HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
MARIA AND ST. ANTONY OF PADUA -
INFANT JESUS OF PRAGUE

Church of Our Lady Victorious; 14KBThe tense religious relationship in the 15th and 16th century resulted in practically no new Catholic churches being built. In Prague the situation was similar. In Mala Strana (old part of Prague) the Lutherans and Calvinists had thair religious congregations. In 1584 one of them built a chapel which was called according to historical sources: chapel of Jan Hus or of St John the Baptist. Soon the chapel was too small. On July 20th 1611 the foundation was laid for a new Protestant church. It was after the attack on Prague by the mercenaries of Passau bishop and the abdication of Rudolf II. on July 26, 1613, that the church, which cost 62, 000 Rhenish guilders, was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The interior of this Lutheran church was very simple.

On May 23rd 1618 was the "Prague Defenestration", when the Czech Court Counsellor of Prague Castle was thrown out of the castle's windows by the Protestants of Prague. It was Vilem Slavata of Chlum and Koshumberk, and Jaroslav Borzita of Martinic who were the main opponent of their camp. With this the 30 year War was initiated.

Engraving of that time; 10KBAt the same time, the Carmelite General, a Spaniard named Dominic a Jesus Maria, left by order of Ferdinand II. for Munich. He joined the soldiers of Tilly and Karl Bonaventura Buquoy, who marched through southern Bohemia into Prague, Father Dominic found a small picture plate in a confiscated monastery belonging to the Johanites in Strakonic (28,5 x 17,5 cm). It showed in late Gothic style, the adoration of Christ in Bethlehem. On it, the Virgin Mary, St. Joseph and the shepherds had their eyes poked out. Father Dominic kept the picture, and he accompanied the Catholic Army till they reached the White Mountain.

On Novenber 6th 1620 a bloody battle raged here. At first, luck was on the side of the Protestants. According to the legend, after Father Dominic a Jesus Maria had blessed the army with this picture, they became to victorious Attack. This victory caused the end of the Protestant government in Czech (Bohemia) for some time.

 

Copy of the Madona of Strakonic; 9KB Considerable significance is placed on the help of the Virgin Mary the Victorious in the War. Some texts of that time refer to a similar victory in the battle of Lepanta in 1571, in which the Catholic army destroied the Turkish flotila. The picture of the Virgin Mary of Strakonic had from that time on a rich history. It was brought to Rome together with the captured flags from the battle of the White mountain. There it was presented to the Pope and brought in procession to the Carmelite church St. Paul on the Quirinal which was later dedicated to the Virgin Marie Victorious. The Emperor Ferdinand II. even crowned the picture. Unfortunately the picture burned in 1853 in a church fire. Luckily already at the time a copy existed, painted in 1622 by R. de Longin. It was donated to the Carmelites of the church at Mala Strana and had been consecrated to the Virgin Mary. To this day it can be seen in the upper part of the High Altar.

Help of Our Lady in the Battle of the White Mountain; 7KB The political conditions of that time allowed a Protestant service to be held in the church of the Holy Trinity, even after the battle of the White Mountain. Only in 1622, the last Lutheran preacher had to leave the church, and the church was closed for some time.

Ferdinand II. promissed to build convents for the Carmelites in memory of the Battle of the White Mountain. The first was founded in 1623 in Vienna. The second he did not have to build, but donated the church of the Holy Trinity on Mala Strana to the Carmelites. The Protestants had abandonned it a long time before. The only condition was, to dedicate it to the Virgin Mary and St. Anthony of Padua, which was carried out. The Emperor Ferdinand II. also gave the Carmelites a house on the southern side of the church and a cemetery with a chapel to St. John newly dedicated to St. Ludwig. On September 7th 1624 the Carmelites were led in festivity to the previous Lutheran church by the Vicar General Kaspar Arsenius of Radbus. Next day it was dedicated to the Virgin Mary the Victorious and St. Anthony of Padua by the Apostolic Nuncius. At the end of October, the Monastic Community was signed.

From the Thirty's of the 17th century until June 3rd 1784, when the Descalced Carmelites had to leave their activity in the church by the decree of Joseph II, the church had to go through many stormy changes during the current wars with the Swedes. After the monastery was abolished, the church became a parish and came under the care of the Maltese Knights.

Currently Prague Cardinal Miloslav Vlk invited the Discalced Carmelites to return after 200 years to their church. That occurred on July 2nd, 1993. The purpose of their activity is, to reawaken the devotion to the Miraculous Infant Jesus and to give pastoral care to Czechs and pilgrims and visitors from all over the world.

Copyright © 2005 - infantjesusmangalore.com.  All rights reserved.