Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Infant Jesus of Prague



One of the strengths in strengthening tourism in Prague is undoubtedly the Infant Jesus of Prague, the pilgrimage site with more fame in Prague, Bohemia and best known abroad, is the Church of Our Lady of Victory. This church built in baroque style is the Karmelitská in the Little Quarter. The pilgrims' attention is particularly drawn to the statue of the Infant Jesus of Prague, known worldwide by Bambino Prague, which is since 1628, in a tiny closet of silver on the altar on the right side. Your 'wardrobe consists roupa'é precious embroidered and decorated with colorful reliefs. The most valuable one embroidered by the Empress Maria Theresa. The Renaissance figurine, originally from Spain, was offered by Mrs. Lobkovic of Polyxena to the Carmelites.


The Infant Jesus of Prague received as gifts of gratitude, 60 dresses, decorated with gold, diamonds and pearls (including some from China, Brazil, the Philippines, Vietnam etc..), The most precious of them embroidered dress by austrohúngara Empress Maria Theresa.
The statuette is regularly watered so that the color of the dress always correspond with their liturgical season (eg, white for the holidays of Easter and Christmas, red for Holy Week, the lilac for the period of Lent and Advent, etc.).

Tips for visitors:
Some clothes the Child Jesus are exhibited in the museum located in the church, the entrance to the museum is free.
In the church are celebrated Masses in different languages ​​- Czech, English, French, Italian, Spanish.
On the last Sunday of May comes the ceremonial annual celebration of the anniversary of the coronation of Baby Jesus by the bishop in 1655.

Origin of devotion
This devotion, although already well known, needs to be explained so that people can enjoy throughout their origin, their theological foundations, its importance and its usefulness current sovereign.

The devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague, date of Bethlehem, passed by angels, Mary and Joseph, the shepherds and the Magi and is continued by the saints through the centuries, still following his progress ever upward. Took a concrete and universal under the title of the Infant Jesus of Prague. And under this title, this was eminently Carmelite devotion in its origin, until it became universal treasure of Christianity. It is actually a delicate flower and divine which germinated and flowered in the garden of Carmel and, blossoming under the vivifying warmth of Divine Flame, dismisses the world your comforter and soft aroma.

THE CONVENT OF PRAGUE

The Sovereign Pontiff Paul V appointed the Venerable P. Domingos de Jesus Maria (General of the Discalced Carmelites and confessor of His Holiness), with its legacy of the Austrian Emperor Ferdinand II, who defended the rights of God and the Catholic Church against the prince palatine of Pfalz, bitter Calvinist, who seized the throne and became king crowned in Prague. Fernando II put all their hope in the intercession of Mary and the prayers of the Venerable P. Sundays. On the day of the Lord revealed to Assunçao this holy religious victory of the Catholic armies. Before entering battle, imposed the Brown Scapular to the Emperor of Austria, the Duke of Bavaria and all soldiers; horseback riding and taking a crucifix and a showing of hands with one another quadrozinho of the Holy Family, which had been desecrated by heretics, urges soldiers to beg Protective Mary against the enemies of Catholicism. Three hours sufficed to disperse the Calvinist large army of 100,000 men. The Emperor as a testimony of gratitude, founded convents of Carmelites in Vienna, Prague and Gratz.

Is this the convent of Prague Infant Jesus will choose to shine their sovereign power and love.

The Princess of Lobkowitz Polyxene

It was one of the most distinguished and pious ladies of his time, knowledgeable of voluntary poverty in which they lived the Carmelite Fathers and the high esteem in which the Christian people they taxed after the miraculous victory of White Mountain, obtained by the prayers of the Venerable P. Sundays. He had, among his memories of family, the image of the Child Jesus, that his mother, Princess Manrique de Lara (the royal family of Spain), had offered him as the most valuable wedding gift and she in turn had to received from Santa Teresa de Jesus.

In 1628, this pious princess, as driven by a higher power, must understand that letting go of that baby gift and give it to the Carmelite Fathers, who would like their best and most devout custodians. It presents the facts in the convent, and before the whole community, delivered to Father Prior, venerable
Fr Joao Luis Assunçao of the beautiful image, saying: "My Father, I give you more of what I wanted. Honor this image of Baby Jesus and nothing will be lacking. " The image was exposed for the veneration of the religious oratorio choir, where the acts took place godly community.

The words of the august donor found to scratching. God lavished their thanks to the convent that possessed the Divine Child: never lacked necessary; been showered with blessings upon the spiritual and temporal while there preserved the devotion to the Infant Jesus (Chronicles of the Discalced Carmelites of the Province of Austria).

Profanity image

In 1631, protesters returned to occupy the city of Prague; plundered churches and monasteries spreading everywhere the fire and looting. The image of the Child Jesus not escaped the destructive fury of the enemies of Catholicism: broke her hands and threw it into a corner. So the venerable image would be buried under the rubble, and without his faithful devotees, because the Carmelites were forced to flee not perish in such carnage. The terror, misery and desolation reigned in the city of Prague and its people, threatened with death by the fierce invaders.

Meeting image

Was precarious peace in the year of 1635 that brought the Carmelite convent to its former, almost all of it in ruins. For lack of resources and personnel were consuming work of restoration, undertaken turn in an environment of insecurity and shyness, from the presence of Protestants. The religious, sunken in more astounding misery and reduced to extreme destitution, rose to heaven the most ardent supplications to obtain true peace and relief in the terrible difficulties that were going through. Their applications - with great astonishment of the religious - were not seen in the sky. What explained this confusing and difficult situation was the coming of P. Cyril of the Mother of God in 1637, which once had been the Novitiate of Prague, and was most devoted to the Child Jesus. This holy religious, not realizing that God wanted to bless the community and the city while the Infant Jesus was not honored as he deserved, asked the Superior permission to search the image of the Child Jesus, telling him: "If we honor the new, He give security '. Obtained the license after repeated efforts has the great fortune to find so desired image behind the altar.

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