The Black Madonna or Our Lady of Częstochowa is one of my favourite Saints and today Aug 26 marks her Feast day.
“Our Lady of Częstochowa juxtaposes several ideals of womanhood: a powerful, heavenly queen, a suffering mother, a perfect nurturer…(the) scars a sign of suffering she shares with her worshippers. ~ Trochimczyk”
The Black Madonna hears the calls of those with depression, one who is searching to fill the void, folks with fertility & menstruation issues, & people that need her guidance. She is a healer & the light at the end of a dark tunnel although she appears blackened & burned by fire she is filled with answers. The icon of the Madonna has a long history, and legend has it that it was painted by Saint Luke on a piece of a cedar tabletop built by Saint Joseph. Some even say it is part of the table used at the Last Supper.
As Christianity spread, we can easily imagine people moving their worship of their mother goddess into hiding & later on, miraculously ‘rediscovering’ & reintroducing them into Catholic society as Madonnas. The fact that many of them were found hidden in trees & underground caves points to their pagan origins. They are also often kept in crypts near sacred springs & wells (whether this is intentional or not, no one but the Vatican knows). The miraculous qualities of the Black Madonnas (there are many & found all over) lends even further to the idea that they are incarnations of earlier goddesses. Many are associated with fertility & perform miracles around childbirth.
Ways to Honour The Black Madonna on her Feast day - To honour her on this day small gestures of sacrifice will help keep the day holy, bring graces, & deepen your relationship & communion with The Black Madonna. Offer these up in thanksgiving for the graces she has helped obtain for you (past, present, & future.)
- Celebrate that evening with your family by serving a special meal or dessert & telling the story of the saint you are celebrating! Honor her & give thanks for the consolations they provide you.
- And finally for those that do their witchy shit in churches consider going to Mass & offer that Mass in thanksgiving for her intercession.