Haitian Madonna

According to Wikipedia, the term Black Madonna or Black Virgin tends to refer to statues or paintings in Western Christendom of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both figures are depicted as Black. The Black Madonna can be found both in Catholic and Orthodox countries. There are about 400–500 Black Madonna’s in Europe and there are at least 180 of these Madonna’s in Southern France alone.

In contemporary Polish culture, there has been a growing interest in how the Madonna of Częstochowa is recognized in other societies. One striking example is found in Haiti, where the image arrived with Polish “conscripts” who were part of Napoleon’s forces sent to put down the Haitian Revolution.

Disappointed that this expedition to a distant and alien land seemed to have nothing to do with securing Poland’s freedom, and displaying the traditional Polish characteristic of identifying with the oppressed underdog, the Polish troops promptly joined the rebels and helped secure the slave rebellion victory over the French.

The people’s stories of Our Lady of Częstochowa especially resonated with Kongolese Catholics in Haiti, who at the time made up about 40 percent of the Black population in Haiti.  (Note: The Kongolese were already Catholic before they were “trafficked” to the New World.) To the Haitians the scars on her right cheek are battle scars that the Black Madonna suffered for the Polish and Haitian nations.

Our Lady of Częstochowa, known as Twa Mak by the people in Haiti, became a vibrant part of Haitian spirituality. No doubt her dark color appealed to the people. Yet it was the scars that showed her love: proof that she fought for them, was wounded, and continues to fight in a land where each day is often a battle for survival.

Polish and Haitian devotion to Our Lady of Częstochowa lives on in the United States and is centered at her shrine in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. At 53 acres, it is among the largest religious sites in the country. Throughout the year, but especially on her feast day of August 26, busloads of Polish and Haitian pilgrims make the journey to implore her aid, give thanks for favors, and venerate the statue of St. Pope John Paul II for his role in fostering authentic freedom in their lands.