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The Christ Child of Loreto (Salzburger Kindl) is a miraculous statue of the infant Jesus now housed in Maria Loreto Convent in Salzburg, Austria.
Dating from the 17th century, the small statue of the Christ Child originated in Switzerland. It was given to a Capuchin priest named Fr. John Chrysostom Schenk by his monastic superior. The priest held the statue very dear to his heart and took it with him on all his priestly errands in a small wooden box.
Friar Schenk was much loved for his tireless work on behalf of the poor and sick, and his statue of the Christ Child seemed to be especially powerful in healing the sick. The priest often loaned it out to those in need, and it always returned to him in excellent condition. Schenk died on November 25, 1634, but devotion to his cherished statue continued.
In 1635, cathedral provost Paris Graf von Lodron granted asylum to a group of Swedish refugee nuns from Landshut, and he had the Maria Loreto Convent built for them. The convent was completed in 1648.
Eventually, the miraculous statue was entrusted to the Capuchin nuns of Salzburg. The Christ Child of Loreto is enshrined in their chapel, engulfed in precious jewels and surrounded by a tabernacle decorated with golden angels and silver clouds. It is carried in the church for every service.
Quick Facts
The Maria Loreto Convent is open to visitors year-round and Mass is celebrated daily. It is located on Paris-Lodron-Strasse in the heart of Salzburg near the Mirabell Garden (see map above). The church is small and easily missed – look for a yellow building with brown doors and a small sign saying "Loreto Kirche."
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Article Sources
- Kevin Wright, Catholic Shrines of Central and Eastern Europe
- Loretokirche - Loreto Church - Visit Salzburg
