Quote/s of the Day – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke, the Evangelist – 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, Luke 10:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“Luke, the beloved physician, sends greetings … ”
Colossians 4:14
“And we have sent along with him (Titus), the brother (Luke) whose services to the Gospel are praised in all the churches and what is more, who was also appointed by the churches, to travel with us in this work of grace …”
2 Corinthians 8:18-19
The Magnificat The Canticle of Mary Luke 1:46-55
My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God, my Saviour He looks on His servant in her lowliness Henceforth all ages will call me blessed: The Almighty works marvels for me, holy is his Name! His mercy is from age to age, on those who fear Him. He puts forth His arm in strength and scatters the proud-hearted. He casts the mighty from their thrones and raises the lowly. He fills the starving with good things, sends the rich away empty. He protects Israel, His servant, remembering His mercy, the mercy promised to our fathers, to Abraham and his sons forever.
One Minute Reflection – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke, the Evangelist – 2 Corinthians 8:16-24, Luke 10:1-9 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few, pray therefore, the Lord of the harvest, to send out labourers into his harvest.” – Luke 10:2
REFLECTION – “When, after abandoning the darkness of error to bind himself to God’s love, Paul was joined to the number of the disciples, Luke went with him everywhere and became his travelling companion (Acts 16:10 f.). … He got on with him so well, was so close to him and shared all his graces, so nearly, that Paul, in writing to the faithful, called Luke his “beloved” (Col 4:14). From Jerusalem and the country round about, as far as Dalmatia, (Rom 15:19) he preached the Gospel with him. From Judea to Rome he shared the same chains with him, the same work, the same difficulties, the same shipwrecks. He desired to receive the same prize with him since he had shared the same labours.
Having acquired the gift of preaching along with Paul and won over and led so many peoples to the love of God, Luke truly seemed like the Saviour’s loving and beloved disciple, in addition to being the Evangelist who wrote His Sacred history. For formerly he had followed the Lord (cf. Lk 10:1), gathered together the testimonies of His first servants (Lk 1:1) and received inspiration from on high. It was this Evangelist who related the mystery of Gabriel, the messenger sent to the Virgin to announce joy to the whole world. It was he who told in full, the birth of Christ, showing us the newborn child lying in a manger and describing shepherds and Angels shouting for joy. … He reports the parabolic teachings in greater number than the other Evangelists. And just as he makes known to us the descent of the Word of God to earth, so too, he describes his Ascension to Heaven and return to the Father’s throne (24:51). …
But in Luke, grace does not stop there. His speech is not limited to serving the Gospel alone. At the end of Christ’s miracles he also relates the Acts of the Apostles. … Luke was not just a spectator of all those things but really participated in them. And that is why he put so much care into teaching us about them.” – Anonymous Byzantine life of Saint Luke – 11th century (Saint Luke, Evangelist and companion of Paul – 6-7; PG 115, 1134-1135).
PRAYER – O Lord, we beseech Thee, that Luke, Thy holy Evangelist, who for the honour of Thy Name bore continuously in his body the suffering of the Cross, may intercede on our behalf. Through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
Our Morning Offering – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke, the Evangelist
Holy and Learned, Great Saint Luke Prayer/Hymn in Honour of St Luke “Plausibus Luca canimus” Trans the Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK
Holy and learned, great Saint Luke, we praise you, Closely you followed in the steps of Jesus, As supreme witness to His life and teaching Shedding your life-blood.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, You left in writing, for all time to study Stories unrivalled for their depth and beauty, Christ’s love revealing.
Yours are the records which we read with pleasure Of the beginning of the Church so fervent, Under the impulse of the true and living Spirit of Jesus.
Paul’s earnest helper, sharer in his travels, Zealous as he was, with a heart as loving, Make our souls also steadfast and devoted To the Lord Jesus.
Tender physician, use your gift of healing, Comfort our weakness with a faith unswerving, So that rejoicing, we may praise forever God the Almighty. Amen
Saint of the Day – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist, Physician, Disciple of St Paul, Evangelist, Author of the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles and traditionally believed to be an Artist.
St Luke, Evangelist By Father Francis Xavier Weninger (1860-1946)
Among the holy men whom the Almighty chose to write the Gospel, or the history of the life and death, the teachings and miracles of Our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, was St Luke, the third of those who are called Evangelists. He is represented with an ox near him, according to the mysterious revelation made to the Prophet Ezekiel because he begins his Gospel with the revelation of what happened to Zachary in the Temple, where oxen, sheep and other animals, were offered, according to the Old Covenant, in sacrifice to the Almighty.
St Luke is said to have been born at Antioch, in Syria and his occupation, in his youth, was the study of the liberal arts, especially rhetoric, physics, sculpture and painting. It is believed that St Paul himself instructed him in the Christian faith, hence, St.Jerome calls him a spiritual son of that holy Apostle. It is quite certain that he accompanied St Paul in the many and laborious travels which the holy Apostle undertook, to convert the infidels. Hence he had a part in all the labours, dangers, hardships and persecutions which the Apostle endured. This, however, caused him, to be most warmly beloved and highly esteemed, by St Paul, who mentions him in several of his epistles and among other praises, calls him an Apostle.
At the desire of St Paul, Luke wrote the Gospel in Greek, as the Apostle was at that time preaching to the Greeks and also, because this language was very much disseminated. St Luke relates, in his Gospel, much that is but slightly mentioned by the other Evangelists, for instance, the Mystery of the Annunciation and the Incarnation of Christ, from whichM the holy Fathers conclude that he must have been on very friendly terms, not only with the Apostles but also with the Divine Mother, as she could give him the best information concerning these Mysteries. Another reason is, that St Luke lived in chastity and earnestly endeavoured, to guard and preserve this virtue.
The commentators of Holy Writ have also observed that St Luke, more than the other Evangelists, gives sinners the hope of Divine Mercy and encourages them, to repentance, as is seen in the parable of the Prodigal Son, so lovingly received by his father, as also, in that of the Good Shepherd, Who, with great solicitude, sought the lost sheep, and brought it back to the fold. Again, in the history of the sinner, who so mercifully receives pardon in the Samaritan, Who cares so kindly for the wounded traveller but above all, in the wonderful conversion of the thief crucified with Christ, to whom, when he had humbly and penitentially begged to be remembered, our kind Saviour promised Paradise. St Anselm gives the reason for this, in the following words: “Luke was at first a Physician of the body, hence, it is that he speaks more than the other Evangelists, of the Merc of our Saviour, who heals and frees men from diseases of the soul.“”
Besides the Gospel, St Luke also wrote a book on the labours of the Apostles,, which is called the Acts of the Apostles. In it, he first relates the Ascension of Christ and the coming of the Holy Ghost and after this, what and where the Apostles preached, the miracles they wrought and the sufferings they endured for Christ’s sake.
He further describes the life of the first Christians and the Martyrdom of St Stephen and St James. He then relates the conversion of St Paul, the labours and sufferings of this holy Apostle, which no-one could know better than St Luke, who was his constant companion. During the two years of St Paul’s imprisonment at Caesarea, Luke aided him in every manner. Hhe also accompanied him to Rome, when St Paul had appealed to the Emperor. At Rome, where the holy Apostle was again imprisoned for two years, St Luke did not leave him and allowed, no persecution to separate him from his beloved master. When St Paul was set at liberty, St Luke accompanied him as before, wherever the unwearied Apostle preached the Gospel. St Epiphanius relates, that, after the death of the two Apostles, Peter and Paul, St Luke preached the Gospel of Christ in Italy, France, Dalmatia and Macedonia, with apostolic zeal. The Greeks assure us that he did the same in Egypt, Thebais and Libya and, that he had great success, in converting the infidels.
It is easy to conceive, what hardships, dangers and persecutions, the holy Evangelist must have suffered, in these many wearisome travels and in consequence of his zealous preaching. Yet he was never discontented, never desponding but always cheerful because he always thought of Him, for Whom he laboured and suffered and of the recompense that was awaiting him. St Jerome writes that the Saint continued his apostolic labours until he had reached his 84th year. St Gregory of Nazianzen, St Paulinus and St Gaudentius maintain that he ended his life by Martyrdom. Nicephorus writes that the heathens hung him to an olive-tree and that thus he died a Martyr.
It is certain that his life, full of cares and hardships, was a continued Martyrdom, the severity of which he increased by severe fasting and other penances. Hence, the Church says of him, in the prayer which she offers up today at Holy Mass, that he bore the mortification of the cross ceaselessly in his body, for the love and honour of Christ. He ended his glorious labours and sufferings at Patras in Achaia. His holy relics, with those of St Andrew, were brought to Constantinople at the time of Constantine the Great. Long afterwards, they were removed to Pavia;but the head had, some time before, been taken by Gregory the Great to Rome and placed in St Peter’s Basilica.
Nanni di Banco, St Luke, 1408-15, marble, Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence
There is a tradition that St Luke painted several likenesses of Christ and the Blessed Virgin and left them to the Christians to comfort them. To this day, several pictures of the Blessed Virgin are shown, which are believed to be his works. One of these is at Rome, in the Church of St Mary Major and another is at Loretto, both of these are venerated by the whole Christian world.
Giorgio Vasari, St Luke Painting the Virgin, after 1565, fresco, Santissima Annunziata, Florence
The Salus Popli Roman by St Luke in St Mary Major Basilica, Rome
St Asclepiades of Antioch St Athenodorus St Brothen Bl Burchard I St Cadwaladr of Brittany Bl Domenico of Perpignano St Eutychius of Pozzuoli St Gwen St Gwen of Tagarth St Gwendoline
Bl Margherita Tornielli St Monon of Nassogne St Proculus of Pozzuoli Bl Theobald of Narbonna St Tryphonia of Rome
Martyrs of Africa – 9 Saints: A group of Christians Martryed together in Africa. The only details that have survived are the names – Beresus, Dasius, Faustinus, Leucius, Lucius, Martialis, Victoricus, Victrix and Viktor. They were martyred in c.300 in Africa.
St Leander of Seville (c 534-c 600) BIshop, Confessor of the Faith, Teacher, Writer, Apostle of Spain and Evangelisation, Father of the Church – Patron of Episcopal attire and Liturgical garments. Saint Leander, as Bishop, instituted the practice of praying the Nicene Creed during Mass—a practice which continues today. Biography: https://anastpaul.wordpress.com/2017/03/13/saint-of-the-day-13-march-st-leander-of-seville/
Bl Agnellus of Pisa St Ansovinus of Camerino (Died 868) Bishop Bl Berengar de Alenys St Christina of Persia St Euphrasia
Bl Judith of Ringelheim St Kevoca of Kyle St Mochoemoc St Nicephorus of Constantinople Bl Peter II of La Cava St Pientius of Poitiers St Ramirus of Leon
Madonna of San Luca / Nostra Signora della Guardia / Our Lady of Saint Luke of La Guardia, Bologna, Italy (433) – 30 December:
The Abbot Orsini wrote: “This picture was in the Church of Santa Sophia, at Constantinople, with this inscription: “This picture, painted by Saint Luke, must be taken to the mountain of La Garde and placed over the Altar of the Church.” A Greek monk set out for Italy about the year 433, with the picture entrusted to him and deposited it on the mountain of La Garde.”
The account mentioned by the Abbot above, is also told in the chronicle of Graziolo Accarisi, who wrote of a Greek hermit who went on pilgrimage to Constantinople where he received from the Priests of the Church of Santa Sofia, the icon of Our Lady of La Guardia. This image was attributed to Saint Luke the Evangelist and there was an inscription on the painting itself that it should one day be taken to the “mountain of the guard.” The hermit took the Icon,and walked throughout Italy in search of the place where the Icon was meant to be,but it was not until he reached the City of Emilia near Bologna that the authorities of the City came out to greet him and processed with the icon back to the mountain. The Icon had finally found its home and it is now more commonly known as the Madonna of San Luca. Among the many miracles attributed to the image is especially noted the “miracle of the rain,” which occurred on 5 July 1433. An extremely heavy spring rain came late in the season, threatening to destroy the crops. Facing the prospect of famine, the people turned to the Blessed Virgin for assistance. The storm and rain stopped suddenly, with the arrival into the City, of a procession carrying the miraculous Icon. Since that time these processions have been repeated annually. There is even an incredible arched walkway that is only a little short of four kilometers in length, that is meant to protect the Icon from the elements, as well as those on procession. The Icon shows the Blessed Virgin Mary holding the Infant Jesus in blessing. She wears a blue-green robe, with a red tunic. The nose, eyes and fingers appear somewhat elongated. The Divine Child wears a tunic of the same colour as His Mothers’, with His right hand in a gesture of giving a blessing and his left hand being closed. In 1625 the image was covered with a silver panel which leaves only the faces of the figures uncovered. The Icon was crowned in 1603 by the Archbishop Alfonso Paleotti. The Sanctuary of Saint Luke, where the Icon is kept, was declared a national monument in the year 1874. In 1907 the Church was raised to the dignity of a Minor Basilica by the holy Pope Saint Pius X.
The Sanctuary is situate some 300 metres above the City plain, just south-west of the historical centre of the City. While a road now leads up to the Sanctuary, it is also possible to reach it along a 3.8 km monumental roofed arcade (Portico di San Luca) consisting of 666 arches, which was built in 1674–1793. It was meant to protect the Icon as it was paraded up the hill. A yearly procession from the Cathedral of San Pietro in the centre of Bologna to the Sanctuary goes along this path. The arches held sacred images or Chapels erected by patron families. There is also a cable car which takes tourists up to the Basilica.
Cable car approaching the Mountain Sanctuary
St Anysia of Thessalonica St Anysius of Thessalonica
St Egwin of Worcester OSB (Died 717) Bishop of Worcester, England, Benedictine Monk, Reformer and Penitent, miracle-worker. Egwin was devout and lived for God from his youth. His biographers say, that king, clergy and the faithful, all united in demanding Egwin’s elevation to Bishop. About St Egwin: https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/30/saint-of-the-day-30-december-saint-egwin-of-worcester-osb-died-717/
St Elias of Conques St Eugene of Milan St Pope Felix I St Geremarus
St Hermes of Moesia St Jucundus of Aosta St Liberius of Ravenna Blessed Margherita Colonna (c 1255-1284) Virgin, Nun
St Perpetuus of Tours Bl Raoul of Vaucelles St Raynerius of Aquila Bl Richard of Wedinghausen St Ruggero of Canne St Sebastian of Esztergom
Martyrs of Alexandria – (5 saints): A group of Christians martyred in the unrest caused by Monophysite heretics. We know the names for five of them – Appian, Donatus, Honorius, Mansuetus and Severus. They were martyred in c 483 at Alexandria, Egypt.
Martyrs of Oia – (6 saints): A group of Christians martyred together, date unknown. The only details to have survived are the names – Cletus, Florentius, Papinianus, Paul, Serenusa and Stephen. They were martyred in Oia, Greece.
Martyrs of Spoleto – (4 saints): A group of Christians martyred in the persecutions of Diocletian – Exuperantius, Marcellus, Sabinus and Venustian. They were martyred in 303 in Spoleto, Italy.
Quote/s of the Day – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
“Luke, the beloved physician, sends greetings … ”
Colossians 4:14
“He spent the night in prayer to God.”
Luke 6:12
“And why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do what I say?”
Luke 6:46
“But whom do you say that I am?”
Luke 9:20
“Whoever does not gather with me, scatters.”
Luke 11:23
“Can any of you by worrying, add a moment to your lifespan?”
Luke 12:25
“Open the door to him at once, when he comes and knocks.”
Luke 12:36
“He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently, that his sweat became like drops of blood falling on the ground.”
Luke 22:44
(St Luke, as a Medical Doctor is the only Evangelist who describes Jesus sweating blood. This video mentions the medical explanation for this occurrence).
Our Morning Offering – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke, the Evangelist
Holy and Learned, Great Saint Luke Prayer/Hymn in Honour of St Luke “Plausibus Luca canimus” Trans the Benedictines of Saint Cecilia’s Abbey, Ryde, UK
Holy and learned, great Saint Luke, we praise you, Closely you followed in the steps of Jesus, As supreme witness to His life and teaching Shedding your life-blood.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, You left in writing, for all time to study Stories unrivalled for their depth and beauty, Christ’s love revealing.
Yours are the records which we read with pleasure Of the beginning of the Church so fervent, Under the impulse of the true and living Spirit of Jesus.
Paul’s earnest helper, sharer in his travels, Zealous as he was, with a heart as loving, Make our souls also steadfast and devoted To the Lord Jesus.
Tender physician, use your gift of healing, Comfort our weakness with a faith unswerving, So that rejoicing, we may praise forever God the Almighty. Amen
Notre-Dame de Reims / Our Lady of Rheims – Dedication of the Church of Our Lady of Rheims (405) built by St Nicasius – 18 October:
Dedication of Our Lady of Rheims, built by St Nicasius (died c 407), Archbishop of that City period in the year 405. It was Saint Nicasius who prophesised that France would be invaded by the Vandals, telling the people of Rheims to prepare themselves. When the Vandals finally arrived at the City gates, St Nicasius went out to meet them with his sister, a faithful deaconess. All were killed but their sacrifice gave time for more of the people of Rheims to flee to safety. It is interesting to note, that when St Nicasius was beheaded he was praying Psalm 119. He was slain at the moment when he reached the phrase “Adhaesit pavimento anima mea,” which means, “my soul is attached to dust.” After he was decapitated, his head struck the ground and he miraculously continued the psalm, saying: “Vivifica me, Domine, secundum verbum tuum,” which means, “revive me, Lord, with your words.” This was the Church where King Clovis humbly confessed his belief in the Triune God and was baptised by St Regimius in 496 and where, all of the subsequent French Kings were crowned. In the Gallery of the Kings there is a magnificent painting of the baptism of King Clovis surrounded by images of all of his successors.
The Baptism of King Clovis by the Master of Saint Giles (16th cent)
This Church, having fallen to ruins, was later rebuilt by Ebo and Hincmar. It was finished in the year 845 and still remains a place of pilgrimage to the Mother of God. At one time enemies of the Cathedral chapter set fire to a monastery of Rheims. Among the relics which the sacristan tried to save was an ivory statue of the Virgin, containing some of her hair. The sacristan prayed fervently to the Virgin that she would preserve this relic. The Abbot, entering the ruins of the Church, found the Statue upright and unharmed as if placed there reverently. From thence forward, the image was believed to be miraculous. The present Cathedral takes the place of the older churches, the previous one having been damaged by fire in 1210. It was not completed until the 14th century, and is the beautiful Gothic Cathedral that can still be seen today, after much restoration work after the bombardments of WWI and II.
St Acutius of Pozzuoli St Amabilis of Auvergne (c 397- c 475) Priest, Confessor St Asclepiades of Antioch St Athenodorus St Brothen Bl Burchard I St Cadwaladr of Brittany Bl Domenico of Perpignano St Eutychius of Pozzuoli St Gwen St Gwen of Tagarth St Gwendoline
Bl Margherita Tornielli St Monon of Nassogne St Proculus of Pozzuoli Bl Theobald of Narbonna St Tryphonia of Rome — Martyrs of Africa – 9 saints: A group of Christians martryed together in Africa. The only details that have survived are the names – Beresus, Dasius, Faustinus, Leucius, Lucius, Martialis, Victoricus, Victrix and Viktor. They were martyred in c.300 in Africa.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Alfredo Almunia López-Teruel • Blessed Francisco Roselló Hernández • Blessed Isidro Juan Martínez
Beata Vergine di San Luca, Bologna, Italy / The Blessed Virgin of Saint Luke, Bologna – 22 May, Saturday before the Feast of the Ascension of our Lord:. The Blessed Virgin of St Luke is the Patron Saint of Bologna.
A Greek holy man named Theocles Kmnia, praying before this icon in the Church of St Sophia in Constantinople, saw an inscription on it: “This work made by St Luke, Chancellor of Christ, must be taken to the Church of St Luke on Guardia Mountain and installed on its Altar.”
Without knowing the mountain’s location, he pleaded with the clergy of St Sophia until they agreed to let him take the image there. For some time he travelled without finding anyone who knew of such a place. Finally, in Rome, he met the Bolognese Ambassador, who knew that two sisters, Azzolina and Beatrice Guezi, had retired to a life of prayer on Lookout Mountain, Monte della Guardia, outside Bologna and, had built a Chapel on the hill dedicated to St Luke. Supplied by the Ambassador with a horse, a servant and letters of recommendation to the leaders of Bologna, Theocles carried the icon there. On 8 May 1160, the Bishop of Bologna led it in procession to the sisters’ hermitage on Monte della Guardia. At this point, the story moves from legend to documented history. In 1192, another holy woman, Angelica di Caicle, retired to the mountain with the intention of building a bigger Church there. On 15 May 1194, the Bishop of Bologna ,laid the first stone. In 1249, Dominican sisters settled there. The image was carried in procession to Bologna on 4 April, 1302, during Charles de Valois’ invasion and again on 5 July 1433, after months of damaging rain. The rain’s end is commemorated in an annual procession from the Sanctuary to Bologna, which since 1476 has taken place on the Saturday before the Feast of Christ’s Ascension (always a Thursday).
The holy icon remains in Bologna for a week, returning to the Basilica Sanctuary on Ascension Sunday. It was ceremonially Crowned 5 April 1653 by the Archbishop and in 1857 by Blessed Pope Pius IX. Today the procession continues when pilgrims remove their shoes and begin the 3,796 meter (about 2 1/2 miles) climb up the longest uninterrupted portico in the world. to reach the Sanctuary and beg of our Holy Mother, intercession to her Son, for all their needs. Today, the highly veerated image is protected by a glass cover, see below.
St Boethian of Pierrepont St Castus the Martyr St Conall of Inniscoel Bl Diego de Baja Bl Dionisio Senmartin St Emilius the Martyr St Faustinus the Martyr St Francisco Salinas Sánchez St Fulgencio of Otricoli Bl Fulk of Castrofurli Bl Giacomo Soler Bl Giusto Samper St Helen of Auxerre
St Humility of Faenza (c 1226–1310) Wife, Mother, Nun – a founder of Vallumbrosan convents, and is considered the Founder of the Vallumbrosan Nuns
St Lupo of Limoges St Marcian of Ravenna St Margaret of Hulme Bl Pedro of the Assumption St Quiteria St Romanus of Subiaco St Timothy the Martyr St Venustus the Martyr — Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Francisco Salinas Sánchez • Blessed José Quintas Durán
And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore, render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God, the things that are God’s.” – Matthew 22:20-21
REFLECTION – In an ancient work known as the Incomplete Work on Matthew, an anonymous Ancient Christian Writer (ACW) offers the following insight on these verses from today’s Gospel: “The image of God is not depicted on gold but is imaged in humanity. The coin of Caesar is gold; that of God, humanity. Caesar is seen in his currency; God, however, is known through human beings. And so give your wealth to Caesar but reserve for God the sole innocence of your conscience, where God is beheld. For the hand of Caesar has crafted an image by likenesses and lives each year by renewable decree. However, the divine hand of God has shown His image in ten points.
What ten points? From five carnal ones and five spiritual ones through which we see and understand what things are useful under God’s image. So let us always reflect the image of God in these ways:
I do not swell up with the arrogance of pride; nor do I droop with the blush of anger; nor do I succumb to the passion of avarice; nor do I surrender myself to the ravishes of gluttony; nor do I infect myself with the duplicity of hypocrisy; nor do I contaminate myself with the filth of rioting; nor do I grow flippant with the pretension of conceit; nor do I grow enamoured of the burden of heavy drinking; nor do I alienate by the dissension of mutual admiration; nor do I infect others with the biting of detraction; nor do I grow conceited with the vanity of gossip.
Rather, instead,
I will reflect the image of God in that I feed on love; grow certain on faith and hope; strengthen myself on the virtue of patience; grow tranquil by humility; grow beautiful by chastity; am sober by abstention; am made happy by tranquillity and am ready for death, by practicing hospitality.
It is with such inscriptions that God imprints His coins with an impression made neither by hammer nor by chisel but has formed them, with His primary divine intention. For Caesar required his image on every coin but God has chosen man, whom He has created, to reflect His glory.” (Incomplete Work on Matthew, «Homily 40»)
PRAYER – Lord God, You chose St Luke to reveal the mystery of Your love in his preaching and his writings. Grant, we pray, that we may grow in love for the Holy Face of Christ, His words and His directions, revealed to us in the Gospels, in the example of your saints. Today, on his feast, we especially look to St Luke, to guide, teach and pray for us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.
St Acutius of Pozzuoli St Asclepiades of Antioch St Athenodorus St Brothen Bl Burchard I St Cadwaladr of Brittany Bl Domenico of Perpignano St Eutychius of Pozzuoli St Gwen St Gwen of Tagarth St Gwendoline St Isaac Jogues St Julian Sabas the Hermit (4th Century) St Justus of Beauvais (c 278—c 287) Child of nine About St Justus: https://anastpaul.com/2019/10/18/saint-of-the-day-18-october-st-justus-of-beauvais-c-278-c-287-martyr/ Bl Margherita Tornielli St Monon of Nassogne St Proculus of Pozzuoli Bl Theobald of Narbonna St Tryphonia of Rome — Martyrs of Africa – 9 saints: A group of Christians martryed together in Africa. The only details that have survived are the names – Beresus, Dasius, Faustinus, Leucius, Lucius, Martialis, Victoricus, Victrix and Viktor. They were martyred in c.300 in Africa.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War: • Blessed Alfredo Almunia López-Teruel • Blessed Francisco Roselló Hernández • Blessed Isidro Juan Martínez
Thought for the Day – 18 October – Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
“Our Beloved Physician” – Bringer of Light
Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. His Gospel and Acts of the Apostles reveal his expertise in classic Greek style, as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources. There is a warmth to Luke’s writing that sets it apart from that of the other synoptic Gospels and yet, it beautifully complements those works. The treasure of the Scriptures is a true gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church.
Luke wrote one of the major portions of the New Testament, a two-volume work comprising the third Gospel and Acts of the Apostles. In the two books, he shows the parallel between the life of Christ and that of the Church. He is the only Gentile Christian among the Gospel writers. Tradition holds him to be a native of Antioch and Paul calls him “our beloved physician (Col 4:14).” His Gospel was probably written between 70 and 85.
Luke appears in Acts, during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years, until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons, who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion.
Luke’s unique character may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles:
1) The Gospel of Mercy
2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation
3) The Gospel of the Poor
4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation
5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit
6) The Gospel of Joy
One Minute Reflection – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist, Gospel: Luke 10:1-9
And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few, pray therefore, the Lord of the harvest, to send out labourers into his harvest.” … Luke 10:2
Saint Luke’s testimony – “I too have decided, after investigating everything accurately to write it down in an orderly sequence” (Luke 1:3)
REFLECTION – “Among all the Scriptures, even those of the New Testament, the Gospels have a special pre-eminence and rightly so, for they are the principal witness for the life and teaching of the incarnate Word, our Saviour. The Church has always and everywhere, held and continues to hold, that the four Gospels are of apostolic origin. For what the Apostles preached in fulfilment of the commission of Christ, afterwards, they themselves and apostolic men, under the inspiration of the divine Spirit, handed on to us in writing – the foundation of faith, namely, the fourfold Gospel, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Holy Mother Church has firmly and with absolute constancy, held and continues to hold, that the four Gospels just named, whose historical character the Church unhesitatingly asserts, faithfully hand on what Jesus Christ, while living among men, really did and taught for their eternal salvation until the day He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:1-2). Indeed, after the Ascension of the Lord the Apostles handed on to their hearers what He had said and done. This they did with that clearer understanding which they enjoyed after they had been instructed by the glorious events of Christ’s life and taught by the light of the Spirit of truth (Jn 14:26).
The sacred authors wrote the four Gospels, selecting some things from the many which had been handed on by word of mouth or in writing, reducing some of them to a synthesis, explaining some things in view of the situation of their churches and preserving the form of proclamation but always, in such fashion, that they told us the honest truth about Jesus. For their intention in writing, was that either from their own memory and recollections, or from the witness of those who “themselves from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word” we might know “the truth concerning those matters about which we have been instructed” (Lk 1, 1-4). … Vatican Council II – Dogmatic Constitution on Revelation “ Dei Verbum ” # 18-19
PRAYER – Lord God, You chose St Luke to reveal the mystery of Your love in his preaching and his writings. Grant, we pray, that we may grow in love for the Holy Face of Christ, His words and His directions, revealed to us in the Gospels, in the example of your saints. Today, on his feast, we especially look to St Luke, to guide, teach and pray for us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.
Our Morning Offering – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke,
Holy and Learned, Great Saint Luke Prayer/Hymn in Honour of St Luke Morning Prayer from the Breviary
Holy and learned, great Saint Luke, we praise you,
Closely you followed in the steps of Jesus,
As supreme witness to his life and teaching
Shedding your life-blood.
Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit,
You left in writing, for all time to study
Stories unrivalled for their depth and beauty,
Christ’s love revealing.
Yours are the records which we read with pleasure
Of the beginning of the Church so fervent,
Under the impulse of the true and living
Spirit of Jesus.
Paul’s earnest helper, sharer in his travels,
Zealous as he was, with a heart as loving,
Make our souls also steadfast and devoted
To the Lord Jesus.
Tender physician, use your gift of healing,
Comfort our weakness with a faith unswerving,
So that rejoicing we may praise forever
God the Almighty.
Amen
St Acutius of Pozzuoli
St Asclepiades of Antioch
St Brothen
Bl Burchard I
St Cadwaladr of Brittany
Bl Domenico of Perpignano
St Eutychius of Pozzuoli
St Gwen
St Gwen of Tagarth
St Gwendoline
St Isaac Jogues
St Julian the Hermit St Justus of Beauvais (c 278—c 287) Child of nine
Bl Margherita Tornielli
St Monon of Nassogne
St Proculus of Pozzuoli
Bl Theobald of Narbonna
St Tryphonia of Rome
—
Martyrs of Africa – 9 saints: A group of Christians martryed together in Africa. The only details that have survived are the names – Beresus, Dasius, Faustinus, Leucius, Lucius, Martialis, Victoricus, Victrix and Viktor. They were martyred in c.300 in Africa.
Martyred in the Spanish Civil War:
• Blessed Alfredo Almunia López-Teruel
• Blessed Francisco Roselló Hernández
• Blessed Isidro Juan Martínez
Thought for the Day – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist – St Luke the Painter and the Painter in Words.
“According to a pious tradition, Luke is thought to have painted the image of Mary, the Virgin Mother. But the real portrait that Luke draws of Jesus’ Mother is the one that emerges from the pages of his work – in scenes that have become familiar to the People of God, he draws an eloquent image of the Virgin. The Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, life in the home of Nazareth, Jesus’ discussion with the doctors and His being lost and Pentecost have provided abundant material down the centuries for the ever new creations of painters, sculptors, poets and musicians.
What is most important however is to discover that, through pictures of Marian life, Luke introduces us to Mary’s interior life, helping us at the same time to understand her unique role in salvation history.
Mary is the one who says fiat, a personal and total “yes” to God’s invitation, calling herself the “handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1: 38). This attitude of total assent to God and unconditional acceptance of His Word represents the highest model of faith, the anticipation of the Church as the community of believers.
The life of faith grows and develops in Mary through sapiential meditation on the words and events of Christ’s life (cf. Lk 2: 19, 51). She “ponders in her heart” to understand the deep meaning of His words, in order to assimilate it and share it with others.
The Magnificat hymn (cf. Lk 1: 46-55) shows another important aspect of Mary’s “spirituality”: she embodies the figure of the poor person, capable of putting all her trust in God, who casts down the mighty from their thrones and raises up the lowly.
Luke also describes the figure of Mary in the early Church, showing that she is present in the Upper Room as they await the Holy Spirit – “All these [the 11 Apostles] with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1: 14).
The group gathered in the Upper Room forms the original nucleus of the Church. Within it Mary carries out a double role: on the one hand, she intercedes for the birth of the Church through the Holy Spirit; on the other, she shares her experience of Jesus with the newborn Church.
Luke’s work thus offers the Church … a powerful stimulus to make the most of the “Marian dimension” of Christian life as she follows the way of Christ.” …St Pope John Paul 15 October 2000
Quote of the Day – – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my saviour. For he has looked upon his handmaid’s lowliness, henceforth, all generations will call me blessed.”
One Minute Reflection – 18 October – Today’s Gospel: Luke 10:1–9 – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
“Go your way; behold, I send you out as lambs in the midst of wolves.”…Luke 10:3
REFLECTION – “We must abandon ourselves to the power of the Spirit, who is able to infuse light and especially love for Christ; we must open ourselves to the inner fascination that Jesus works in the hearts of those who aspire to authenticity, while fleeing from half measures. This is certainly difficult for human beings but it becomes possible with the grace of God (cf. Lk 18: 27). On the other hand, if following Christ means carrying the Cross each day, the latter in turn is the tree of life leading to the resurrection. Luke, who emphasises the radical requirements for following Christ, is also the Evangelist who describes the joy of those who become Christ’s disciples.”…St Pope John Paul (1920-2005) 15 October 2000
PRAYER – Lord God, You chose St Luke to reveal the mystery of Your love in his preaching and his writings. Grant, we pray, that we may grow in love for the Holy Face of Christ, His words and His directions, revealed to us in the Gospels, in the example of your saints. Today, on his feast, we especially look to St Luke, to guide, teach and pray for us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.
Saint of the Day – 18 October – St Luke the Evangelist
St Luke, the inspired author of the third Gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles, was a native of Antioch in Syria and a physician and one of the early converts from paganism. He accompanied St Paul on a considerable part of his missionary journey. He was also his companion while in prison at Rome on two different occasions. His account of these events, contained in the Acts, is first hand history. His symbol is a Winged Ox anticipated by Ezekiel. The ox, recognised as the animal of sacrifice, was applied to St Luke because his Gospel emphasises the atonement made by Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on the Cross. His name means “bringer of light” (= luke).
Luke’s Gospel is, above all, the Gospel of the Merciful Heart of Jesus. It emphasises the fact that Christ is the salvation of all men, especially of the repentant sinner and of the lowly. Legend says that Luke painted the Blessed Virgin’s portrait. It is certainly true that he painted the most beautiful word-picture of Mary ever written.
St Luke came from Antioch, was a practising physician and was one of the first converts to Christianity. He accompanied St Paul, who converted him, on his missionary journeys and was still with him in Rome when St Paul was in prison awaiting death. We hear no more of him afterwards and nothing is known of his last years. The Church venerates him as a Martyr.
St Luke’s Gospel is principally concerned with salvation and mercy – in it are preserved some of our Lord’s most moving parables, like those of the lost sheep and the prodigal son. Dante calls St Luke the “historian of the meekness of Christ.” It is also St Luke who tells us the greater part of what we know about our Lord’s childhood.
“According to tradition he was an artist, as well as a man of letters and with a soul alive to all the most delicate inspirations, he consecrated his pencil to the holiest use and handed down to us the features of the Mother of God. It was an illustration worthy of the Gospel which relates to the divine Infancy and it won for the artist a new title to the gratitude of those who never saw Jesus and Mary in the flesh. Hence St Luke is the patron of Christian art.” …-Excerpted from The Liturgical Year, Abbot Gueranger O.S.B.
St Luke did not personally know our Lord and like St Mark, the author of the second Gospel, he is not included among the apostles. For this reason the Gospel chosen for their feast is the account of the sending forth of the seventy-two disciples. According to St Jerome, St Luke died in Achaia (Greece) at the age of 84 and it is unknown whether or not he died a martyr’s death.
His symbol is a Winged Ox anticipated by Ezekiel. The ox, recognised as the animal of sacrifice, was applied to St Luke because his Gospel emphasises the atonement made by Christ’s sacrifice of Himself on the Cross. His name means “bringer of light” (= luke).
Thought for the Day – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
According to a pious tradition, Luke is thought to have painted the image of Mary, the Virgin Mother. But the real portrait that Luke draws of Jesus’ Mother is the one that emerges from the pages of his work: in scenes that have become familiar to the People of God, he draws an eloquent image of the Virgin. The Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, the Presentation in the Temple, life in the home of Nazareth, Jesus’ discussion with the doctors and his being lost and Pentecost have provided abundant material down the centuries for the ever new creations of painters, sculptors, poets and musicians.
What is most important however is to discover that, through pictures of Marian life, Luke introduces us to Mary’s interior life, helping us at the same time to understand her unique role in salvation history.
Mary is the one who says fiat, a personal and total “yes” to God’s invitation, calling herself the “handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1: 38). This attitude of total assent to God and unconditional acceptance of his Word represents the highest model of faith, the anticipation of the Church as the community of believers.
The life of faith grows and develops in Mary through sapiential meditation on the words and events of Christ’s life (cf. Lk 2: 19, 51). She “ponders in her heart” to understand the deep meaning of his words, in order to assimilate it and share it with others.
The Magnificat hymn (cf. Lk 1: 46-55) shows another important aspect of Mary’s “spirituality”: she embodies the figure of the poor person, capable of putting all her trust in God, who casts down the mighty from their thrones and raises up the lowly.
Luke also describes the figure of Mary in the early Church, showing that she is present in the Upper Room as they await the Holy Spirit: “All these [the 11 Apostles] with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren” (Acts 1: 14).
The group gathered in the Upper Room forms the original nucleus of the Church. Within it Mary carries out a double role: on the one hand, she intercedes for the birth of the Church through the Holy Spirit; on the other, she shares her experience of Jesus with the newborn Church. (St John Paul on the Feast of St Luke, Padua 2000 at the Shrine of St Luke)
Luke wrote as a Gentile for Gentile Christians. His Gospel and Acts of the Apostles reveal his expertise in classic Greek style as well as his knowledge of Jewish sources. There is a warmth to Luke’s writing that sets it apart from that of the other synoptic Gospels and yet it beautifully complements those works. The treasure of the Scriptures is a true gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church and the Marian writings of St Luke are a great treasure to us all!
St Luke, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
St John Paul, pray for us.
Quote/s of the Day – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
“The Church’s mission begins at Pentecost “from Jerusalem” to expand “to the ends of the earth”. Jerusalem does not mean just a geographical point. Rather it signifies a focal point of salvation history. The Church does not leave Jerusalem to abandon her but to graft the pagan nations onto the olive tree of Israel.”
“We must abandon ourselves to the power of the Spirit, who is able to infuse light and especially love for Christ; we must open ourselves to the inner fascination that Jesus works in the hearts of those who aspire to authenticity, while fleeing from half measures.”
St John Paul on the Feast of St Luke, Padua 2000 at the Shrine of St Luke
One Minute Reflection – 18 October – The Feast of St Luke the Evangelist
“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”…Luke 9: 23.
REFLECTION – “To be a Christian for Luke means to follow Jesus on the path that he takes. It is Jesus Himself who takes the initiative and calls us to follow Him and He does it decisively, unmistakably, thus showing His extraordinary identity, His mystery of being the Son who knows the Father and reveals Him. At the origin of the decision to follow Jesus lies the fundamental option in favour of His person. If we have not been attracted by the face of Christ, it is impossible to follow Him with fidelity and constancy. This is also because Jesus walks a difficult road; He lays down extremely demanding conditions and heads for a paradoxical destiny, that of the Cross. Luke emphasises that Jesus does not like compromises and requires a commitment of the whole person, a decisive detachment from any nostalgia for the past, from family demands, from material possessions (cf. Lk 9: 57-62; 14: 26-33).”….St John Paul 18 Oct 2000
PRAYER – Lord God, You chose St Luke to reveal the mystery of Your love in his preaching and his writings. Grant, we pray, that we may grow in love for the Holy Face of Christ, His words and His directions, revealed to us in the Gospels, in the example of your saints. Today, on his feast, we especially look to St Luke, to guide, teach and pray for us. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, one God with You, forever and ever, amen.
Saint of the Day – St Luke the Evangelist – 18 October – Physician,Ddisciple of St Paul, Evangelist, Author of the Gospel according to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles. Tradition says he was an Artist too. He was born at Antioch and Died in c 74 in Greece. Some say he was Martyred, others that he died of natural causes. His relics reside at Padua, Italy. Patronages – artists, bachelors, bookbinders, brewers, butchers, doctors, glass makers, glassworkers, glaziers, gold workers, goldsmiths, lacemakers, lace workers, notaries, painters, physicians, sculptors, stained glass workers, surgeons, 2 cities. Attributes – Evangelist, Physician, a Bishop, a book or a pen, a man accompanied by a winged ox/winged calf/ox, a man painting an icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a brush or a palette (referring to the tradition that he was a painter). St Luke is one of the Four Evangelists—the four traditionally ascribed authors of the canonical Gospels. The early Church Fathers ascribed to him authorship of both the Gospel according to Luke and the book of Acts of the Apostles, which would mean Luke contributed over a quarter of the text of the New Testament, more than any other author. Prominent figures in early Christianity such as Jerome and Eusebius later reaffirmed his authorship. The New Testament mentions Luke briefly a few times and the Pauline epistle to the Colossians refers to him as a physician (from Greek for ‘one who heals’); thus he is thought to have been both a physician and a disciple of Paul. Christians since the faith’s early years have regarded him as a saint. He is believed to have been a martyr, reportedly as having been hanged from an olive tree, though some believe otherwise.
Luke came from the large metropolitan city of Antioch, a part of modern-day Turkey. In Luke’s lifetime, his native city emerged as an important center of early Christianity. During the future saint’s early years, the city’s port had already become a cultural center, renowned for arts and sciences. Historians do not know whether Luke came to Christianity from Judaism or paganism, although there are strong suggestions that Luke was a gentile convert.
Educated as a physician in the Greek-speaking city, Luke was among the most cultured and cosmopolitan members of the early Church. Scholars of archeology and ancient literature have ranked him among the top historians of his time period, besides noting the outstanding Greek prose style and technical accuracy of his accounts of Christ’s life and the apostles’ missionary journeys.
Other students of biblical history adduce from Luke’s writings that he was the only evangelist to incorporate the personal testimony of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose role in Christ’s life emerges most clearly in his gospel. Tradition credits him with painting several icons of Christ’s mother and one of the sacred portraits ascribed to him – known by the title “Salus Populi Romano – Salvation of the Roman People”– survives to this day in the Basilica of St Mary Major.
Some traditions hold that Luke became a direct disciple of Jesus before His ascension, while others hold that he became a believer only afterward. After St Paul’s conversion, Luke accompanied him as his personal physician– and, in effect, as a kind of biographer, since the journeys of Paul on which Luke accompanied him occupy a large portion of the Acts of the Apostles. Luke probably wrote this text, the final narrative portion of the New Testament, in the city of Rome where the account ends.
Luke appears in Acts during Paul’s second journey, remains at Philippi for several years until Paul returns from his third journey, accompanies Paul to Jerusalem and remains near him when he is imprisoned in Caesarea. During these two years, Luke had time to seek information and interview persons who had known Jesus. He accompanied Paul on the dangerous journey to Rome where he was a faithful companion After the martyrdom of St Paul in the year 67, St Luke is said to have preached elsewhere throughout the Mediterranean and possibly died as a martyr. However, even tradition is unclear on this point. Fittingly, the evangelist whose travels and erudition could have filled volumes, wrote just enough to proclaim the gospel and apostolic preaching to the world.
Luke’s unique character may best be seen by the emphases of his Gospel, which has been given a number of subtitles:
1) The Gospel of Mercy
2) The Gospel of Universal Salvation
3) The Gospel of the Poor
4) The Gospel of Absolute Renunciation
5) The Gospel of Prayer and the Holy Spirit
6) The Gospel of Joy
Blessed Feast of Our Lady of Czestochowa, Queen of Poland – 26 August – Also known as – The Black Madonna of Czestochowa, Czarna Madonna, Hodegetria, Imago thaumaturga Beatae Virginis Mariae Immaculatae Conceptae, Matka Boska Czestochowska, One Who Shows the Way. Our Lady of Czestochowa is a revered icon of the Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Góra Monastery in Częstochowa, Poland. Several Pontiffs have recognised the venerated icon, beginning with Pope Clement XI who issued a Canonical Coronation to the image on 8 September 1717 via the Vatican Chapter. Patron of Poland.
According to tradition, the icon of Jasna Góra (Bright Mountain) was painted by Luke the Evangelist on a tabletop built by Jesus Himself and the icon was discovered by St Helen, mother of Emperor Constantine and collector of Christian relics in the Holy Land. The icon was then enshrined in the imperial city of Constantinople, where it remained for the next 500 years.
JASNA GORA MONASTERY
BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF CZESTOCHOWA AT JASNA GORA
In 803, the painting is said to have been given as a wedding gift from the Byzantine emperor to a Greek princess, who married a Ruthenian nobleman. The image was then placed in the royal palace at Belz, where it remained for nearly 600 years.
History first combines with tradition upon the icon’s arrival in Poland in 1382 with a Polish army fleeing the Tartars, who had struck it with an arrow.
Legend has it that during the looting of Belz, a mysterious cloud enveloped the chapel containing the image. A monastery was founded in Częstochowa to enshrine the icon in 1386 and soon King Jagiello built a cathedral around the chapel containing the icon.
However, the image soon came under attack once again. In 1430, Hussites (pre-Reformation reformers) attacked the monastery, slashed the Virgin’s face with a sword, and left it desecrated in a puddle of blood and mud.
It is said that when the monks pulled the icon from the mud, a miraculous fountain appeared, which they used to clean the painting. The icon was repainted in Krakow, but both the arrow mark and the gashes from the sword were left and remain clearly visible today.
The miracle for which the Black Madonna of Częstochowa is most famous occurred in 1655, when Swedish troops were about to invade Częstochowa. A group of Polish soldiers prayed fervently before the icon for deliverance and the enemy retreated. In 1656, King John Casimir declared Our Lady of Częstochowa “Queen of Poland” and made the city the spiritual capital of the nation.
The Virgin again came to the aid of her people in 1920, when the Soviet Russian Red Army gathered on the banks of the Vistula River, preparing to attack Warsaw. The citizens and soldiers fervently prayed to Our Lady of Częstochowa and on September 15, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, she appeared in the clouds above Warsaw. The Russians were defeated in a series of battles later dubbed the “Miracle at the Vistula.”
During Nazi occupation, Hitler prohibited pilgrimages to Jasna Góra but many still secretly made the journey. In 1945, after Poland was liberated, half a million pilgrims journeyed to Czestochowa to express their gratitude. On September 8, 1946, 1.5 million people gathered at the shrine to rededicate the entire nation to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. During the Cold War, Jasna Góra was a centre of anti-Communist resistance. Czestochowa is regarded as the most popular shrine in Poland, with many Polish Catholics making a pilgrimage there every year. A pilgrimage has left Warsaw every August 6 since 1711 for the nine-day, 140-mile trek. Elderly pilgrims recall stealing through the dark countryside at great personal risk during the German Nazi occupation. Pope John Paul II secretly visited as a student pilgrim during World War II. He was a fervent devotee of the Virgin Mary and of her icon at Czestochowa. As pope, he made pilgrimages to pray before the Black Madonna in 1979, 1983, 1991 and 1997. In 1991, he held his Sixth World Youth Day at Czestochowa, which was attended by 350,000 young people from across Europe.
The four-foot-high painting displays a traditional composition well known in the icons of Eastern Christians. The Virgin Mary is shown as the “Hodegetria” (“One Who Shows the Way”). In it the Virgin directs attention away from herself, gesturing with her right hand toward Jesus as the source of salvation. In turn, the child extends his right hand toward the viewer in blessing while holding a book of gospels in his left hand. The icon shows the Madonna in fleur-de-lis robes.
This image shows Our Lady dressed in special robes at Jasna Gora
AnaStpaul 
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