Worship of a Black Madonna, Mother-Goddess goes back to ancient times and has been fused into the majority of cultures globally. The origins of this are highly contested among scholars. This article will finally solve the Mystery of the Black Madonna: where and who it came from. But whether it’s white or black, it’s the same image. Syncretism is the practice of combining or fusing different forms of belief or worship into one, i.e. Greco-Roman.
The feast day of the so-called “Black Madonna of Czestochowa” (Poland) is celebrated on Sunday, August 26th. Roman Pontiffs have recognized and venerated this icon for centuries.
Counsel in Ephesus – To define heresy
These icons are found all around the world, but one of the most prominent homes to the Black Madonna is Ephesus.
Since the late 19th century the “House of the Virgin Mary” is said to have been the last earthly home of Mary. Three popes have visited the House in Ephesus: Paul VI in 1967, John Paul II in 1979, and Benedict XVI in 2006. There are reported to have been many miraculous cures and favors granted to pilgrims at Ephesus. The Third Ecumenical Council of the Roman Church was held in Ephesus in 431 A.D. It was during this council that the leaders of the early Church adopted the doctrine of Mary as “Theotokos,” Greek for the “mother of God.” To deny it is heresy!
“If anyone does not confess that God is truly Emmanuel, and that on this account the holy virgin is the “Theotokos” (for according to the flesh she gave birth to the Word of God become flesh by birth) let him be anathema/cursed.” (The Council of Ephesus, 431 AD)
Shrine to the Black Madonna in Washington DC
The Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. is the largest Roman Catholic church in the United States and North America. A dedicated prayer altar to “Our Lady of Ephesus” is in the lower Crypt Church.
Idol Worship
How did this idolatry get from Ephesus all the way to the capital of the United States? This is a shame to America; it is an abomination to God. Many bow and pray, burn incense and worship these statues as a divine goddess or intercessor, a “Queen of heaven,” a “mother of god,” or “the gods”. But idols can’t provide protection or perform ‘miracles’ for anyone. They are simply lifeless images carved by the hands of craftsmen.
“…and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies …for your merchants are the great men of the earth; and by your sorceries are all nations deceived.” Revelation 18:23
The word, Madonna, means, “Our Lady” in Italian/Latin. Most of these images are associated with some “miracle” or magic such as a crying statue. The ones presented to the indigenous black people in Africa are painted with Negroid features, but the multitude in Europe and Latin America have Caucasian features but with dark skin.
Black Madonna – Mother of the gods
Noting that many of the ancient Mother-Goddesses were pictured as black, among them: Artemis or Diana of Ephesus; Isis of Egypt; Cybele of Phrygia; Ashtoreth of Canaan; Astarte of Babylon; Demeter of Greece; and Venus of Rome and now the Virgin Mary of America. Regarded as fertility goddesses, they hold the title of Theotokus or “Mother of the gods”. They also have corresponding consort gods, i.e. Baal and Ashtoroth, and many children including “gods and men”.
“Consider her place in the Mystery of the Church, ‘The Virgin Mary … is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God… “Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church.” … also in her Assumption… exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things…” The Catholic Catechism © 1997, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger
The Book of The Acts of the Apostles – Early Christianity
This is from an account in the Book of Acts from the New Testament. The Apostle Paul went to Ephesus to find Israel.
“A certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain to the craftsmen; Whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, you know that by this craft we have our wealth.”
“Moreover you see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are no gods which are made with hands. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be made worthless; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worships. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians.'” Acts 19:24-28
“… all with one voice for about two hours cried out, ‘Great is Diana of the Ephesians’. And when the town clerk had appeased the people, he said, You men of Ephesus, what man is there that doesn’t know how that the city of the Ephesians is a worshiper of the great goddess Diana and of the image which fell down from Jupiter?” (Acts 19:34-35) After this uproar, Paul left.
Diana and Jupiter – Artemis and Zeus
Looking to the original Greek text, we find that what has been translated, Diana, is actually Artemis, the name of the Grecian goddess borrowed by the Asians of Persia or Ephesus. Jupiter is actually Zeus, the king of the Olympian gods of ancient Greece. And “the image which fell down from Jupiter/Zeus” is sky-fallen (i.e. an aerolite, a stony meteorite):- an image of the Ephesian Artemis which was supposed to have fallen from heaven, “fell down from Jupiter/Zeus.” Artemis-Diana and Zeus-Jupiter is Greco-Roman syncretism!
Diana of Ephesus
We are told this statue fell from heaven. If so, it was an aerolite (or a meteorite). Second century AD, Pliny, tells us it was made of ebony.
The palladium of Troy (the cult image of Athena Parthenos, “Athena the Virgin”), Mars’ sacred shield of the Romans, the shrine of our Lady of Loretto (flown in from Jerusalem by angels), and other similar religious objects of veneration, were said to have been sent from heaven. The statue of Cybele “fell from heaven”; and the god Elagabalas, a Syro-Phœnician sun god (syncretized as the Roman, Sol Invictus; birthday: December 25th), was a black conical meteorite.” The Dictionary of Phrase & Fable, by Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. ©1978
Mystery solved!
Now we know! The original icon was a black meteoric stone that fell to the earth. It was picked up and claimed to be a “miraculous” image from the gods. Then the craftsmen began to duplicate it and fashion it into an image of a woman. They dress it up in gold and silver, crown it and call it the “Queen of Heaven”. Therefore everyone worships it while they make lots of money! Well, the gods must be crazy! But Paul told them, “They are no gods which are made with hands”.
“Confounded/ashamed are all they that worship graven images…” Psalms 97:7
From the beginning, our forefathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the prophet Moses, Joshua, all the prophets, Y’hoshua, and all the apostles have warned Israel to keep away from these worship practices and myths of the “people round about them” and their pagans ways or they would suffer the wrath of the Most High God of Israel. Many have been tortured and lost their lives by refusing to worship their pagan gods. Others have been forced into it.
Great Tribulation
In conclusion, a Time of ‘Great Tribulation’ has been prophesied from the very beginning to come at the end time; a time that the world has never seen before. That time is now! A One-World Religion is being established. Syncretism is in the process for all the religions of the world! It will require all to worship as they do. A certain number won’t bow to their images and idols. These serve God and keep His Commandments.
“The children of Israel followed after the gods of the people that were round about them… provoking the LORD to anger. They forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtoroth… And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel … Therefore, He delivered them into the hands of spoilers… so that they could no longer stand before their enemies… and they were greatly distressed.” Judges 2:10-15
Let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD!
“It shall come to pass in the last days that the Mountain of the LORD’s House shall be established in the top of the Mountain. Many people shall come and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the Mountain of the LORD, to the House of the God of Jacob. He will teach us of His ways; we will walk in His paths… the LORD alone shall be exalted in that Day. And the idols He shall utterly abolish… Cease from man whose breath is in his nostrils, for wherein is he to be accounted of?” (Isaiah 2)
Come, Let Us Go Up, by Paul Wilbur