Trabzon Sumela Monastery part 3 : eastern europa

It has not been possible to conduct much research into the age and nature of this Black Madonna. It is clearfrom a good photograph of the icon taken a number of years ago that it has a cracked black wooden surface with a split down the middle on which no lines or paint, in short, anything resembling a picture can be seen. The silverframe surrounding the icon, judging by the motifs and inscriptions adorning it, dates from circa 1700 and its workmanship is commonplace. According to the information we gain from the photograph it is questionable whether the icon of the Virgin Mary in the Sumela Monastery is a true Black Madonna.

Black Madonnas are more common in Eastern Europe. They are always kept in places of worship high up in forested mountains, especially those that are a place of pilgrimage for Christians. There are usually healing springs in these locations as well. It is believed in France that such icons arrived there by miraculous means. It is interesting to note that religious beliefs as far as this phenomenon is concerned are very similar in a number of widely scattered locations.

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 20th, 2008 at 2:51 pm