Sunday, August 26th

We have no historically certain facts concerning the origin and history of the picture until 1382, the year in which the picture was brought to Jasna Gora by Prince Ladislaus Opolczyk. There are many oral traditions and various pious legends surrounding the beginnings of this image. One such tradition holds that the picture was painted by the Evangelist Luke during Our Lady's lifetime. The image was allegedly painted on a wooden panel taken from a table used by the Holy Family at Nazareth.

In 1382, according to the tradition, Prince Ladislaus of Opole (Silesia), formerly a ruler in Ruthenia, acting in the name of King Louis of Hungary intended to transfer the picture from Belz to Opole to safeguard it against invading Tatar tribes. At one time Tatars besieged the Belz castle, and the picture of Our Lady was pierced by an arrow which lodged in her neck. Journeying to Silesia with the picture, Ladislaus stopped to rest in Czestochowa near the small church on Jasna Gora. Here he discerned that Our Lady wished to have the picture remain on this spot. He thus left the picture at the Jasna Gora Church and invited the white-robed Pauline Fathers from Hungary to be in charge of the shrine. Tradition dates this event on August 26, 1382.