Black Virgin of Oropa

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Black Virgin
The image wearing its centennial crowns (offered by the local townspeople) of 1620, 1720, and 1820, respectively.

The Black Madonna of Oropa, is a darkened wood pigmented statue of the Madonna and Child in the Sanctuary of Oropa, a Roman Catholic devotional complex in the comune of Biella, Piedmont, northern Italy.

The venerated Marian image was episcopally crowned by Bishop Giacomo Goria and diocesan priest, Reverend Francesco Sforza Pallavicino on 30 August 1620. The event has been commemorated every 100 years since 1620 with a coronation held on the last Sunday of August. Pope Francis granted an official decree of Pontifical coronation to the image on 5 August 2021, signed and executed by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re at the Vatican.

Legend[]

According to pious legend, a black wooden statue of the Virgin Mary carved by Saint Luke was found in Jerusalem by Bishop Eusebius of Vercelli and brought to Vercelli in the 4th century AD[1]

The image was brought by Saint Eusebius of Vercelli from the Middle East, presumably from Syria or Lebanon to his diocese of Vercelli. During a mid-fourth century persecution of Christians by the local Celtic pagans, Eusebius retreated to the mountains of Sacro Monte di Oropa, about 9 miles from Biella, Italy and hid the statue of the Madonna in a cave.[2] When they later tried to move the image, its weight was supernaturally increased and they had to leave it there, in the mountains, where it currently presides over a massive shrine. Pious believers interpret the supernatural weight of the image to be an sign from the Blessed Virgin Mary that she willed a sanctuary be built there.

Local legends further claim that before the arrival of Eusebius, the Celtic tribes worshipped a black fertility god which was allegedly replaced by the present Madonna and Child image.[3]

The Black Virgin is also known as Madonna Nera di Oropa or María Reina de Monte Oropa, and she is the patroness of Lomas del Mirador City, in La Matanza Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina.

History[]

The image, of cedar of Lebanon, with face and hands painted black,[4] and decorated with gold and gemstones. It "is a refined masterpiece by a sculptor from Valle d'Aosta dating back to the late thirteenth century."[2] The statue is housed in the Old Basilica.

The venerated Marian image was first episcopally crowned by Bishop Giacomo Goria on 30 August 1620. The event is commemorated every 100 years since 1620 with a coronation held on the last Sunday of August. It was postponed for a year in 2020 due to the pandemic.[5]

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati was known for his devotion to the Black Madonna of Oropa.[6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Sanctuaries and Monasteries", Regione Piemonte
  2. ^ a b Sacro Monte di Oropa
  3. ^ Dobos, Karoly Daniel. "A Jewish 'Atlas Marianus' from the Eighteenth Century?", "Let the Wise Listen and add to Their Learning" (Prov 1:5): Festschrift for Günter Stemberger on the Occasion of his 75th Birthday (Constanza Cordoni, Gerhard Langer, eds.) Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG, 2016, p. 675, ISBN 9783110435283
  4. ^ Krymow, Vincenzina. "Black Madonnas in Various Countries', Marian Library, University of Dayton
  5. ^ Campanile, Emanuela. "Cardinal Re: Begin anew from Christ and bear witness to faith", Vatican News, august 29, 2021
  6. ^ Bellusci, David C., Pier Giorgio Frassati: Truth, Love, and Sacrifice Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2020, p. 66 ISBN 9781725250956

External links[]

Coordinates: 45°37′43″N 7°58′41″E / 45.62861°N 7.97806°E / 45.62861; 7.97806

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