The Black Madonnna
The small town of Czestochowa was purportedly founded in the 11th century in what was then medieval Poland. A land of few luxuries and much harshness, where superstitions and religion sometimes became mixed.
This small town would have gone unnoticed if not for a small event which would take on huge repercussions, as peoples became more civilized in a country of mostly illiterate savages.
For it is reported that the image of the black Madonna was painted by St. Luke himself as he sat and listened to Our Lady as she told him about her son Jesus, and relayed to him the events that happened which became the Gospel of St. Luke!
Luke himself is reported to have been a convert to Christianity, it was St. Paul himself a fellow citizen of Rome who described Luke as a ‘glorious physician'. Luke was said to be born in Syria, and upon his conversion after he had heard Paul preach he became an active member of the Christian community in Antioch.
The painting that St. Luke had drawn on some cypress wood then disappeared until the year 326 A.D when whilst travelling in Jerusalem, St. Helen had accidentally stumbled upon this most miraculous of all signs, she was awestruck at such a treasure!
Our Lady of Czestochawa was to have quite a chequered past as well as a lively history for it once again reappeared in the year 1382 where Prince Ladislaus, decided to place it at the Church in Czestochowa.
Sadly the painting was desecrated when someone tried to destroy it by slicing at the face of our Lady, luckily he did not succeed in out rightly destroying it. Till this day one can still see the slice marks where with his sword he slashed at the images face.
This image of our Lady was to be accredited with saving Poland from several invasions of Poland. Once, when Sweden tried to invade the country and the peoples prayed to the Black Madonna and the invading Swedish forces fled for their lives. It was this event which led up to King Casimir proclaiming that our Lady would henceforth also be known as Queen of Poland. As a grateful people rushed to give prayers of thanksgiving to this most miraculous of images.
When once again an invading force looked like overtaking Poland, the people turned to the Black Madonna to protect their beloved land from the invasion of the Russians. Their prayers were heard and the Russians turned back, after being defeated in the battle along the Vistula River!
Poland is yet another country that could be described as a nation of tears, for it was to suffer much under the invasion of the German Army in 1939 and then once the war had finished the Russians became the occupiers!
During all this tragedy and suffering on an epic scale the peoples of Poland clung tenaciously to this image of our Lady, the Black Madonna. For this image seemed to strengthen them during the most arduous and heartbreaking times in the course of Poland’s traumatic history.
The late Pope John Paul ll made several visits to Our Lady of Czestochowa to venerate and honour this most auspicious and beloved Holy Image of our Lady, which meant so much to the Polish people.
During the course of the many centuries when many of the Polish peasants would light candles as they prayed before this Holy image, it led to the picture becoming the shade of black.
But it is unique that from the early beginnings of Christianity to the present day the Black Madonna survives, who knows in the coming centuries the many miracles it will accomplish!
I would encourage all to read more about Our Lady of Czestochowa.
Peace of Christ to you ALL
Copyright © 2005 Marie Smith. All rights reserved.
