Portrayals of the Virgin Mary (usually statues or paintings) that have dark-colored skin are usually referred to as Black Madonna. An icon of the Catholic or Orthodox church, the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus appear to be dark skinned in these representations.
There are about 500 Black Madonnas in Europe, alone, and these are the widely known ones. Others are around the world as well.
What makes this fascinating is the fact that the Virgin is often depicted with fair skin. This, however, makes the Black Madonna different from the norm and many theories have been put forward to explain why.
Some have said the candles around the statues or paintings have gradually darkened them while others are arguing that these depictions were a deliberate attempt by artiste to portray Virgin Mary as a dark-skinned woman. There have been instances where some “miraculous” events have been credited to the Black Madonna.
Here is a list of four popular Black Madonnas.
Black Madonna of Montserrat
The Black Madonna of Montserrat is a wooden sculpture that is believed to have been carved during the early days of Christianity in Jerusalem. The myth surrounding the Black Madonna of Montserrat is that, it has a dark skin because it is meant to signify an African version of the Virgin Mary. Historical depictions of the statue, however, say the wood just became dark over time probably due to various atmospheric conditions making the effigy dark skinned.
Our Lady of Czestochowa
Another depiction of the Virgin Mary that became a Black Madonna over time is an icon known as Our Lady of Czestochowa, which may today be found in the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland. According to tradition, the icon was painted by St Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop made by Jesus, the carpenter and was found by St Helena on her pursuit of the True Cross. She then presented it to the Roman emperor Constantine, her son.
Our Lady of Rocamadour
France has the highest number of Black Madonnas in the world – about 300 of them, according to a study by the University of Dayton. Carved of walnut wood, this Black Madonna is thought to be more than 1,000 years old. Many believe the statue can resuscitate babies, protect sailors, free captives, and promote fertility. Many notable visitors have visited the shrine, including St. Louis of France and Henry II of England. Located in the Southwest of France, visitors must climb 216 steps.
Our Lady of the Hermits in Einsiedeln
Switzerland ranks as one of the most revered of all Madonnas. It is in a Benedictine Abbey and her titles include Die Schwarze Madonna, Madonna in the Dark Wood, and Our Dear Lady of Einsiedeln. The statue is four feet tall.
In 948, Conrad of Constance was praying in the chapel when he witnessed Christ and the angels performing the dedication rites after another chapel was built over the original chapel that housed the statue.To honour Our Lady of Hermits, a papal bull of 11th November 966 allowed the celebration of the anniversary of this miracle and pardoned the sins of pilgrims to the shrine.
HISTORYBOOK
Credited to Ama Nunoo
Writer
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