The statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague

Origin, size, material and appearance

According to the sources, the statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague, the original of which is venerated in the church of Our Lady of Victory in the Lesser Town district of Prague, originally came from Spain. It was probably made there in the second half of the 16th century or earlier.

The statue is 47 cm high and represents Jesus when he was only a few years old. On a 2-cm base there is a figure measuring 45 cm, dressed in a long flowing robe. Parts of the feet are visible beneath the bottom of the robe. The face is very delicately modeled and framed by medium-length curling hair.

The core of the statue is carved out of wood, which is probably covered with linen, and the surface is modeled in coloured wax. The surface of the wax is quite fragile. In order to protect the statue from damage, it's bottom half till the waist is enclosed in a silver case.

Gestures and royal attributes of the statue

The Infant Jesus has his right hand raised in blessing, while the left hand has its palm turned upwards and holds a symbol of rule over the world – the imperial orb surmounted by a cross. There is an opening in the palm of the hand, in which the orb is fixed. In the past, the statue was decorated with small jewels, presented as gifts by the faithful. The most valuable one was a copy of the Order of the Golden Fleece, which is now lost.

The crown which currently adorns the head of the Infant Jesus was made in the years 1810 to 1820. The Infant Jesus also has a second crown dating from 1767. Both crowns were made in the workshops of Prague goldsmiths. The crown is not placed directly on the statue but is fixed independently just above it.

Clothing of the Infant Jesus

The Infant Jesus is dressed by the Carmelite sisters of the Child Jesus in various royal robes, whose colour changes according to the season of the church year. The white alb and royal apparel remind us of the defenselessness of the Divine Child and at the same time of Jesus' royal title and his divine almighty power… More

History of the statue – Cult of the Child Jesus – Prayers