The Black Madonna, in Missouri
I think about the pleasure of entering for the first time into a very old story. This story.
"Why is She referred to as The Black Madonna?" asks the brochure. The simple black on white brochure that I want, instinctively, compulsively, to set right. I want to make neat margins around the text that almost leaves the pages at its right edges. But luckily, I am on vacation, although the obsessions of my work trail after me. Besides, the story is too rich for the distractions of design, illustration, and textured papers. The history of the painting of Mary--executed by St. Luke in oil paints on a cypress wood table top, from life, leading to miracle after miracle, hidden and found over centuries, attacked and scarred but indestructible, moved to Poland where more protections and miracles occured until Our Lady of Czestochowa was crowned as Queen of Poland--is far too long to relate here.
"Black Madonna is a nickname. It refers to the skin tones of Mary and the baby Jesus. We must remember that Mary, Jesus, St. Joseph lived in a hot arid climate. Their skin tone would be dark brown or olive in order to survive the intensity of the sun and avoid skin cancer.
It wasn't until the Renaissance that we begin to have paintings of Jesus and Mary with alabaster skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. Previously, all religious artwork reflected the olive skin, black or brown hair and eyes of the Holy Family and the Apostles.
...
Also, the painting was in a major fire in Constantinople. Tens of thousands of pots of incense were burned before the painting while it was in the Eastern Orthodox Church. And, it has had millions of wax candles placed before it as prayerful offerings.
All of these have gone into the darkening of the Holy Image of Our Blessed Mother Mary." End of quote.
There seem to be 3 images of The Black Madonna in the Open Air Chapel of the Hills, and despite the brochure, I don't understand the origin of each. The one in this picture is above the altar. Below it on the table is a picture of Pope John Paul.
"Why is She referred to as The Black Madonna?" asks the brochure. The simple black on white brochure that I want, instinctively, compulsively, to set right. I want to make neat margins around the text that almost leaves the pages at its right edges. But luckily, I am on vacation, although the obsessions of my work trail after me. Besides, the story is too rich for the distractions of design, illustration, and textured papers. The history of the painting of Mary--executed by St. Luke in oil paints on a cypress wood table top, from life, leading to miracle after miracle, hidden and found over centuries, attacked and scarred but indestructible, moved to Poland where more protections and miracles occured until Our Lady of Czestochowa was crowned as Queen of Poland--is far too long to relate here.
"Black Madonna is a nickname. It refers to the skin tones of Mary and the baby Jesus. We must remember that Mary, Jesus, St. Joseph lived in a hot arid climate. Their skin tone would be dark brown or olive in order to survive the intensity of the sun and avoid skin cancer.
It wasn't until the Renaissance that we begin to have paintings of Jesus and Mary with alabaster skin, blue eyes and blonde hair. Previously, all religious artwork reflected the olive skin, black or brown hair and eyes of the Holy Family and the Apostles.
...
Also, the painting was in a major fire in Constantinople. Tens of thousands of pots of incense were burned before the painting while it was in the Eastern Orthodox Church. And, it has had millions of wax candles placed before it as prayerful offerings.
All of these have gone into the darkening of the Holy Image of Our Blessed Mother Mary." End of quote.
There seem to be 3 images of The Black Madonna in the Open Air Chapel of the Hills, and despite the brochure, I don't understand the origin of each. The one in this picture is above the altar. Below it on the table is a picture of Pope John Paul.
posted by Susan at 11:26 AM
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