Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

This picture is sometimes called the Black Madonna and is said to have been painted by St. Luke. Many miracles have been associated with the icon, which was moved various times and saved from destruction during the siege of Jerusalem. It was moved by St. Helena who gave it to her son Constantine the Great who then erected a Church at Constantinople dedicated to the Holy Name of Mary. There it became very famous and many graces and miracles were received by all that prayed before it. It was in the reign of Casmir the Great that the icon made its’ way to Poland and was placed in the Castle of Belz which was attacked by Tartars. The bow of a tartar warrior entered the chapel and struck the throat of the virgin, a mark that to this day remains. Many attempts were made to restore the icon but no matter what was done or how various artists covered the scars, they would reappear again.

How our society tries to cover the scars of abortion in our times. There is a refusal to acknowledge the very real suffering, and even in the best of circumstances the feelings of those who mourn are often not legitimized. Even in the church these feelings are often pushed aside by well meaning clergy who tell those in pain to “ forget about it”, “you are forgiven”; “it is in the past”. But the wounds keep on appearing and crying to be heard. It is with these thoughts that we have entrusted our ministry to her care, knowing that she understands the pain of those post abortive and is constantly leading us to her son, Jesus.