Church of Our Lady of Victory - The Little Jesus of Prague

Information about the pilgrimage site

The Church of Our Lady of Victory was built in 1611 by German Lutherans from Prague and dedicated to the Holy Trinity. After the Battle of White Mountain, Emperor Ferdinand II gave the church to the Order of the Barefoot Carmelites, who rebuilt it in 1634-1669. The Carmelites added a monastery and dedicated the church to Our Lady of Victory. The early Baroque church has interior furnishings from the 2nd half of the 17th century and the 1st half of the 18th century, 9 beautiful altars date from that time. In the interior, the Gothic marble baptismal font from the end of the 15th century is also worth noticing.

Visitors to the church, however, head primarily to the world-famous Prague Infant Jesus, displayed on the side altar. This statue was donated to the Carmelites by Polyxena of Lobkowice in 1628.

The Little Jesus of Prague is a Renaissance wooden statue covered with wax, 47 cm high, made in Spain. It was brought to Prague in 1587 by the Spanish noblewoman Marie Maxmiliana Manriques de Lara, who married the nobleman Vratislav of Pernštejn in Bohemia. She then gave the statue to her daughter Polyxena, who prayed to Jesus every day and prayed for a longed-for baby. Since Polyxena did not have a daughter to whom she would give the statue according to family tradition, she gave it to the church to protect not only the Carmelite Order but also the people of Prague.

The statue was lost during the Thirty Years’ War and was discovered in 1638 damaged behind the altar. After it was repaired, it was carried in processions around Prague.

The little Jesus of Prague still watches over the lives of the inhabitants of Prague. Pilgrims still come to the Church of Our Lady of Victory to ask for help and to pay homage to this precious statue. Today it is kept in a silver box, dressed in a dress of precious fabrics with rich, valuable embroidery. These clothes were donated as an expression of gratitude for granted requests. One of the dresses was also made by Empress Maria Theresa. As many as 150 dresses are listed, with a distinction between weekday and holiday dresses.

The Prague Jesuit also owns three crowns. The first dates from the 18th century, the second from the 19th century and the third was given to the Jesuit by Pope Benedict XVI during his visit to our country in 2009. The Graceful Infant Jesus of Prague is also highly venerated in the world, especially in countries with a Catholic tradition. The church is open daily: weekdays 8.30 – 18.00, Sundays 8.30 – 19.00. Masses are celebrated in several languages. Calendar of pilgrimages and main devotions.

Tourist attractions in the vicinity

Charles Bridge is a medieval bridge founded in 1357 by Emperor Charles IV on the site of the original Judith Bridge and completed in the early 15th century. The bridge is bordered by the Old Town Tower, considered the most beautiful gateway of Gothic Europe, and the Lesser Town Tower, from a later period. Since Baroque times, the bridge has been decorated with statues of saints. This monument ranks among the most visited in Prague. For more information visit https://www.prague.eu/cs/objekt/mista/93/karluv-most .

Strahov Monastery consists of a Premonstratensian monastery with churches, the Basilica of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Church of St. Roch. The Premonstratensian monastery was founded in 1140 by Prince Vladislav II. This Romanesque basilica was later rebuilt in Baroque style and decorated with many Baroque works of art. The library of this monastery is famous. The prestige of the site was enhanced when the remains of St Norbert, the founder of the Premonstratensian Order, were deposited here in 1627.  For more information visit https://www.strahovskyklaster.cz/2021 .

Břevnov Monastery is located further away from the centre. This oldest male Benedictine monastery in Bohemia was founded by Prince Boleslav in 993. The church of St. Vojtěch and St. Margaret is the dominant feature of the archabbey. Today’s appearance of the monastery is baroque from the reconstruction in 1708 on the ruins of the destroyed monastery during the Hussite wars. The church has preserved Romanesque rooms. Pope Pius II granted the basilica the title of Basilica Minor. More information at https://www.brevnov.cz/cs/ .

Prague Loreto is located in Hradčany. This Baroque pilgrimage site was founded by the noblewoman Katherine of Lobkowitz in 1626. Loreta is famous for its Baroque chimes, which play every hour. Inside the complex is the Holy Chalet, around which is a two-storey ambit with chapels. Behind it is the Church of the Nativity with a rococo interior. The most precious exhibit in the Treasury is the Prague Sun, a Baroque monstrance with 6,500 diamonds, made in Vienna. For more information visit https://www.loreta.cz/ .

The Petřín lookout tower was built on Petřín Hill in 1891 on the occasion of the Jubilee Exhibition. It is a loose copy of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, 58.70 m high and includes a mirror maze. The tower offers unforgettable views of Prague and is accessible to wheelchair users. For more information visit https://www.prague.eu/cs/objekt/mista/116/petrinska-rozhledna .

Other tourist attractions in the area can be found on the website:

City of Prague: https://www.praha.eu/jnp/cz/co_delat_v_praze/pamatky/index.html

Central Bohemian Tourist Board: https://www.strednicechy.cz/?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiOObp5HHhQMVk42DBx3wCAPjEAAYASAAEgKlQ_D_BwE