August 26th is the Feast Day of Our Lady of Częstochowa. The icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa, also known as the Black Madonna, is a painting of the Madonna and Christ Child which legend states was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist.
Even more captivating is that it is believed to have been originally painted on a tabletop from a cypress wood table built by St. Joseph for the Holy Family. Further it was discovered by St. Helena in 326 AD in the Holy Land and taken to Constantinople where it remained for centuries, being venerated by many royal families there.
It ended up in Southern Poland as part of a wedding dowry between royals and then in 1382 it was taken to Czestochowa during a war by Ladislaus, Prince of Pole. It was damaged in 1430, leaving slashes on the face of the Virgin Mary.
Through the most recent centuries miraculous events such as spontaneous healings occurring to those who made a pilgrimage to the portrait have been documented. Our Lady of Czestochowa gets its name “Black Madonna” from the soot residue that discolors the painting. The soot is the result of centuries of votive lights and candles burning in front of the painting, making the Blessed Mother and Child Jesus even more precious.
