Turning to the Infant of Prague

The Feast of the Infant Jesus of Prague is celebrated on January 14. You have likely encountered a statue of the Child Jesus wearing a golden crown and royal garments, but do you know the story behind this devotion?

While the exact origins of the statue are unknown, legend says that the original statue of the Infant Jesus was brought to Bohemia from Spain. Princess Polyxena of Lobkowicz is said to have received the statue, a family heirloom, from her mother. In 1628, Princess Polyxena gave the small wax and wooden statue to the Discalced Carmelite friars, telling them that it was her dearest possession and as long as they honored the Divine Child they should never want.

Infant of Prague StatueWhen the Carmelite Monastery was plundered during war, the statue was thrown onto a pile of rubble by the invaders. After several years when the Carmelites returned, the statue was recovered. The original Infant of Prague statue remains in Prague to this day in Our Lady of Victory church. Replicas of the statue are found in Catholic churches worldwide.

Drew Mariani, host of The Drew Mariani ShowTM, claims a special devotion to the Infant of Prague. “I went through a time in my life when … God stripped everything from me. I was behind in my mortgage, I couldn’t feed my kids or put diapers on them. I was really struggling financially. I loved what I was doing and I thought I was doing God’s work.”

During that time of distress, he turned to the Holy Family: the Blessed Mother and Saint Joseph. “And then I turned to the Infant of Prague. This devotion came to me from somebody who said, pray this prayer. And I began to pray the devotion to the Infant of Prague along with St. Joseph and Our Lady and I’ll tell you what, miracles happened financially in my life. Miracles! I’m telling you—checks showed up in my mailbox from people I didn’t even know that would help me to pay my mortgage. God provided in unbelievable ways and I really believe the Holy Family intervened and ever since then I’ve had a great devotion to the Infant of Prague,” said Mariani.

He recommends praying the Infant of Prague Novena in moments of great need. The prayer can be prayed each day for nine days, or an emergency novena can be prayed each hour for nine consecutive hours. Infant of Prague, grant our requests!

Infant of Prague Novena Prayer

O Jesus, Who has said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened,” through the intercession of Mary, Your Most Holy Mother, I knock, I seek, I ask that my prayer be granted.
(Make your request)

O Jesus, Who has said, “All that you ask of the Father in My Name, He will grant you,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I humbly and urgently ask your Father in your name that my prayer will be granted.
(Make your request)

O Jesus, Who has said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My word shall not pass away,” through the intercession of Mary Your Most Holy Mother, I feel confident that my prayer will be granted.
(Make your request)


Tune in to The Drew Mariani ShowTM weekdays at 3-6pm ET / noon-3pm PT only on Relevant Radio®.

Lindsey is a wife, mother, and contributing author at Relevant Radio. She holds a degree in Journalism and Advertising from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Lindsey enjoys writing, baking, and liturgical living with her young family.