of the Infant Jesus of Prague
The pilgrimage feast of the Church of the Infant Jesus of Prague, celebrated as the anniversary of the coronation of the statue in 1655, takes place every year on the first Sunday of May.This feast seeks to recall that Jesus was a fragile and defenseless child and, at the same time, as God, holds the whole world in His hands. This day belongs in a special way to children.
The weekend around the first Sunday of May is dedicated to the celebrations of the Infant Jesus of Prague. The statue is dressed in royal ermine garments and is displayed throughout Saturday and Sunday in the presbytery, allowing the faithful to approach it more closely and pray face to face before this precious icon.
The main pilgrimage Mass with the coronation takes place on Sunday at 10 a.m. During the English Mass at 12 p.m., the ceremony of presenting roses is held, through which people can express their joy and gratitude. Next Coronation Celebration will take place on Sunday May 3rd 2026.
This feast has its roots in history. The Martinic counts were great devotees of the Infant Jesus. At their initiative, in 1651 a procession with the statue of the Infant Jesus took place through the churches of Prague. In 1655, the Bishop of Prague solemnly crowned the miraculous statue with a crown commissioned by Bernard of Martinic, the Supreme Burgrave of the Kingdom of Bohemia. Today, the Infant Jesus has three crowns. On the day of the feast, it is crowned with the crown from 1767. A later crown from 1820 can be seen in the museum, along with the crown that Pope Benedict XVI gifted during his visit in 2009.
Nowadays, the celebration is less pompous, with greater emphasis on the spiritual meaning of what is being celebrated. Through its fragility, the Infant Jesus points to our human vulnerability, while His royal insignia, including the crown, recall Christ’s royal dignity — and thus the dignity of every person. As a small, defenseless king, the Infant Jesus shows the strength of helplessness, the power of tenderness and kindness — a paradoxical way in which God Himself approaches the world. A king whose kingdom is not of this world.
