Can You Believe These Lies About Our Beauty?
Solomon 1:5: “I am dark but beautiful, O women of Jerusalem - dark as the tents of Kedar, dark as the curtains of Solomon’s tents.” And those who sought to oppress us did, too. Catholic and Orthodox Europeans were praising Black religious icons long before the colonization of Africa!
It’s said there are approximately 400-500 Black Madonnas in Europe, and according to researcher Runoko Rashidi, “the Black Madonnas of Europe are perhaps the most venerated icons in all of European Christendom.”
For example, Our Lady of Rocamadour, a Black Madonna in the southwest of France, dates back 1000+ years. Her exalted shrine requires visitors to climb 216 steps. This Black Madonna is one of 300 representations in France, more than any other country.
Some of the other most famous Black Madonnas are located in Belgium, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Switzerland. In all of these places, Black Madonnas are looked upon as miracle workers. And their Blackness is said to fuel this power and ability to work miracles and heal.
Many believe the Black Madonnas represent admiration for the African goddess Isis - the Queen of Heaven. As described in the Song of Solomon, the Black Madonnas are indeed dark and lovely, with their value being as decadent as curtains in a desert temple or expensive cloth in a royal house.
There is Divine strength and power in our Blackness, regardless of the lies we have been told about Christianity and how Europeans tried to use the Bible to oppress us.
How can you show gratitude for the beauty and strength of our people in your daily life?
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