Our Lady of Czestochowa
Black Madonna
[Novena]
Feast day: August 26
Our Lady of Czestochowa, also known as the Black Madonna of Czestochowa is a famous painting. Tradition says that it was painted by St. Luke on a table built by Saint Joseph. Some also recount that it was done on a piece of wood cut from the table of the Last Supper. The painting is located at the monastery of Jasna Gora (meaning Mount of Light) in Poland.
Icon
The Virgin Mary is “One Who Shows the Way” or in Greek as the “Hodegetria”. Mary always guides her beloved children to Her Heavenly Son, Jesus Christ. In this icon, we see Mary’s right hand gesturing toward the Infant Jesus. She is directing the attention away from herself and pointing it to Jesus. In turn, we observe the Child Jesus extending his right hand toward us (the viewers) and giving us His blessing. In his left hand, He is holding the book of the Holy Gospels. As in many icons, Jesus resembles a small man, this is to remind us that Jesus, even as a little child was is fully mature in his Divinity.
History of Her Scars
In the 15th century, the Polish Prince St. Ladislaus was owner of the painting. His palace was attacked by the Tatars and the painting enshrined in his castle was hit by an arrow and pierced the throat area of Our Lady. He decided to move the icon to his home town in order to keep it safe. Since it was a long journey he decided to stop for the night at Czestochowa. The next morning, as he started to leave, the horses pulling the wagon containing the painting of Our Lady refused to move forward. Saint Ladislaus understood this as a sign from God that the painting was to remain in Czestochowa. The icon was placed in the care of the Pauline Fathers (Order of the Hermits of Saint Paul). For the past 600 years and to this day, the Pauline Fathers guard and care this Sacred Image.
In 1430, the Hussites (followers of John Huss) invaded the monastery of Jasna Gora. The painting was struck twice with a sword. The poor bandit attempting to strike it a third time, fell to the ground and died.
Many artists have desperately tried to repair the icon by painting over the scars and even by stitching them back together, but the scars of Our Lady keep reappearing at the surface.
The Great Miracle
General Miller and an army of 12,000 Protestant invaders attempted to take the monastery-fortress of Jasna Gora in 1655. The prior of the monastery refusing to give away such holy place to desecrators and herectics turned to Our Lady of Czestochowa with 40 holy monks for help. The monks unceasingly prayed and pleaded before Our Lady to have the strength and courage for battle. While they were battling a mysterious “Lady” dressed in blue began to appear on the ramparts of the monastery and she herself was seen loading the canons. The invaders, terrified at this event, fled away calling the beautiful Lady in blue a “witch.”
Many more miracles and Divine interventions happened during the battle. General Miller had a vision of Our Lady of which he says of: “It is absolutely not comparable to that virgin who appeared to me; for it is not possible to see anything comparable on earth. Something of the celestial and Divine, which frightened me from the beginning, shone in her face.”
St. Brother Albert entrusted his Congregation family to the care of Our Lady of Czestochowa, of whom he spoke on his deathbed: “Always keep in mind, that the Blessed Virgin of Czestochowa is your Foundress”. He also wrote: “I choose the Holy Mother as my guardian in hardship. I want to give her special honor for my entire life and eternity”. Therefore, the Sisters particularly revere the Mother of God and love her with a child’s love, calling for her help and imitating her virtues.
We encourage all to read more about Our Lady of
Czestochowa and of Her great miracles!