ORIGEM DA DEVOO TO O MENINO JESUS OF PRAGUE
Ferdinand II, Emperor of Germany, to express his appreciation to Our Lord for the famous glass window in a battle, built in 1620, in the city of Prague, a convent of Carmelite Fathers. Bomia passed through very difficult moments, devastated by bloody wars. The city of Prague was the victim of more indicative calamities. In this context, we found these excellent religious, whose monasteries lacked at do indispensable for their survival. Nessa little, lived in Prague pious princess Policena Lobkowitz. Suffering in the soul the urgent needs of the two Carmelites, she presented her with a small wax statue, 48 cm., which represented a formidable Menino Deus, of p, like a straight upright in a good attitude. My left was sure to have a golden globe. Her face was very lovely and funny. The tunic and cloak had been made for the princess herself. This year I will give this statue Carmelite religious years, they said: “My parents, I give you the greatest treasure that I possess in this world. I pay many honors to this Little Jesus and you will lack nothing.”
The Carmelites, very grateful, receive the statue. Placed in the internal oratory of the convent, becoming venerated by those religious bons, especially by Father Cirilo. Sem dvida, this man could receive the title of “Apóstolo do Divino Menino Jesus de Praga”.
The prophecy of the merciful princess comes true literally. The marvelous effects of the proteo do Divino Menino will not take long to manifest. Very quickly, and on several occasions, we verified countless prodgies and the needs of the monastery were miraculously helped.
But once the war exploded in Bomia. In 1631, the army of Saxnia seized the city of Prague. The Carmelite Fathers prudently agreed to be transferred to Munich. During that disastrous time, especially for Prague, devoo ao Menino Jesus caiu no esquecimento. The heretics destroyed the Igreja, looted the monastery, entered the internal oratrium, demolished the statue of Menino Jesus and he would break us, playing with contempt behind the altar.
Not the following year, as two friends withdrew from Prague, the religious were able to return to their convent. But no one remembers the precious statue. For this, sem dvida, or mosteiro viu-se reduced misria, like the rest of the populace. The religious lacked food and two necessary resources to restore their home.
In 1637, after seven years of desolation, Father Cirilo returned to Prague. Bomia, surrounded by enemies on all sides, ran or risked succumbing and, who knows, at losing or inestimable dom da f. In the midst of these sorrows, while Father Guardio exhorts religious years to insist together with God to put an end to so many evils, Father Cirilo takes the opportunity to speak of the irresistible image of Divino Menino. He obtained permission to search for it, and found it, finally, among the rubble behind the altar. He wiped and covered with kisses and tears. Being still intact or face of the image, ele a expos no choir so that you religious to venerate them. These, confident in their proteus, ajoelharam before the Divine Infant, imploring for him to be their refuge, strength and protection in all senses.
From the moment in which the image was placed in its place of honor, or inimito bateu in retreat, the convent was replenished with everything that the religious needed.
Certain day, or Pe. Cirilo prayed before the image, when he clearly heard these words: “Tend pity on me and I have pity on you. Devolve me and I will return you to peace. The more you honor me, the more you will appreciate it.” Really the image was sem as mine, detail for which or Pe. Cirilo wouldn’t attack, he was so happy. Surprised, the good Father immediately ran to the Father Superior’s cell and told him the fact, asking him to send the image to be repaired. The Superior refused to attend to him, alleging the extreme poverty of the convent. The humble devotee of Jesus was called to care for a dying man, Benedito Maskoning, who owed him 100 florins of esmola. Pe. Cirilo raised the money to the Superior, convinced that he could use it to preserve his image. More or Superior, it is better to buy another image, still more beautiful. And so it was feito. O Senhor did not delay to manifest his displeasure. On the same day of the inauguration of the new efgie, a chandelier that was well fixed and secure on the wall came loose and fell on the image, firing off. The Father Superior passes away and is unable to finish his mandate.
I was elected a new Superior. Pe. Cirilo begs him again to keep the image. But once his request was rejected. Sem discourage, or Pe. Cirilo visited Nossa Senhora. His orao will end badly, chamam-no igreja. He is approached by a venerable-looking lady, who gives him a vulgar esmola. This lady disappears without seeing anyone seen entering the church. Cheio with joy, the father was told to the Superior or that he would pass, but this one sé lhe deu meio florim (25 cents). Since such amount is insufficient to restore the image, all volts are zero.
New calamities strike upon the convent. The religious could not pay the expenses of an unproductive property that they had leased. The herds morreram, the plague devastated the city. Many Carmelites, including or Superior, are loved. Everyone will go to Menino Jesus. The Superior penitenced himself and promised to celebrate 10 masses before the statue and propagate his cult. A considerably better situation, more like a continuous image, not the same state, or Pe. Cirilo never tired of lamenting before his generous protector, when he heard these words from his divine gods: “Place me at the entrance to the sacristy and you will find that he takes pity on me.”
As a result, an unaware man appeared who, noticing the beautiful Menino lacking in our care, spontaneously offered to place them, not delaying to be rewarded: in a few days he won a cause quase lost, with which he saved his honor and fortune.
The numerous benefits achieved through the intermediary of the miraculous Menino multiplied day by day the number of his devotees. For this reason, the Carmelites wanted to build a public chapel for them, considering that the place where they should have been erected was indicated by the Holy Virgin ao Pe. Cyril. Porm, we lacked resources and, at best, we were afraid to start this new construction at a time when the Calvinists were devastating all the churches. They were content to place the image in the exterior Chapel, on the altar-mor, in 1642, when Princess Lobkowitz ordered the construction of a new sanctuary, inaugurated in 1644, on the feast day of the Most Holy Name of Jesus.
People from all over came to prostrate themselves before the miraculous Menino: poor, rich, sick, all kinds of people refer to Him as a remedy for all their tribulations.
In 1655, the Count Martinitz, Grand Marqus da Bomia, toasted the image with a precious gold crown set with prongs and diamonds. The Reverend Mr. José de Corte placed the Menino in a solemn choir ceremony.
Uncountable thanks and wonders attributed to the “little Great One” (assim chamam na Alemanha o Menino Jesus de Praga), divulgar-se nas regies mais longnquas, or that fez his cult will be espalhar to our days in a prodigious way.
Devoted to O Menino Jesus de Praga, she was welcomed with love in all the nations. Mosteiros, collios, escolas e famlias tm-lhe dedicated magnificent thrones. Numerous parishes possess a royal statue and, in all the places in which they honor it, O Menino Jesus of Prague showers invaluable favors on its devotees. O Divino Menino desires clusters of grains. Let us venerate it, make it known and loved, and it will open to us the treasures of its goodness. Thus practices of piety established in honor of Menino Jesus of Prague are buried, but those pelas quais ele tem revealed his special complacncia so: to Ladainha do Nome de Jesus; a recitation of 5 pai nossos, ave marias and glrias, followed by the jaculatria: “Blessed seja o Nome do Senhor agora e por todos os osculos dos sculos”, which must also be repeated 5 times; to effective prayer of Father Cirilo; to orao do Rosrio do Menino Jesus; and, finally, to celebrate his feast, which was celebrated on the feast of Our Holy Name, on the Second Sunday of Epiphany.
Reading the story of the miraculous Menino Jesus of Prague leads us to realize that, frequently, the graces requested are granted after a novena of supplications and prayers prayed in his honor. It is also noted that special graces are easily obtained in the following situations: when they are commanded to celebrate masses, doam-se molas poor years in their name and when the devotees tend to participate in two sacraments and publish the graces received.
By means of this new and sympathetic manifestation of divine love, Jesus finally wishes a current calamity that has spread to the entire world: the loss of childhood caused by the education of the antichrist. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who always demonstrated a beloved love for his children, clearly manifests, through this devotion, his great desire to be honored in a special way as King and Savior of childhood, and he wanted, therefore, to transmit to the whole world, especially if you are children, have the merits of the humilhaes suffered in your divine childhood.
Let us dedicate ourselves, ye, to honoring this most amiable Menino, and that we can abundantly obtain his blessings. Particularly you, innocent children, who are glad to be preferred by the heart of the loving Desse Menino Jesus, must profess a fervent devotion to God who became Menino as voces and for voces. Imitate his virtues. I have as an example, be obedient, chaste, loving, caring and compassionate. I traveled to him with total confidence in all his needs and he confessed all the sufferings of the heart of your voices. We pray very much for yourselves, for the Church, for your country, family, teachers and friends. I love-no sincerely and nothing or dislike me. Give yourself to Him or as much as we can. Dem-lhe his soul, his body and heart, so that we keep you pure and innocent. To deserve your constant proteus, carry your medal with love, wear your image with respect. From time to time we practice in his honor some mortificado. Faam-lhe daily some pray that you will heal me in this way you will experience me as a generous bom and Menino Jesus of Prague, or Menino Rei, or Deus enamorado das crianas.
Observe: The festival of Menino Jesus de Praga is celebrated on the first Sunday of June.