The entire Spanish-speaking world flocks to Prague to see the wooden statue of the baby Jesus offering a blessing, called the Infant Jesus of Prague. It is said to have inspired Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince and that Paolo Coelho prayed to him for worldwide success. His wardrobe consists of over 300 outfits, which are regularly changed. Among them is a royal gown with an ermine cape. An inset copperplate engraving of the Infant Jesus of Prague in the manuscript *Manuale Tironis Christiani et Parthenii; Officium parvum de sancto Joanne Nepomuceno martyre* / 1738 | Source: National Library of the Czech Republic Since the beginning, the Infant Jesus of Prague has been associated with numerous miracles and answered prayers, and he is known as the protector of the family. As early as the 17th century, miraculous healings and conversions to the Catholic faith were recorded. Evidence of the miraculous effects of the Infant Jesus can be found on many plaques in the Church of Our Lady Victorious. It is run by the Discalced (barefoot) Carmelites, who continue the spirituality of the Spanish St. Teresa of Avila 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 Bohemian nobleman in 1556. The Infant Jesus was supposed to protect her in the distant foreign land. The statue was then given to her daughter Polyxena as a wedding gift. In 1628, Polyxena donated it to the Prague Carmelites to protect the people of Prague from all evil with its miraculous powers. In 1631, the Saxons occupied Prague and plundered the monastery, damaging the Infant Jesus. The attackers were not interested in its value and the Infant Jesus was thrown into a trash heap. Miraculously, however, the fleeing monks found it again in 1637; 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, to whom crowds of pilgrims travelled. Members of the Habsburg family paid homage to him during their visit to Prague, and Empress Maria Theresa gave him a green velvet dress that she personally embroidered. But she was not alone. Other noblewomen also contributed to the lovely statue’s impressive wardrobe. Today, the Infant Jesus of Prague has around 300 items of clothing. Various nobles also gave him 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 letter, 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 Saint Augustine. The date of the Pope’s gift is engraved below the cross of the crown. The crown is made of silver, is gold plated 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 his childlike tenderness, makes God’s closeness and love present. Pope Francis received a glass statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague as a personal gift from the world-renowned glass artist Martin Janecký. His studio can be found in the Lesser Town, just a short walk from the Church of Our Lady of Victorious. The Infant Jesus of Prague protects not only the people of Prague. We encounter copies of it all over the world, and it is always surrounded by an atmosphere of miracles. Similar statues are found in Spain, for example, in the St. Gines church in Madrid, but also in South America, the Philippines, and even England. Following the example of the Infant Jesus of Prague, these statues also gradually began to receive dresses, crowns, and royal orbs in their hands. Maybe the Infant Jesus of Prague will grant even your requests. We want you to feel at home in Prague under his protection. The Infant Jesus of Prague as a gift of friendship to Ireland In 2026, a blessed replica of the Infant Jesus of Prague was created as a gift from the City of Prague to the Diocese of Kerry in Ireland to symbolise the friendship between the Czech Republic and Ireland. To make this extraordinary journey, the Infant Jesus was given a new ceremonial robe, interwoven with stories and symbols of Prague and the Czech lands, as well as references to Ireland, crafted by leading Czech fashion designer Zuzana Kubíčková. “ Love and Blessings from Prague • 2026 ” The deep green shade of the velvet evokes Irish national identity, while the cloak was created using smocking, a traditional technique of pleating decorative fabric developed in the British Isles. The flowing tunic echoes the simple garment in which, according to tradition, the Infant Jesus arrived in the Kingdom of Bohemia in 1556. It is adorned with grapevines, linking Christian symbolism to the thousand-year-old tradition of Prague’s vineyards associated with Saint Wenceslas. The crown and the royal orb, handcrafted by Czech glassmakers and jewellers in the Crystal Valley, pay homage to the Czech crown jewels and the Saint Wenceslas tradition of Czech statehood. The garment is complemented by a heart made of cut Czech crystal, inspired by the symbol that Václav Havel used to sign his name. Engraved on the base of the Infant Jesus is the message with which Prague sends its gift to Ireland: Love and Blessings from Prague • 2026 A Gift for the Pope from a Prague Glassmaker Top world glassmaker Martin Janecký handcrafts the Infant Jesus of Prague for His Holiness Pope Francis. Listen to the song by the legendary Jorge Ben, which he dedicated to the Infant Jesus of Prague.