The Church of Our Lady Victorious is one of the most famous places of pilgrimage in Czechia. It is home to the wax statue of the Little Jesus of Prague (or Bambino di Praga) of Spanish origin, the object of devotion for pilgrims from all over the world.
The Infant Jesus of Prague is a votive wax statue 47 centimetres high, depicting a Christ child with charming features, whose right hand makes a sign of blessing and whose left hand holds a sphere topped by a cross.
Originally from Spain, it was given as a dowry to the Duchess Maria Manrique de Lara when she married a Czech nobleman in 1556. Her daughter, Polyxena de Lobkowicz, donated it in 1628 to the monastery of Discalced Carmelites linked to the church of Our Lady of Victories. Many miracles were attributed to it during the Baroque period, including the protection of Prague during the Swedish siege of 1639. It was carried in procession around the city’s churches in 1651, and solemnly crowned in 1655 by the Archbishop of Prague. Pilgrims from all over the world still worship it fervently.
Her famous “wardrobe” contains over a hundred precious items of clothing donated by pilgrims, both famous and unknown. The most beautiful embroidered cloaks, as well as numerous objects linked to the cult of the statue, can be seen in the Museum of the Infant Jesus of Prague, located in the church behind the main altar, on the first floor.
The building itself, with its eventful and original history, is architecturally remarkable. Begun in 1611-1613, it was one of the first Lutheran temples built in Prague during the reign of Emperor Rudolf II for the wealthy Protestants living in the Malá Strana district. According to sources, it was designed by a Catholic architect, most likely Giovanni Maria Fillippi, the official architect of Rudolph II. Very important for the history of architecture in Bohemia, Fillippi’s design (preserved in the Prague City Museum) was directly inspired by contemporary architecture in Rome, mainly by the façade of Giacomo della Porta’s Church of the Trinity of the Mounts. This is considered to be the first proto-Baroque church in Prague, with its central barrel-vaulted nave and two monumental towers.
Everything changed after 1620, following the Czech defeat on White Mountain: the church was taken from the Protestants, given to the Catholic order of Discalced Carmelites and renamed Our Lady Victorious. The Carmelites changed the layout of the church, radically reorienting it from facing the Petřín Hill to facing the street. A new façade was built, again inspired by the most contemporary Roman architecture and the model of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome, whose history is also closely linked to the Battle of the White Mountain. The two towers of Fillippi’s design were never completed, and the old façade was replaced by a very traditional choir with Gothic pointed arches.
