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Friends of the Rosary,
We celebrate today the feast of Our Lady of Częstochowa, also known as the Black Madonna.
The icon enshrined in Jasna Góra (Bright Hill) Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland, was painted by Luke the Evangelist on a cypress wood panel from a table used by the Holy Family in Nazareth.
This Byzantine icon was discovered by St. Helen, the mother of Emperor Constantine and enshrined in the imperial city of Constantinople, where it remained for the next 500 years. The image was then brought to Poland in the 14th century.
The image of Our Lady of Częstochowa is associated with several miraculous events.
After the liberation of Poland from Nazi occupation, 1.5 million people gathered at Jasna Góra in 1945 to rededicate the nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Our Lady’s intercession is credited with the liberation of Poland from Communist rule.
Pope John Paul II visited the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa four times during his pontificate.
The holy painting enshrined at Częstochowa has been a lighthouse of hope during centuries of hardship and defeat. Today, the Shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa attracts millions of people who love and honor Our Lady’s intercession.
It is known as the “Black Madonna” because of the soot residue that discolors the painting as a result of centuries of votive lights and candles burning in front of the painting.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
To Jesus through Mary!
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
Please give us the grace to respond with joy!
+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New York
