The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-12-20
More Than 100000 Visit tho Shrine
Every Year In This Russian
Poland City Of
Pilgrims
1.-THE BLACK MADONNA
Sacred Mystery Picture, Source OF
Worship Among the Poles and
Russians-Has Interesting
History.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 49,
The National Geographic society
gives the following description OF
Czestochowa, which has figured dur
Ing the past few days in the campaign
IN Poland:
"Czestochowa, called by the Ger
mans Czentochau, city in Russian
Poland, is one of the foremost meccas
of the pilgrimage going Slavon-ans.
More than western christians of what
ever creed 90 to Jerusalem, more than
Roman Catholics go to Rome or pro-
{estants to Eisenach and Geneva, DO
fne Slavonians in particular, the Rus
Gians take up the pilgrims staff ana
wander to their holy places. These
people of the north are akin to the
people OF India in that force of their
religion which drives them from their
homes on religious pilgrimage.
Famed throughout Russia, Poland,
and among the southern Siavonians, is
the little city of Czestochowa, where
in is the shrine of the wonder-work-
Ing Black Madonna. Many son ana
daughter Of the dreary. government
ridden steppes and OF bond-held Pol
and feels that he or she left torn
and harried spirit or some physical
Infirmity before the magic of this
painting.
-"Czestochowa is gray in age and
gray in stirring history. 1t is city
on the southwestern Polish plateau,
some SEQ feet above sea level, OF IT,
500 Inhabitants. capital of county
OF the same nime in the Russian-Poi-
isf government Of Piotrkow, and it Is
situated about twelve miles from the
German frontier at lower Silesia.
Czestochowa lies on the left bank OF
the warta. northwest Of Craccw, and
Is an important station on the War
saw-Cracow railway. 1t IS 14S miles
southwest of Warsaw.
Commercially. the city is of no i'm
portance. It's business is mostly with
the pilgrims. of whom more than 400.-
600 come to its shrine every year.
There are a dozen or more factories
In the place, manufacturing cotton
and wooden stuffs, paper, leather and
beer. More important is publishing
house which does brisk business
with the Visitors in religious writings
and sacred pictures. The sale of ANU
lets, warding charms against each
particular evil and against all evil in
general, is significant part of the
city's trade.
THE Black Madonna, sacred mys-
terry picture, the source Of Black Ma
donna worship among the Poles and
Russians, is. in itself and in its his
tory, one OF the most absorbing Of
paintings II hangs in chapel over
the altar, yelled, except at the chief
service twice each day, when 1t is
shown. 1t is a picture Of the Virgin
and child on cypress wood, black
brown with age, crowned with purest
gold and lavishly adorned with a for
tune of costly jewels According to
traction, it was painted by st. Luke:
came into the possession of st. Hell
ena; passed an adventuresome, benefi-
cent time until brought by Prince Leo
TO Galicia; and was finally placed in
the Pauline monastery at Gees tochowa
to protect it from the Tartars in 1882.
THE Pauline monastery, home of
the wonderful painting, has been the
center of Czestochowa's history. 1t
stands, surrounded by pentagonal
wall. on the rugged Jasna Cora prom
ontory, which dominates the city. All
through the middle ages. the fortiica-
tons OF the monastery were added to;
and every time hostile armies came
that way. it was besieged. At one
time it was so wealthy, that It is said
to have owned or held in pleGge one
fifteenth Of all estates in Poland"