The Black Madonna

Edwina prompted my musings on the Black Madonna. You know her, I know her, we all know her in memory, she is hidden behind a sacred black veil, and when we call to her that veil is immediately parted and she sits in silent acknowledgement of our (male or female) deepest being. She is the dark aspect of the goddess, the one that accompanies the white and the red. Wise, benevolent and unthinkably strong and wise, she is also known as "Sophia", the one who sees all, is shocked by nothing, knows all. She is our Bear mother, the one who embraces us in silence when our concerns are too difficult for common understanding. Never judging, never questioning, she is the one who hears, then knows, and unflinchingly provides answers though her vast reserves of wisdom. She is the one who pushes us forward and provides strength, lending hers to ours, and being part of our body so we can do what we must.

In Spain, during the Crusade periods, the Black Madonna of Montserrat became well known. Pilgrims would come to her for forgiveness, healing, advice, love, and wisdom. She was an idolised image, and from what my resources say (these will be noted at the end of this blog for further reference if of interest), there was such a feverish love of her that churches, caves and grottoes had trouble keeping her inside. That is, people wanted to have her with them, so there was often theft of her statues and images. There are old wizened wooden images of her that survive, cool dark marble ones, perhaps embellished with gold. Indeed, I had no idea until later in life, that in our Catholic household, we had a beautiful smooth grey stone madonna done by an artist, that we all adored but didn't really understand why. There is a passion for her that defies description. As I said, nothing is ever lost, only waiting to be rediscovered. She is our connection to the earth. There is a striking statue of her in Chartres Cathedral. Many of these were brought back from the Holy Land after the crusades to be put in European churches, shrines, and groves.

A quote of interest from the resource below: "From the tenth century onwards there is a veritable explosion of veneration for the Black Virgin, and the places sacred to her began to draw more devotees than the cult of either the father god or his son. Now, suddenly, kings, saints, and pilgrims flocked to bow their heads before the Black Virgin at Le Puy, Rocamadour, Mont St Michel and Montserrat in Spain, beseeching her favour and endowing her shrines with immense wealth and treasure." Then another: "Miraculous cures proliferated at her shrines. In particular, women prayed to her for safe delivery in childbirth, pilgrims for a safe journey, criminals for release from their sins. The people worshipped Mary as they always had, (...) but for some the statues of the Black Virgin symbolised Sophia-Sapientia, the symbol of the secret Wisdom tradition studied in many places in Christian Europe, offering a sign to the pilgrim that said: "If you are in search of Wisdom, you may pursue your quest here in safety." For everywhere at that time the breath of heresy trembled before the zeal of orthodoxy and whatever could not be taught openly as part of Church doctrine, had to be taught in the utmost secrecy, under fear of torture or death by fire." There is further information following this that links the Black Virgin to the "Song of Songs" that is good reading.

So, there is another aspect to The Beloved, something illustrated by Edwina and her Amazon. Perhaps the ladies in the background represent the sacred wisdom she has, in her darker aspects, the sense of being surrounded by protectors at a moment's notice, supported inside and outside by knowing, of the light and dark aspects, ready and able for anything. Most of all to support herself in any union, indeed, her impending union. So "Dark and Comely" in reference to the poetic imagery of "Song of Songs" relates nicely here, and in some texts it says Rossetti intended it to be so. Perhaps Rossetti intended us to see that everything in the painting is a part of The Beloved? Are these images part of the same woman, all women, tested and trialled by life in so many ways? The black I speak of is hardy yet soft, earthy rich, absolutely protective, enveloping like a mothering cloak, wise, forgiving and nurturing. There are links to her with the original earth goddesses, so there is sustenance in going to her, sitting in front of her in some shrouded grotto, wooded hillslope, or carved out tree. Or she can appear to us out of a void, just when we need her most. She knows all and understands all, when we don't.

Resources: Baring, Anne & Cashford, Jules "The Myth of the Goddess" Viking Books -- George, Demetra "Mysteries of the Dark Moon" (The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess.) Harper Collins

Monika Roleff 2005