LOVING LIFE... A Publication of Love Fellowship Christian Center, Inc. OCT/NOV 4.1 | Page 14

THE BLACK MADONNA
by Kathy Kimbrough
Some of you may have seen the movie or read the book The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid which
was set in the American South in 1964. Three black beekeeping sisters own a figurehead of a black Mary,
which was actually a carving from the bow of an ancient ship. The story then goes on to explain the history of how a man by the name of Obadiah, who was a slave, found this figure. The slaves thought that
God had answered their prayers asking for rescue and freedom. The figurehead gave them hope, and had
since been passed down for many generations. The three sisters used the image of The Black Madonna
on the label for the honey they sold. But who or what is The Black Madonna?
The Black Madonna or Black Virgin is a statue or painting of Mary in which she is depicted with dark
skin either standing or seated on throne. The statues are mostly wooden but occasionally stone and often
painted. The pictures are painted in the Byzantine style and date back to the 12thto 15thcentury.
The first notable study of the origin and meaning of The Black Madonna was presented by Leonard Moss
at a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science on 28 thDecember 1952. Moss
broke the images into three categories: 1) dark brown or black Madonna with a physical appearance and
skin pigmentation matching that of the indigenous population; 2) various art forms that have turned
black as a result of certain physical factors such as: deterioration of lead-based paints; accumulated
smoke from the use of candles; and a buildup of grime over the ages, and 3) the remaining category with
no explanation.
There are about 450–500 Black Madonna’s in Europe, with as many as 180 in France alone, where they
are referred to as Vierges Noires. Some have been placed in museums, but most remain in churches or
shrines and are greatly revered. Most have even been associated with miracles and attract a considerable
numbers of visitors and pilgrims.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa is a Polish-American Roman Catholic shrine near
Doylestown, Pennsylvania, founded in 1953, which hosts a reproduction of The Black Madonna icon of
Czestochowa, Poland. The original icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa has been associated with Poland for
the past six hundred years. Its history prior to its arrival in Poland is shrouded in numerous legends
which trace the icon’s origin to Luke the Apostle who painted it on a cedar table top from the house of
the Holy Family. This Black Madonna is said to have repelled invading Swedes, cured illnesses, survived
unscathed from fires, thwarted robbers by becoming so heavy the icon could not be lifted by the thieves,
and even looters dropping down dead when they attempted to steal the icon.

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