Why is the Black Madonna Important for Our Age?

Our Lady of Czestochowa, Poland

“Art is the creation of organs through which the gods are able to speak to humanity.” 

Rudolf Steiner, The Influence of Spiritual Beings on Man

The Black Madonna of Le Puy, France

With this quote in mind, I asked repeatedly, what are the images of the Black Madonna saying to us? 

Recently in Orange County California a replica of the Black Madonna of Czestochowa Poland was brought to a local parish.  The Priest accompanying the image across the continent spoke of the nature of Icons. Icons, he said, are windows into the Spiritual World. In the Byzantine Catholic tradition, confession is said kneeling before an Icon with a Priest present. 

The timing at which the Black Madonna's began appearing is significant in many ways. While the benevolent Spiritual World has granted and respects Humanity's freedom, The Divine knows our positive and negative capabilities. Many of the narratives of the major Black Madonna's come around the time when the organized Church negated the Human Spirit. In the Council of Constantinople of 869, it became heresy to teach or write of the nature of the Human Spirit. A dampening of the conscious connection with the Spiritual World happened after this event, as the schools and teachers that taught of a living connection with the Christ were silenced. Could the Black Madonna's of that age be countering this message of separation from the Divine, this clouding of consciousness? 

The Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico

The most famous of the so called Black Madonna's of the Americas is The Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. Guadalupe is considered a Black Madonna because she is Mestizo in her presentation, she looks mixed European and Native and has brown skin. She appeared to a Nahuatl Native from December 9th through the 12th, 1531. Her final appearance was to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga and his entourage at his residence, when Juan Diego (the Native to whom the Virgin had been appearing the preceding days) came to the Bishop with her message, mid morning on the 12th of December, 1531. She left physical evidence of her apparition on the Tilma (a poncho like shawl of the Native style of the day.) This Tilma pictured above is still on display at the Basilica that bears her name, nearly 500 years later.

The Conquest of Mexico by Spain began in 1519. Spain had bankrolled Columbus's Journey in 1492, the same year she had expelled the Muslims and Jews from her land. These groups were given an option, to convert, to leave or to die. Many converted and were called "Conversos", many more left heart broken to have been expelled from their homes, and many were killed as a lesson to anyone who dared to challenge the authority of the Crown. For the first time in Western History there was a dawning of a organized, state sanctioned persecuting society. This cultural outlook was taken with the Conquistadors as they ventured to distant shores in search of riches and power the so called "New World" could offer them. Centuries of subjugation of the Spaniards to the Moors from the Arab and African worlds created a back lash towards anyone who had dark skin. One only has to read the history books to know what the consequences were for the brown skinned natives of the Americas.

It is significant, as with the Black Madonna's appearing in the 9th Century, that Guadalupe appeared when she did. Her main message was of cooperation between the Europeans and Natives. She announces her self as "The Mother of All Who Love Me." and urges the Natives to work with the Spanish to build a new civilization based on the universal principle of Love.

Bishop Juan de Zumaragga of New Spain, the First Archbishop of Mexico 1468-1548

What was also significant was that Bishop Zumaragga had his hand in a very important deed of the Church at that time. But the deed was half done, and our world, especially in the United States is still reverberating with the consequences. 

The Catholic Church at the time of Guadalupe was reeling from the Reformation. Nearly 7 million people left the Roman Church or Protestantism. The violence and wars from this split left deep wounds on the continent. With the prospect of new lands, the Catholic Church was anxious to start evangelization of the American continent. The secular leaders were vicious towards the Natives. The Nahuatls were imprisoned, enslaved, raped and killed through violence and exposure to the diseases the Europeans brought. So vile was the treatment of the natives, that the Church tried to intervene on their behalf. Interdicts, excommunications were rallied at the Spanish conquerors who violated the Natives. In turn, the clergy were persecuted and imprisoned, often violently, by the secular authorities. Before the apparition of Guadalupe, there was revolution in the air against the vastly outnumbered Europeans. Zumaragga wrote to Charles V, saying that if there was not a miracle, the entire continent would be lost.

After the Guadalupe event, the impression left on the natives was one of awe and desire to be part of the new civilization. Guadalupe spoke as a Codice of building a new kingdom of love on Earth. The Natives who felt abandoned by the Spiritual World, now had material proof of the love the Spiritual World had for them. In the decade following the Apparition, 9 million documented conversions through Baptisms were recorded. While the Natives voluntarily converted to Christianity because of Guadalupe, the Spaniards were not as amicable to the upset of their economic system. Slavery is very lucrative, because the cost of labor is quite low. So terrible was the treatment of the Natives that Zumaragga intervened. With several of his colleagues, Zumaragga drafted a letter to Pope Paul III. Until this time, Western Civilization only recognized three races of people, Europeans, Asians and Africans. Zumaragga argued that the Native Americans were people worthy of Evangelization and the Christ, and should not be enslaved. The Pope agreed and proclaimed through a Papal Bull called Sublimus Dei, that strictly forbade the enslavement of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas. Unfortunately, the Africans did not receive such recognition of their humanity, and the slave trade flourished until the 19th Century with Imperial and Papal blessings. In many ways, in the America's this history of Slavery still haunts us to this day. 

It is profound that Guadalupe in her invitational and respectful presence implores different races of people to work together to build a temple for "all who love her." We often forget that Colonial Mexico was a multi racial community with African, European and Native peoples. Modern technology shows us the reflection of those who witnessed her last Apparition at the Bishops Residence. In magnified pictures of Guadalupe's eyes, we see a woman with an Afro Hair style. We know that Zumaragga had an African Woman as his house servant. 

The Virgin of Guadalupe appeared to all of the races that were living in Mexico at the time. With her mixed racial expression, she shows that the Divine is present in all peoples. Guadalupe came right at the end of the Conquest of Mexico during the terrible genocide of the Natives. She also came at the beginning of the transatlantic Slave trade, and the Bishop who witnessed her tried and succeeded in a large part to have personhood recognized by secular and religious institutions alike. She came as a counter to the materialistic zeal that labeled some people as valuable and others not based on the color of their skin.

The Black Madonna of Dorres, France

While not glossing over the terrible injustices experienced by the Native Peoples of North America, in many ways the fate of the Africans forced onto the plantations was worse. They were captured and taken away from their homelands. Their families were torn apart through auction, the women endured rape and forced impregnation to create more workers on the farms. The savage beatings and poor labor conditions were often coupled with what we should call pogroms. Lynchings were common, even after slavery was abolished in 1863. While not as rampant as before, a type of lynching still exists through the unequal killing of Black Men by authorities and racist cults masquerading as political movements. 

The Black Madonna of Marsat, France

After each murder, the authorities excuse it through justification, as if the person asked for it in some way. 

Each and every time this happens, the message received by the community who was wronged is; your children are not as valuable as others, you are not part of the culture, your sorrows are not valid.

Juan Diego tried to pass off the task given to him by the Virgin, saying that he was unworthy. He felt this way because the culture of the day told him his life was nothing, his culture and ways were inferior and the God he was presented with looked alien to his people. Guadalupe spoke to him telling him he was a treasured child of God, that he was worthy and capable of great things. She was speaking to all those who feel abandoned and neglected, when she spoke to Juan.

In so many ways the Spiritual World, the Gods speak to humanity through art. When we ponder the Black Madonna's and the Virgin of Guadalupe, so many messages come to us from these 'Windows to the Spiritual World." If you visit the shrines to the Black Madonna's, it is profound to watch people with dark skin flock to the images. When the dominant culture harms and excludes people who are different, a deep wound results, a wound that can be carried for generations. Deep in our cells, we know we are connected, we long for communion with others. The Black Madonna's present Divinity in ways that include, that represent all of Humanity. The defining quality that the Virgin of Guadalupe proclaims that we must have to be part of the New Civilization her image symbolizes, is a love for the Divine. It is powerful to see how these images came into being as a healing counter influence to the damaging materialistic and racist zeal of which modern civilization is capable.

As Mary proclaimed in the Magnificat, the Divine through Christ was coming to tear apart worldly power.

Luke 1:46 - 53

46 And Mary said,

“My soul magnifies the Lord,
47     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.
    For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed;
49 for he who is mighty has done great things for me,
    and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is for those who fear him
    from generation to generation.
51 He has shown strength with his arm;
    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts;
52 he has brought down the mighty from their thrones
    and exalted those of humble estate;
53 he has filled the hungry with good things,
    and the rich he has sent away empty.

The trappings of Earthly power, wealth, class, race, gender, have no place in the universal equality of the Christ. The Black Madonna's speak to us of this fact. In these days of sorrow, of so many of God's Children feeling that they are unimportant, expendable and undesirable, let us reach out to one another, hear the stories of pain, and be inspired to remind those who have searing tragedy in their lives that they are wanted, they are loved, and their place in our human community is necessary in order to build the New Civilization of Love. 

Let those of us who's ancestors perpetrated oppression, who's peers benefit from oppression, ask to hear the perspective of those who have been harmed. Listen, and ask for forgiveness, even if the sin was not committed by you, for that is the first step in healing. The cycle can be broken, all it takes is for one person to break it. Will it be you? What is the Spiritual World saying to you through the Madonna's?

For me, they are saying: "You humans, all of you come from Divinity, you are made of the substance of the Stars, and to Divinity you will return. Until that time, create the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth with your thoughts, your feelings and your will, so all of God's creatures can feel part of the Beloved Community." 

This is the most important thing we can do for our current age.

Members of The Beloved Community of  Ferguson, Missouri working to heal the damage in the aftermath of the unrest in response to the shooting death of Michael Brown

What in the World is Happening?

Icon with the Virgin and Child, about A.D. 1175–1200, Kastoria, Greece;

It has been a very disconcerting time in the world these days. No corner on Earth is at peace. There is a website that lists all the conflict zones, aptly named "Wars in the World." http://www.warsintheworld.com/ According to the August updates, there are currently 62 nations on Earth involved in wars. The wars can be between nations or involve one or more of the 551 militias groups. The site is updated monthly. With social media, global exposure to ethnic and religious violence has multiplied exponentially, with major news networks often quoting facebook and twitter for insights on the ongoing tragedies.

Even in areas with no formal war or militia influence, violence is rampant. Violence within homes, in schools, malls and even movie theaters seems to be common place. Any attempt to address the issue is seen as infringing on someones rights. Apparently the right to kill is more important, and has a better lobby than the right to live.

This August marks the 100 year anniversary of World War One. In many ways, similar political and ethnic situations exist as they did in the Summer of 1914. That war unleashed a new kind of savagery upon the earth in terms of the mechanization of military actions. So severe and brutal was the experience of air and land machinery used to fight, so unique and horrifying was the war on soldiers and civilians alike, that humanity first started to experience post traumatic stress syndrome, and called the recurring nightmares and frayed nerves "shell shock."

As we witness modern brutality, a common thread of response is seen throughout the newspapers, web sites and internet comments. Somehow, according to popular opinion, certain groups deserve to be slaughtered and traumatized, while others do not. If one objects to or remarks on the violence towards one group, they must endure the ire of the opposing group. How are we to face this age of quickening of violence and strife? What is the answer to such suffering? 

The Icon above is of a genre that is typical of the geography and age from which it was made. On the back of the Icon is a picture of the crucified Christ.

Icon with the Man of Sorrows, about A.D. 1175–1200, Kastoria, Greece

The Madonna's in the above genre, as well as the Black Madonna's in general are portrayed as very sad. The Madonna above seems to be clutching her child in anticipation of what is to come, as if she can see the future pictured on the back of the Icon.

Violence and suffering can be as distracting as pleasure and entertainment. In Anthroposophical Christology, we are told about the reappearance of the Christ in the Etheric Realm. We are told that as Christ initiated his penetration of the Etheric at the same time as World War One. His main appearance was to commence in 1933. During each corresponding time of human history when the Christ was becoming manifest in the Etheric realm, major strife and horror disrupting all of civilization occurred on a global scale. Instead of witnessing the Christ in the Etheric, humanities gaze was focused on the Nazi's rise to power. What are we being distracted from at this time in human evolution?

The Black Madonna's became prominent during the era of the Crusades. This was also a time of great violence, social upheaval and seemingly endless warfare and religious strife. Rudolf Steiner tells us that the Crusades were a preparation for the age of Consciousness Soul, the age we are currently experiencing. The age of Consciousness Soul is when we are to purify our Astral bodies, the collective Astral plane of humanity, to allow pure thoughts to come from the Spiritual World to penetrate our minds and souls. We are to learn to think independantly and to choose morality, to choose the Divine in full freedom and from our own effort, In essence we are to be fully conscious in order to choose to allow the Christ into our hearts, minds and souls. All of the Black Madonna's have narratives of endurance through incredible odds. The Madonna at the top of this post, has also endured through many wars, cultural upheavals. While she seems anxious and upset at the future of her child, we know of the triumph ahead.

Our task in this age of great suffering is to stay focused on the Divine. Not only the Divine for the sake of the Divine, but to be aware of the spark of the Divine in each human we encounter. We can be in solidarity with those who suffer, and recognize the worth of each human regardless of externals. We can pray for those who are crossing the threshold at this time that their life forces be used for the good. We can consciously forgive those who perpetrate evil, in order to free ourselves, to purify our thoughts as preparation for the Cosmic Christ.

One of our community members lost his daughter to an insane murderer. As our community reeled with the shock of the incident, my Priest talked about a truth we often overlook in our sadness and anger at injustice. 

When a soul looks back on their death from an act of violence, it is remembered with great joy. Why? Because the death and resurrection which happens as a result of the violence is the ultimate triumph of life over death, of goodness over evil, of entering into communion with the Divine. We on this side of the threshold, grieve accordingly. But for those who have had their lives cut short by evil, they are released into the next phase of existence. We can work with them, pray with them and for them so that they can inspire the living to acts of love and brotherhood. We can celebrate their becoming part of the Mystic Body of Christ, the community of which we all are to become a treasured part.

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow--not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. Romans 8:38

If you go to the prison in Rome where Paul wrote this verse, you will have a new appreciation for the transcendent joy that comes with the knowledge that there is more to life than what we can experience with our senses. While evil seems to swirl about, it is trying to distract us on a grand scale to the fact of our spiritual ascent to the Divine. We are preparing our hearts and souls for the Cosmic Christ, so that he can penetrate us and help us to be part of the Mystic Community of Light and Love. Nothing, not one thing in heaven and earth, not violence, not genocide, nothing can separate us from the power of the love of the Divine. The Divine understands betrayal, death through torture and violence and weeps for the pain of those who experience these traumas, but the Divine through the example of Christ shows us there is more, so much more.

I long for the days when the strife ends, but I welcome the transformation that is happening now, the great awakening of Humanity to her Divinity. Until then, I cling to the hope the Black Madonna inspires. Suffering, endurance, will, it is not all in vain. She has suffered, she has lost, she understands and she triumphed. Her son suffered injustice and a violent death, and overcame. So shall we, so shall we.

The Black Madonna of Montserrat, Spain