The heart behind healing

© Mazur/catholicnews.org.uk

The Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland, is a famous Polish shrine to the Virgin Mary and one of the country's places of pilgrimage.. For many the monastery is a spiritual capital. The image of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, also known as Our Lady of Częstochowa, to which miraculous powers are attributed, is one of Jasna Góra's most precious treasures. Jasna Góra Monastery was founded in 1382 by Pauline monks who came from Hungary at the invitation of Władysław, Duke of Opole. The monastery has been a pilgrimage destination for hundreds of years, and it contains an important icon of the Virgin Mary. The icon, depicting the Mother of God with the Christ Child, is known as the Black Madonna of Częstochowa or Our Lady of Częstochowa, which is widely venerated and credited with many miracles.[3] Among these, it is credited with miraculously saving the Jasna Góra monastery during a siege that took place at the time of The Deluge, a 17th-century Swedish invasion. The event stimulated the Polish resistance. The Poles could not immediately change the course of the war, but, after an alliance with the Crimean Khanate, they repulsed the Swedes. Shortly thereafter, in the cathedral of Lviv, on April 1, 1656, Jan Kazimierz, the King of Poland, solemnly pronounced his vow to consecrate the country to the protection of the Mother of God and proclaimed Her the Patron and Queen of the lands in his kingdom. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI have both prayed in this Chapel. Paul VI wanted to use his visit at Jasna Góra to offer to the custodians of the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa the gold rose, the highest distinction to be granted by the pope. His absence prevented this and the golden rose was donated only by John Paul II during his first pilgrimage to Poland. The other rose for Our Lady of Częstochowa was offered by Benedict XVI in 2006 The 6th World Youth Day was hosted in Poland in the city of Czestochowa. The theme for WYD1991 was taken from St. Paul's letter to Romans: "You received the Spirit of adoption, enabling us to cry out 'Abba, Father!'" (Rom 8, 15). Pope Francis prayed here on 28 July during WYD.