History of the Christ Child

When Camilla Battista Varani joined the Poor Clare monastery, Blessed Pietro da Magliano, Sister Battista’s spiritual father, gifted Camilla a wooden doll of the baby Jesus, referred to as the Christ Child. It was common custom of the spiritual fathers to give wooden dolls to the sisters when they entered the monastery.

The Christ Child doll is attributed to the sculptor Domenico Indivini, the same artist who is said to have carved the precious crucifix for the Poor Clare monastery in 1489. The Christ Child doll itself is dressed in a sumptuous robe embroidered by the Poor Clare sisters of the monastery. The vestment of the doll is a symbol of devotion to the Epiphany. Additionally, the Christ Child wears a ring on its finger.

As told by the Poor Clare nuns of Camerino, Italy, the Christ Child’s ring is linked to a very powerful legend. Sister Camilla Battista, during one of her mystical experiences, asked the Christ Child to give her its ring. However, to prevent Camilla from grabbing the ring, Jesus Christ animated the Christ Child and brought the right wooden hand up to the chin of the doll. After that, the ring was unable to be taken off.

Sister Battista had a very personal relationship with Christ, and their spiritual marriage was clear from this experience. Saint Camilla references this mystical experience in her autobiography.

The Christ Child Today

Today, the Christ Child doll is kept at the original Poor Clare monastery in Camerino, Italy. The doll miraculously survived the devastating earthquake in Camerino, Italy of 2016. When recovery teams sifted through the wreckage, the wooden doll of baby Jesus was discovered beneath the rubble, intact and completely unscratched. This discovery is seen by many as a miracle.

The Christ Child doll has been displayed at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England in their exhibition celebrating the religion of Renaissance Italy. The Christ Child is transported to the Fitzwilliam Museum each year to be revered by crowds of people who queue up to kiss the doll on the Feast of the Epiphany.