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Our Lady of Czestochowa

Holy Card
1950-1970 (Printed and published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Black Madonna of Częstochowa is a 6th to 9th-century Byzantine icon of the Virgin and Child of the type known as Hodegetria (Guide of Wayfarers) because of the Virgin’s gesture indicating the Christ child on her arm as the way to salvation. It has been venerated in its current location, the monastery of Jasna Góra (Hill of Light) in the city of Częstochowa in Southern Poland, since 1384. According to legend, the original icon, of which little remains after various restorations, was painted by Saint Luke on a cedar table top from the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Pope Clement XI recognised the thaumaturgic prestige of the icon with a canonical coronation in 1717 and subsequent depictions show the Virgin and Christ child wearing crowns. This holy card was published in America in the mid-20th century by a pious association dedicated to propagating devotion to the Virgin Mary.

Object details

Category
Object type
TitleOur Lady of Czestochowa (published title)
Materials and techniques
Colour halftone offset lithography, relief printed with gold
Brief description
Our Lady of Czestochowa, holy card issued by the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, America, about 1960.
Physical description
Rectangular holy card (portrait format) printed on cream paper. Front: colour image of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa overprinted with gold background, lettered below the image with title printed in black. Back: information about the image, an indlugenced prayer to the Virgin Mary, imprimatur and publisher's credit, printed in black.
Dimensions
  • Height: 10.8cm
  • Width: 7cm
Content description
The Black Madonna of Czestochowa
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
Our Lady of Czestochowa (Lettered in black below the image)
Subjects depicted
Summary
The Black Madonna of Częstochowa is a 6th to 9th-century Byzantine icon of the Virgin and Child of the type known as Hodegetria (Guide of Wayfarers) because of the Virgin’s gesture indicating the Christ child on her arm as the way to salvation. It has been venerated in its current location, the monastery of Jasna Góra (Hill of Light) in the city of Częstochowa in Southern Poland, since 1384. According to legend, the original icon, of which little remains after various restorations, was painted by Saint Luke on a cedar table top from the house of the Holy Family in Nazareth. Pope Clement XI recognised the thaumaturgic prestige of the icon with a canonical coronation in 1717 and subsequent depictions show the Virgin and Christ child wearing crowns. This holy card was published in America in the mid-20th century by a pious association dedicated to propagating devotion to the Virgin Mary.
Collection
Accession number
E.984-2012

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Record createdSeptember 5, 2013
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