Analysis: The general belief was that you should leave the statue outside under a bush the night before the wedding to ensure good weather
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I've written elsewhere of old Irish weather lore and our ancestors’ preoccupation with forecasting the weather in an age before modern meteorology. I have also written of traditional Irish wedding customs and how certain rituals ensured good luck for the future married couple.
The Child of Prague statue brings both wedding and weather customs together. It’s a plaster icon depicting Jesus as a young child, bestowing blessings, crowned and draped in regal robes. This is a distinct departure from the common portrayals of Jesus as a baby, or as an adult during the crucifixion.
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From RTÉ 2fm's Jennifer Zamparelli Show, Cormac Battle on the nostalgic appeal of a Child of Prague statue
The general belief in Ireland was that one should leave the Child of Prague statue outside under a bush the night before the wedding to ensure good weather on the day. While other wedding traditions such as lucky horseshoes, the 'drag’ and mummers no longer feature as much as they used to, this ritual endures in many Irish wedding traditions still. So why does this odd little statue still hold sway in modern Ireland?
Ireland is an island in the middle of the Atlantic, prone to changeable weather systems, and we as a people have not lost our concern with the weather. On a wedding day, when good weather is desirable to bring additional joy to a celebratory day, some will resort to prayer.
In the past, some times of the year were deemed unlucky to marry (Catholics did not marry during certain periods such as Lent, for example) and the month of June became very popular for weddings. One would expect June in Ireland to be mild and relatively dry with long, bright days but it can be changeable, with the expected sunny so-called "exam weather" of early June often giving way to cooler conditions and showers.
The Child of Prague being placed outside was often a last-minute plea against a bleak forecast, anything being worth a try for such an important day. When it did work, it was attributed to the statue and the tradition took hold and continued.
There are regional variations to the ritual. Some put the statue in the front window of the house overnight, while others place it in a hallway or even bury it outside. In Ireland, the burial of holy objects (such as medals, for example) was not unknown, a survival perhaps of an ancient pre-Christian practice of depositing offerings to the land gods or spirits.
The true history of the statue has very little to do with Irish weather lore, and it seems these rituals were accrued in Ireland. Child of Prague statues are plaster copies of a wooden sculpture dating from the 16th century known as the Infant Jesus of Prague. The original was brought to Bohemia (now the Czech Republic) by a female Spanish royal who married a local nobleman. Eventually, it found its home in the Church of Our Lady Victorious in Prague and became an object of veneration as it was believed to have miraculous properties.
The popularity of Child of Prague statues in Ireland largely occurred from the late 19th century, a period marked by a surge in Catholic piety and the mass production of religious artifacts. Icons such as statues, pictures and medals became affordable, and some were considered essential wedding gifts to bring luck and blessings to a new union.
Irish Catholic homes had a proliferation of holy objects, places and altars. There might be a holy water font in the hall, crucifixes in bedrooms or a holy shelf with pictures of particular saints, miraculous medals and small relics. The most prominence was given to framed prints of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, Our Lady or the Holy Family. When rural electrification took place in the 20th century, these were often illuminated by electric lamps fitted on the wall: the Sacred Heart would be given a red bulb, while Our Lady was given blue.
Plaster statues of these holy figures were commonly displayed in the home and the Child of Prague was firmly established as an essential part of the collection by the 20th century. Unfortunately, these widely available and often cheaply made imports were prone to damage. The neck, supporting the child’s large head, was the narrowest part of the statue and this inherent weakness meant it often broke off. Indeed, some believed that the statue would be more powerful in delivering positive answers to prayers if this beheading occured by accident.
From Hat Trick Comedy, the Child of Prague is kidnapped on Derry Girls
A particular statue was also deemed more powerful if it was old and in continuous generational use. The Child of Prague statue, along with the weather traditions associated with him, garnered a strong devotional following in Ireland, alongside other popular figures like St. Padre Pio and St. Anthony.
So why and when did the belief take hold that the statue could bring about good weather for weddings? It may be to do with the fact that it was frequently bequeathed as a wedding gift by mothers to daughters, aunts or female cousins. Given their more significant roles in wedding rituals, the women of the house were more likely to place the Child of Prague in a prominent position on the wedding day, as part of the hustle, bustle and excitement of the night before. Anecdotal evidence suggested it was effective often enough that the tradition became an important tick-box in the preparation of Irish weddings with even some Protestant families following the ritual in the hope for fine weather.
It's a fascinating blend of historical circumstance, religious devotion and shared-island cultural practices. Despite being of foreign origin, the traditions surrounding the Child of Prague statue here are from a parallel folk tradition, appropriated in our own way, so that it has become a truly Irish cultural icon.
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The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
