THE DEVOTION HISTORY Part 4
Written by Charito Yeh

After that period, Prague experienced more wars and unrest, but the church and the Infant Jesus chapel was miraculously protected. In 1776, the altar was rebuilt using marble and two huge sculptures of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph were placed to the left and right sides of the altar. The Holy Infant was left in a glass case standing in a pedestal engraced with crystals and surrounding the Infant were twenty angels in gold.

During the Pentecost holidays in 1637, Father Cyrillus returned to Prague from Munich and lived there until his death in 1675. And after a prolonged search, he found the broken, abandoned, long-last treasure almost buried in dust. Full of joy and gratitude, he kissed the disfigured statue and placed it on an altar in the oratory.

The long forgotten devotion were now revived with renewed vigor. One day, while praying before the statue, he distinctly heard these words, "Have pity on me, and I will have pity on you. Give me my hands, and I will give you peace. The more you honour me, the more I will bless you." After great efforts and much hardships, he had the Infant Jesus hands repaired.

The "Little Prague Baby" again became an object of worship of believers and many extraodinary events were attributed to it. And ever since the statue was fixed, a number of miracles had occurred and the word began to spread, resulting in a large number of veneration to the Holy Infant.

In thanksgiving for the numerous graces and cures received, the consecrating Bishop of Prague solemnly crowned the Holy Infant on April 14, 1655 on a Sunday after Easter as a sign emphasizing the royal and divine dignity of God who has become a child.

And the anniversary of this coronation has been celebrated ever since with a festive mass on the Ascension holiday which is the culmination of the Easter mystery considered by the New Testament to be the real coronation in the glory and the fulfillment of God's Incarnation.

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