The feast day of Our Lady of Częstochowa is celebrated on 26 August. The miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa is one of the oldest icons of the Blessed Virgin in the world. The image portrays the Virgin Mary’s sadness and suffering.

Prior to 1382, the history of the miraculous icon is shrouded in legend and tradition: St. Luke the Evangelist painted the icon on a cypress tabletop from the House of the Holy Family at Nazareth. In 326 AD, St. Helena found the icon in Jerusalem and brought it to Constantinopole where it remained for centuries venerated by the emperor’s family.

Te Holy Picture reached Southern Poland as part of a dowry in a marriage between the royal families. In 1382, Ladislaus, Prince of Opole, brought the picture to Częstochowa during a war. A devastating attack by Hussite raiders in 1430 resulted in damages to the Holy Picture. Despite the attempt to repair the damage, the slashes on the face of the Virgin Mary are still visible.

The Black Madonna is said to have miraculously saved the monastery of Jasna Góra from a Swedish invasion in 1655.

In 1717, Pope Clement XI honoured the image with a pontifical decree of canonical coronation, crowning her as Queen and Protector of Poland.

„Holy Mother of Częstochowa,

you are full of grace, goodness, and mercy.

I consecrate to you all my thoughts, words, and actions

my soul and body.

I beseech your blessings and especially prayers for my salvation.

Our Lady of Częstochowa, Queen of Poland, pray for us”.

Nel Badowska

Pictures: British Poles and Foter