Our Lady of Czestochowa, pray for us!

Today is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Czestochowa. According to legend, after the crucifixion of Jesus, when the Virgin Mary moved to Saint John's home, she took with her some personal articles, among them a table made by Jesus in Saint Joseph's workshop.

The legend continues that when the pious women of Jerusalem asked Saint Luke to do a painting of the Mother of God, he used this table to paint the image. The image remained in Jerusalem for a time, until the Romans began to destroy the city. Divine providence guided the image to Constantinople, where it was carefully protected by the Christians there.

During a war in the middle of the fourteenth century, the image was struck by an enemy arrow. Prince Wladyslaw, in order to prevent the destruction of the image, decided to transport it to the land of his birth. While traveling through Poland, with the image in a horse drawn carriage, the horses refused to go any further when they reached the town of Czestochowa. The prince went up to the chapel on top of the hill Jasna Gora to pray, since he saw the horses' refusal to go on as a divine message. In a dream, Our Lady appeared to him, and told him she wanted the image to be venerated there in Czestochowa. This was in the year 1382. The prince ordered the building a a bigger and more elaborate Church, along with a monastery. Pilgrims began traveling from all over to venerate the image. She has been in Czestochowa since this time, and has become a national treasure of the Polish people, who venerate her as the Queen of Poland. The present Basilica in which the image resides was built in 1902.

A star with six vertices is depicted on Mary’s forehead. Both the Virgin and Jesus have golden halos. Given the dark color of the face and hands of Our Lady, the image has been fondly called “the Black Virgin." Her darkness may have been caused by the poor conditions of the places where she was hidden or to the numerous candles lit before her, causing her to be constantly amidst smoke. As well, she most likely has been touched by a multitude of people. In the image, the wounds on her face were caused by some bandits who tried to steal the image in 1430. The wound on her throat was caused by the Tartars who besieged the castle of Belz; one of the enemy’s arrows went through the Chapel’s window and hit the icon.

The two cuts on the cheek of the Virgin, along with the harm previously caused by the spear through her throat, always reappear despite the repeated attempts to restore the image. Throughout the history of the icon, our Blessed Mother has manifested her powerful intercession and countless miracles.

Our Lady of Czestochowa, we entrust all the petitions we receive to your loving care and protection.