Czestochowa: Home of the Black Madonna

Hi All,

After our stop at Auschwitz, the bus was very quiet.  We listened to a few songs like ˝Imagine˝ by John Lennon and reflected on what we just saw.

A few hours later, we arrived at Czestochowa, home of the Jasna Góra Monastery and the famous Black Madonna painting.  The painting is said to have healing powers and is a main pilgrimage site for many Catholics around the world.  There was a mass going on, so we were only able to walk up and see it, say a prayer, and leave, but the church was pretty unique.  It had rosary beads all over the wall as well as crutches and wheelchairs for people that were miraculously healed.

Before you ask, no, I was not healed.  I did amuse the entire group when I took a few steps without my crutches, but I will admit that my shoulder felt a bit better, so maybe there is some special power.

We are now off to Warsaw for the final stop of my post-graduation European tour.

Note: This post was originally published on June 19, 2012 in a blog entitled “Romeing Around Europe…Again” which chronicled my post-graduation trip across Europe.