The feast day of Our Lady of Częstochowa is celebrated today, August 26th. The miraculous Icon of Our Lady of Częstochowa is one of the oldest icons of the Blessed Virgin in the world. The image portrays the Virgin Mary’s sadness and suffering.

Prior to 1382, the history of the miraculous icon is shrouded in legend and tradition: St. Luke the Evangelist painted the icon on a cypress tabletop from the House of the Holy Family at Nazareth. In 326 AD, St. Helena found the icon in Jerusalem and brought it to Constantinopole where it remained for centuries venerated by the emperor’s family. The Holy Picture reached Southern Poland as part of a dowry in a marriage between the royal families. In 1382, Ladislaus, Prince of Opole, brought the picture to Częstochowa during a war. A devastating attack by Hussite raiders in 1430 resulted in damages to the Holy Picture. Despite the attempt to repair the damage, the slashes on the face of the Virgin Mary are still visible.

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I have visited the National Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Doylestown, Pa twice and a year ago we were blessed to visit and venerate Our Lady of Czestochowa in Poland.

Novena

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Holy Mother of Czestochowa, Thou art full of grace, goodness and mercy. I consecrate to Thee all my thoughts, words and actions, my soul and body. I beseech Thy blessings and especially prayers for my salvation. Today, I consecrate myself to Thee, Good Mother, totally, with body and soul amid joy and sufferings to obtain for myself and others Thy blessings on this earth and eternal life in Heaven. In this novena, please obtain for me the graces of: (list personal petitions) if it be for the good of my soul. Amen.

Petitions:

In dangers threatening your people, be our help and our protection, O Lady of Jasna Gora!

In our constant concern for preserving the Catholic heritage, be our help and our protection, O Lady of Jasna Gora!

In our efforts to keep faithful to God, to the Cross and to the Gospel, be our help and our protection, O Lady of Jasna Gora!

In danger of succumbing to evil habits, be our help and our protection, O Lady of Jasna Gora!

When we are oppressed by doubts and temptations against faith, be our help and our protection, O Lady of Jasna Gora!

When we feel lonely and abandoned, be our help and our protection, O Lady of Jasna Gora!

O Mother with the Divine Infant in your arms, through your sacred image in Czestochowa you remind us of the constant presence of your Son and your motherly solicitude as a source of strength and courage in our daily trials, difficulties and labors.

Strengthen us in our faith and obtain for us the power to renew our lives in the spirit of God’s commandments and the Gospel of Christ. Amen.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be

Our Lady of Czestochowa, pray for us!

hugs n’ blessings for the help and protection provided to us!