- The Black Madonna of Czestochov   -

Mother of God Icon: Hodegitria = "The guide to the path“. The name is said to be connected to the Hodegon Monastery (Greek: hodegos = guide) in Constantinople.  The archetype of this icon genre is said to have been painted by St. Luke himself. 
The shrine or miracle-working image of the Mother of God of Czestochov, the most important Catholic pilgrimage site in Poland, is also known as the Black Madonna of Jasna Gora (a Paulinian monastery erected in 1377 at Czestochov).  There are two versions of the history of this image from Jasna Gora:  the traditional version, which is tied to the legend and the scientific version, which was reconstructed by art historians. According to the traditional version, the picture was painted by Luke the Evangelist on the top of the holy family’s table.  It is said that St. Luke painted two pictures of the Virgin Mary; one of which is in Czestochov. This and other information comes from a manuscript bearing the title " Translatio tabulae ". A copy from the year 1474 is kept in the archives of the Jasna Gora monastery.  However, according to the scientific version, the Jasna Gora painting was originally a Byzantine icon of Tyt (see preceding) Hodegitria, which archaeologists were able to date as originating from the time between the sixth and ninth centuries. Since 1382, this shrine, this icon, is said to be in the possession of the monastery.  On 14th April 1430, an attack by a gang of thieves from Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia took place and the image was badly damaged.  In 1717, the coronation of the sacred relic took place.  1909: the crowns and a dress were stolen. 1910: second coronation of the shrine.  1920: the Polish episcopacy declared Maria Queen of Poland.  1979:  The Pope visited the shrine. 1982: the 600th anniversary of the shrine was celebrated.