Copy of the Infant Jesus of Prague heads to County Kerry as Czech gift for Ireland’s EU Council presidency
One of Czechia’s best-known religious symbols is heading to Ireland. A specially dressed copy of the Infant Jesus of Prague is being given to the Diocese of Kerry to mark Ireland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union.
The Archbishop of Prague, Stanislav Přibyl, blessed the new copy of the Infant Jesus of Prague earlier this week at the residence of Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda.
The statue was specially made as a gift for Ireland and is dressed in an outfit combining Czech and Irish cultural traditions. Speaking to Czech Radio, Přibyl explained its significance in Christian tradition:
“The Infant Jesus is a wax statue that has become a worldwide symbol of devotion to the heart of the Christian faith. It depicts Christ as a child, but with the bearing of an adult.”
According to Přibyl, the Infant Jesus is meant to be a sign of hope, peace, and God’s love for everyone who encounters it.
“We bless many different things, but ultimately, it is people we are blessing through these objects. From the very beginning of Christianity, it has been said that when you see an image, you do not worship the image itself, but the person it represents.”
The new copy continues a more than 400-year-old tradition of dressing the Infant Jesus in different outfits. For this Irish version, the outfit was designed by Czech fashion designer Zuzana Kubíčková.
She chose deep green velvet for the main garment. The flowing shirt is decorated with a vine motif, with grapes embroidered using amethyst-coloured glass beads.
Jana Adamcová, vice-chair of the board of Prague City Tourism, says the outfit combines references to both countries:
“Ireland is represented by the emerald green velvet of the Infant Jesus’ clothing. The technique used to create the cloak is also significant. It is called smocking, a traditional technique from the British Isles.”
The outfit also features several Czech elements, as Adamcová explains:
“The collar features a linden leaf as a Czech national symbol. The vine ornament refers not only to the Christian tradition and the relationship between Christ and believers, but also to Prague’s thousand-year-old vineyards associated with Saint Wenceslas. The crystal heart pendant recalls the symbol that Václav Havel used alongside his signature.”
The crown and royal orb were hand-made by Czech glassmakers and jewellery makers in Jablonec nad Nisou, with students and teachers from the local Secondary School of Crafts and Services taking part.
In Ireland, the Infant Jesus of Prague is known as the Child of Prague. The statue has a particularly strong place in Irish folk tradition. Czech Ambassador to Ireland Pavel Vošalík explains:
“The statue of the Infant Jesus plays a special role in wedding ceremonies and on the wedding day. There is a belief that if the statue is placed outside the house on the wedding day, it will ensure that it does not rain.”
County Kerry is Czechia’s partner region for Ireland’s EU Council presidency. The choice also has a symbolic connection: Killarney was Prague’s welcoming partner city in 2004, when the Czech Republic joined the European Union during Ireland’s presidency.
The Bishop of Kerry has said the statue is expected to be placed in the cathedral in Killarney, although another church in the area is also being considered.
The official handover will take place on September 8, when the traditional pilgrimage Mass is held at the Marian spring in Ballyheigue on Ireland’s Atlantic coast. It will also be the first public presentation of the specially designed statue.
The original Infant Jesus of Prague is kept at the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Prague’s Malá Strana district. The more than four-century-old wax statue attracts pilgrims from around the world and is one of the best-known Czech spiritual symbols abroad.
The copy sent to Ireland was brought into contact with the original statue by the Carmelites in Prague, making it what is known as a “touched replica.”
