'Black Madonna’ icon visits local parishes on ecumenical pilgrimage for life

By Kim Haub 

A replica of the Our Lady of Czestochowa icon — the Black Madonna — is coming to seven Western Washington parishes in July as part of a worldwide pilgrimage promoting respect for human life.

“This is an amazing and powerful event,” said Meg Collier, pro-life advocate and secretary at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish in Bremerton, where the icon will make its first stop in the Seattle Archdiocese. “It will bring awareness to life issues and [that] anything is possible with God,” Collier said. “I can’t wait to see what God does through his Holy Spirit here at our parish.”

Human Life International’s “From Ocean to Ocean” campaign will also bring the Black Madonna to parishes in Sumner, Renton, Bellingham, Bothell, Mercer Island and Tacoma, as well as an Orthodox church in Kirkland.

The original icon has resided in both Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christian countries and is venerated by people in both churches. Since 1382, it has been enshrined in a Polish monastery, where millions of pilgrims have visited and the Pauline fathers and brothers keep records of miraculous events attributed to Mary’s intercession.

The pilgrimage of the replica icon, coordinated by Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox leaders, began two years ago at the Pacific Ocean in Vladivostok, Russia. “The Russians had the idea to take the icon to the frontline of the worldwide culture of death,” said Father Peter West, vice president of missions for Human Life International. “Our goal is to bring an end to the global attack on human life.”

Organizers also hope that the shared devotion to Mary will build mutual respect between the two churches, and spark more efforts to promote faith, life and family.

The traveling icon was touched to the original icon in Poland and was blessed by the archbishop of Krakow, who entrusted “the defense of life and family to Mary” and prayed for the campaign’s success, explained Father West, who is accompanying the icon across the U.S.

Before coming to the U.S., the Black Madonna traveled across Europe to Fatima, Portugal. On July 4, the icon will meet the Pacific Ocean again in Astoria, Oregon, the beginning of stops in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. After the last U.S. stop in Phoenix, Arizona, this fall, the pilgrimage will continue in Mexico, Central America and South America.

Although promoting life is the campaign’s goal, “working together with our Orthodox brothers and sisters is a fruit of the pilgrimage,” Father West said.

July 1, 2014