Father Cirillo's devotion to the Infant Jesus of Prague and his medal
Father Cyril was the first great propagator of the devotion to the holy Child Jesus who from now on will be called "Prague", precisely for the place from which it originates. The devotion to the Child Jesus in the Prague convent was born from the faith of Father Giovanni Ludovico dell'Assunta in 1628. According to the narrator of the chronicler, newly elected prior Father Giovanni, "he ordered the sub-prior and master of novices, Father Cipriano of Santa Maria, who , to educate the new religious, he procured a beautiful statue or an image representing the child of God in an infantile form and placed it in the common oratory, where the friars dedicated themselves to prayer every day, morning and evening; so that, looking at the statue or the image, they were gradually induced to understand the humility of Jesus our Savior ". The sub-prior found the person who donated the desired statue in Princess Polissena of Lobkowicz. It was a family memory and the princess in 1628, widowed, donated the wax figurine of the Child Jesus to the convent so that it could be properly kept there.
Only a few years later, in 1641, at the request of lay devotees, the statue of the Child Jesus found a place in the church, offered to public veneration. The faithful flocked to it with simplicity and confidence. It became true what one day the venerable Father Cirillo was heard to say in his heart, while praying in front of the image restored in honor, but still with the signs of the outrage made by the heretics who had cut the hands of the figurine:
“Have pity on me and I will have pity on you; give me my hands and I will give you peace. The more you honor me, the more I will favor you. "
Devotion to that image became popular in Prague and began to cross the borders of Czechoslovakia because the Discalced Carmelites promoted it assiduously in each of their churches.
Among all the centers of worship and devotion to the holy Child Jesus of Prague, the sanctuary-basilica of Arenzano (Genoa-Italy) stands out today for the fame and the turnout of the faithful.
THE MEDAL of the BABY JESUS of PRAGUE
It is a "Malta" cross of common size, engraved with the image of the Infant Jesus of Prague, and is blessed. It is very effective against the pitfalls of the devil who tries to harm both souls and bodies.
It draws its effectiveness from the image of the Child Jesus and from the cross. Some gospel words are engraved on it, almost all pronounced by the Divine Master. The initials are read around the figure of the Child Jesus: "VRS" Vade retro, Satan (Vattene, Satan); "RSE" Rex sum ego (I am king); "ART" Adveniat regnum tuum (Thy kingdom come).
But the most effective invocation to keep the devil away and prevent him from doing harm is certainly the name "Jesus".
Other words present are: Verbum caro factum est (And the Word became flesh), which are engraved on the back of the medal, with those around the monogram of Christ that say: Vincit, Regnat, Imperat, nos ab omni malo defendat (Vince , Reigns, Domina, defends us from all evil).
The safeguard medal is sent to those who request it from the sanctuary.
SANCTUARY OF BABY JESUS
STRAIGHT CARMELITE FATHERS
Piazzale Santo Bambino 1
16011 Arenzano GENOA
PRAYER TO BABY JESUS of PRAGUE
revealed by Mary Most Holy to VP Cyril of the Discalced Carmelite Mother of God and first apostle of devotion to the Holy Child of Prague.
O Baby Jesus, I appeal to you, and I pray that through the intercession of your Holy Mother, you will want to assist me in my need (it can be explained), because I firmly believe that your Divinity can help me. I hope so confidently to obtain your holy grace. I love you with all my heart and with all the strength of my soul; I sincerely repent of my sins, and I beg you, good Jesus, to give me the strength to triumph over them. I propose not to offend you anymore, and to you I offer myself willing to suffer everything, instead of giving you the slightest disgust. From now on I want to serve you with all fidelity, and, for your sake, Divine Child, I will love my neighbor as myself. Almighty baby, Lord Jesus, I again beg you, assist me in this circumstance ... Give me the grace to possess you eternally with Mary and Joseph, and to adore you with the holy Angels in the Court of Heaven. So be it.