world.