After traveling from Vladivostok, Russia across Europe to Portugal, the pilgrim icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the Black Madonna, is now traveling across North America. The peregrination of the Czestochowa Icon “From Ocean to Ocean” through the world in defense of life is a joint initiative of pro-life movements from numerous countries in coordination with the Catholic Church, Orthodox Church, and Human Life International.
A replica of Our Lady of Częstochowa Icon, the Black Madonna and a shrine to the Virgin Mary, visited St Edna Catholic Church and St. James Parish in Arlington Heights this week. Starting in Vladivostok, Russia, the Ocean to Ocean Campaign in Defense of Life has received the support and blessings of numerous bishops in Europe, as well as Metropolitan Hilarion of the Russian Orthodox Church. The replica Black Madonna is expected to circle the globe and enkindle a sustainable movement to build a culture of life. The icon traveled over 40 thousand miles through 24 countries, 76 cathedrals and 60 Orthodox churches in over 400 cities before arriving in Arlington Heights. Prior to leaving Arlington Heights this morning, St. James was open all night for “All-Night Adoration” and a crowd arrived at the east parking lot at St. James parish for the replica icon’s departure. The next stop today is St. Jane de Chantal Church in Chicago, IL.
The original icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa has been intimately associated with Poland for the past six hundred years. The history prior to the arrival of of Our Lady of Czestochowa Icon in Poland is shrouded in numerous legends which trace the icon’s Częstochowa to St. Luke who is believed to have painted it on a cedar table top from the house of the Holy Family. St. Helena, the Queen-Mother of Emperor Constantine is reported to have located the portrait during her visit to the Holy Land and to have brought it to Constantinople in the fourth century. After remaining there for five centuries, the Black Madonna was allegedly was transferred in royal dowries until it reached Poland.
There are several miracles and legends of damage attributed to the Madonna. John Paul II prayed before the Madonna during his historic visit to Poland in 1979 less than one year after his papacy began on October 16, 1978. He had another connection with Częstochowa In 1945, after escaping his own death by hiding from German troops in his uncle’s basement in Krakow, Karol Wojtyła (birth name of John Paul II) helped a 14-year-old Jewish refugee girl named Edith Zierer, who had run away from a Nazi labour camp in Częstochowa. Edith had collapsed on a railway platform, so Wojtyła carried her to a train and stayed with her throughout the journey to Kraków. Edith credits Wojtyła with saving her life that day. Czestochowa is a large city in southern Poland which is famous for its Paulin monastery of Jasna Góra — the home of the Black Madonna painting, where millions visit the pilgrimage destination each year.
Replica Our Lady of Czestochowa Photos at St James Parish …
The replica of the Traveling Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa visited St. James Parish from Thursday, May 1st until Friday, May 2nd.
Students of St. James school visited the Traveling Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa during school hours Thursday. The Schedule of Services/Masses were as follows:
Thursday, May 1st:
6:45am Word Service – Church
7:30am Mass in the Church
Adoration after Mass, and lasting all day
7:00pm Mass, celebrated by Fr. Peter West – Church
All-Night Adoration at the Church — St. James Parish was open all night.
Friday, May 2nd
7:30am Mass in the Church
Farewell Service after Mass, as Icon leaves
April 30 – St. Edna’s Church Arlington Heights, IL
-May 1 – St. James Church in Arlington Heights, IL
-May 2 – St. Jane de Chantal Church in Chicago, IL
-May 3-4 – Our Lady of Sorrows Ministry Vandalia, IL
-May 5 – St. Aloysius Church in Pewee Valley, KY
-May 6 – St. Martin of Tours Church in Louisville, KY
-May 7 – Pax Christi Church in Lexington, KY
-May 8 – St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Hillsboro, OH
-May 9 – St. Gertrude’s Church in Cincinnati, OH
-May 11 – St. Ferdinand Church in Chicago, IL
-May 12 – St. Ladislaus Church in Chicago, IL
-May 13 – Jesuits Millennium Center, the Shrine of Sacred Heart in Chicago, IL
-May 14 – Holy Trinity Polish Mission in Chicago, IL
-May 15 – St. Hyacinth Basilica in Chicago, IL
-May 16 – St. Rosalie Church in Harwood Heights, IL
-May 17 – St. Mary of Czestochowa in Cicero, IL
-May 18 – Cistercian Fathers Polish Mission in Willow Springs, IL
-May 19 – Holy Cross Church in Batavia, IL
-May 20 – SS. Peter and Paul Church in Naperville, IL
-May 21 – Divine Mercy Church in Lombard, IL
-May 23 – Sts Peter and Paul Parish in Mankato, MN
-May 24 – Basilica of Saint Stanislaus in Winona, MN
-May 25-26 – Sacred Heart Cathedral in Winona, MN
-May 27 – Saint Francis Parish in Rochester, MN
-May 28 – Saint Felix Parish in Wabasha, MN
-May 30 – Saint Mary’s Parish in Chatfield, MN
-May 31-June 1 – Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in LaCrosse, WI
-June 13 – St. John the Baptist Church in Marshfield, WI
-June 14-15 – Sacred Heart Church in Polonia, WI
-June 17 – Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians at Holy Hill in Hubertus, WI
-June 18 – Shrine of Our Lady of Good Help in Champion, WI
-June 21 – 8:00 AM Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis in St. Louis, MO
-June 23 – St. Francis Regis Church in South Kansas City, MO
-July 5-6 – Our Lady Star of the Sea Church in Bremerton, WA
-July 9 – St. Katherine Orthodox Church in Kirkland, WA
-July 12 – 5:30 PM Mass at St. Casmir’s Polish Parish (Sw. Kazimierza Parafii) in Vancouver, BC, Canada
-July 13 – Holy Rosary Cathedral in Vancouver, BC, Canada
-July – Portland, Oregon (dates and sites to be announced)
-July 25 – St. Peter’s Eastern Catholic Church in Ukiah, CA
-July 26-27 – St. Eugene Cathedral Parish in Santa Rosa, CA
-July 29 – Holy Trinity Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco, CA
-Early August – Central California (dates and sites to be announced)
-August 16-17 – St. Martin de Porres Church in Yorba Linda, CA
-Late August – Southern California (dates and sites to be announced)
-September 5-7 – Labor Day Weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada (dates and sites to be announced)
-September 12 – St. Joan of Arc Parish in Las Vegas, NV
-September 13 – 10:00 AM Mass Cathedral of Our Lady of Las Vegas in Las Vegas, NV
-Late September to Early October – Colorado (dates and sites to be announced)
-Late October – Kansas, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, NM (dates and sites to be announced)
-November – Phoenix, AZ (date and site to be announced)
-November – Icon leaves for Mexico