March 26, 2014

By Colleen Miner
Staff writer

Plattsburgh - More than 100 faithful at St. John the Baptist Church were treated to a unique visit from a missionary replica of Our Lady of Czestochowa March 17.

The icon, which was touched to the original in Poland, is the centerpiece of Human Life International’s program “From Ocean to Ocean with the Black Madonna in defense of life” (www.hli.org/oceantoocean.)

Since 2012, the image has been taken to 25 countries on a 40,000 mile trek through Russia, Europe, the United States and Canada.

Father Peter West, vice president for missions for Human Life International, made a two-hour stop in Plattsburgh before heading to Vermont, then Montreal and Ottawa.

He joined Father Timothy Canaan, pastor of St. John the Baptist, in the celebration of Mass.

After the liturgy, all were invited to venerate the image, place prayer intentions in a box and take prayer cards and touch them to the replica.

Tradition holds that the original icon of the Black Madonna was painted by St. Luke on a cypress table used by the Holy Family.

While the icon’s location during the early years is hard to determine, it is believed that it was brought from Jerusalem by St. Helen in the 4th century and was enshrined in Constantinople for 500 years before being transferred to the royal palace at Belz in Ukraine for the next 600 years.

The image arrived at its present home in the Jasna Gora monastery in Czestochowa, Poland in 1382.

After the Mass at St. John’s, the image, which has been associated with several miraculous events, was transported to Planned Parenthood to accompany those who were praying during the 40 Days for Life campaign.

The icon was at Planned Parenthood less than five minutes before the clinic director called the police, complaining that the image was occupying a parking spot.

Father West moved the image back to his vehicle and resumed the rest of his pilgrimage.

The tradition of pilgrimage with a sacred icon is based in the Old Testament, when the Jews carried the Ark of the Covenant into battle (Joshua 3: 3-6). Many Fathers of the Church consider Mary the Ark of the New Covenant.

photos by Colleen Miner
Father Peter West, vice president for missions for Human Life International, made a two-hour visit to St. John the Baptist Church in Plattsburgh March 17 with the missionary replica of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the Black Madonna. The icon is the centerpiece of Human Life International’s program “From Ocean to Ocean With the Black Madonna in defense of life.” Father West concelebrated Mass with Father Timothy Canaan, pastor of St. John the Baptist. After Mass, all were invited to venerate the image, place prayer intentions in a box and take prayer cards and touch them to the replica.