Black Madonna of Czestochowa Icon

This icon of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa is silkscreen printed on gessoed cotton canvas, mounted on a solid carved wood board, and handmade in Greece. The halos, inscriptions, and ornamental details are hand-painted, and gold leaf is applied by hand to the background. The panel is finished with a protective varnish and arrives with a certificate of authenticity, gift-ready for a home icon corner.

Iconography and Symbolism

The Black Madonna of Czestochowa (Our Lady of Czestochowa) is a revered icon of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus. According to pious tradition, the original icon was painted by St. Luke the Evangelist on a cedar tabletop built by Jesus Himself in Nazareth. The image reached the Pauline monastery at Jasna Gora in 1382. The distinctive scars were made by Hussite raiders, who stole the icon and did strike it with a sword, dying in agony afterwards. The icon belongs to the Hodegetria style. The famous dark skin tone of the Virgin Mary and Child is the result of centuries of exposure to soot and smoke from candles.

Feast Day
Celebrated universally on August 26 ( in the Roman Catholic Church and throughout Poland). In the Eastern Orthodox calendar, the icon is also commemorated on March 6

Gift Suggestions

-A meaningful gift for baptism, chrismation, or a name day honoring the Theotokos
-A protective icon for the home
-A dignified addition to a home icon corner