Early History of the Statue of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague
One morning near the turn of the seventeenth century, a waxen statue nineteen inches in height began a long journey from Spain to what is now the Czech Republic. This statue travelled in noble company; its escort was Maria Mauriquez, countess of  Lara. The countess was hurrying to Prague to attend the marriage of her daughter, Princess Polyxena, to Count Adalbert of Lobkovice.  The little image, a statue of the Infant Jesus, was a wedding gift.  Having been treasured for many years as a precious heirloom of the Spanish royal family, this statue was to find a new home halfway across the continent.  The newly married couple appreciated this gift and treasured it most highly.

Countess Polyxena became a generous benefactress to the Carmelite Fathers when they were given the Church of the Holy Trinity in Prague. This had been a Protestant church, but in 1624 the victorious  Hapsburg, Ferdinand II gave the church to the Carmelites and it was renamed under the title of Our Lady of Victory.

After the death of her husband the countess presented  the image of  the Christ Child to the Carmelites saying,  "I give to you what I prize most highly in the world.  So long as you venerate this image, you will not want.

The Princess' prophecy was remarkably fulfulled. When the Carmelite community began to venerate the image of the Divine Child many spiritual and temporal benefits came to it.  According to the custom of the Order, the novices fostered a special devotion to the little Son of their queenly Mother.

Among the novices none loved the Infant more than a Brother Cyril. This young religious had suffered greatly from aridity and temptations during the greater part of his novitiate year. However the Infant Jesus restored Cyril's first fervour, and in his turn Cyril became a most fervent client of the Little King.

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