The whole Spanish-speaking world is flocking to Prague to see the wooden statue of the blessing Baby Jesus, called the Prague Infant Jesus. It is said to have inspired Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince and to have been the source of Paolo Coelho’s worldwide success. His wardrobe numbers over 300 garments, which he has been regularly dressed in. Among them is a royal gown with an ermine cape. Since the beginning, numerous miracles and answered prayers have been associated with the Prague Infant Jesus and he is known as the protector of the family. Already in the 17th century miraculous healings were recorded, as well as conversions to the Catholic faith. Evidence of the miraculous work of the Infant Jesus can be found on a number of signs in Our Lady of Victory Church. It is run by the barefoot Carmelites, who follow the spirituality of the Spanish saints St. Teresa of Ávila and St. John of the Cross. According to legend, his image appeared to a Spanish hermit in the 16th century. The statue was originally owned by the Spanish noblewoman Isabel Briceño, who gave it to her daughter Maria Manrique de Lara y Mendoza, who married a Czech nobleman in 1556. The Infant Jesus was to protect her in a distant foreign land. The statuette was then given as a wedding gift to her daughter Polyxena, who in 1628 gave it to the Prague Carmelites to protect the people of Prague against all evil with its miraculous powers. In 1631 the Saxons occupied Prague, sacked the monastery and the Infant Jesus was destroyed. The invaders did not care about its value and the Infant Jesus was thrown away. Miraculously, however, the escaped monks found it again in 1637, although both arms were broken. In 1655 the statue was solemnly crowned by the Bishop of Prague. A special altar and even a side chapel were built for the Infant Jesus, which was visited by crowds of pilgrims. Members of the Habsburg family worshipped him during their visits to Prague, and Empress Maria Theresa gave him a green velvet dress, which she personally embroidered. But she was not alone. Other nobles also gave the handsome statue an impressive wardrobe. Today, the Prague Infant Jesus has perhaps 300 pieces of clothing. Various noblemen have donated jewellery, including beautiful crowns. Even the Protestant General Königsmark, who conquered the Lesser Town at the end of the Thirty Years’ War, granted the Infant Jesus a protective gilt and the future Swedish King Charles Gustav gave him 30 ducats. In 2009, Pope Benedict XVI also gave the statue a gold crown. It is decorated, among other things, with eight shells, which are symbols of St Augustine. The date of the Pope’s gift is engraved below the cross of the crown. The crown is made of silver, is gilded and decorated with genuine pearls and garnets. It is hand polished with agate. In his speech, the Pope said that the Infant Jesus of Prague, with its childlike tenderness, makes God’s closeness and love present. Pope Francis received the glass statue of the Prague Jesuit as a personal gift from the world-famous glass artist Martin Janecký. His studio can be found in the Lesser Town, just a short walk from the Church of Our Lady of Victory. The Infant Jesuit protects not only the people of Prague. Its copies are encountered all over the world and are always surrounded by an atmosphere of miracles. There are similar statues in Spain, for example in the church of St. Gines in Madrid, but also in South America or the Philippines, and even in England. Following the example of the Infant Jesus of Prague, these statuettes have gradually begun to receive dresses, crowns or a royal apple in their hands. Maybe the Prague Infant Jesus will grant your requests. Our wish is that you will feel at home in Prague under its protection. Listen to the song of the legendary Jorge Ben, which he dedicated to the Prague Infant Jesus. The world’s top glassmaker Martin Janecký is handcrafting the Prague Infant Jesus for His Holiness Pope Francis.