Palm Sunday...

Yesterday was Palm Sunday and we again joined the procession of the combined, Czech, English and Spanish communities within the parish. We met at the Church of the Infant Jesus at 9:30 a.m. and then the procession, with a child on a donkey representing Christ, journeyed to St. Thomas church, passing other churches within the parish along the way. The procession only took about 15 minutes and was a walk of just about six blocks.



Here is the inside of the Church of the Infant Jesus (also known as the Church of the lady Victorious). The web site angelfire.com has this to say about the church: The history of the Infant Jesus of Prague started in the 17th century when a statue of the Infant Jesus was brought into Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) and eventually was given to the Discalced Carmelites in Prague. Since then, the statue has remained in Prague and has drawn many devotees worldwide to go and honor the Holy Child. It has been said that many graces, blessings, favors and miraculous healings have been received by many who petitioned before the Infant Jesus. In 1776 the altar was rebuilt using marble and two huge sculptures of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph were placed to the left and right sides of the altar. The Holy Infant was kept in a glass case standing on a pedestal engraved with crystals, and surrounding the Infant are twenty angels in gold.


The procession wound through back streets an near to the Charles bridge on its way to St. Thomas. Many tourists seemed surprised to have stumbled across the procession, not sure what it was (a parade?) and quickly snapped pictures.


The procession and boy on the donkey (in red) approach St. Thomas. The web site for the Church of St. Thomas is here, and includes church history.