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The Black Madonna of Częstochowa, called thus due to the darkening effects of centuries of votive candle smoke, is a miraculous icon of the Blessed Mother holding the Child Jesus. Tradition holds that the icon is one of those written by St. Luke the Evangelist during Our Lady’s lifetime on earth. The icon eventually made its way to the Pauline monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, Poland. When heretics sacked the monastery in the fifteenth century, one looter was miraculously unable to move the icon, and he angrily slashed Our Lady’s face twice with a saber. As he raised his arm for a third strike, he dropped dead. All attempts to repair the two scars miraculously failed, and they remain visible to this day. In the year of Our Lord 1655, several thousand invading heretic Swedes besieged the monastery, which was defended by just a few hundred Polish volunteers and monks. After forty days, the Swedes had failed to breach the defenses. Terrified heretic soldiers had witnessed a towering image of a woman in the cannon smoke, holding her mantle over the monastery. The victory became a rallying cry for the Poles to eventually fight back the Deluge, and King Jan Kazimierz crowned the icon as Queen and Protectress of Poland.
AT Rome, St. Zephirinus, pope and martyr.
In the same city, during the persecution of Valerian, the holy martyrs Irenaus and Abundius, who were thrown into a sewer from which they had taken the body of blessed Concordia. Their bodies were drawn out by the priest Justin, and buried in a crypt near St. Lawrence.
At Vintimigilia, a city of Liguria, St. Secundus, martyr, a distinguished man and officer in the Theban Legion.
At Bergamo, in Lombardy, St. Alexander, martyr, who was one of the same legion, and endured martyrdom by being beheaded for the constant confession of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Among the Marcians, the Saints Simplicius, and his sons Constantius and Victorian, who were first tortured in different manners, and then being struck with the axe, obtained the crown of martyrdom, in the time of the emperor Antoninus.
At Nicomedia, the martyrdom of St. Adrian, son of the emperor Probus. For reproaching Licinius on account of the persecution raised against Christians, he was put to death by his order. His body was buried at Argyopolis by his uncle Domitius, bishop of Byzantium.
In Spain, St. Victor, martyr, who merited the crown of martyrs by being slain by the Moors for the faith of Christ.
At Capua, St. Rufinus, bishop and confessor.
At Pistoja, St. Felix, priest and confessor.
At Lima, in Peru, St. Rose of St. Mary, virgin, of the third Order of St. Dominic. Her feast is celebrated on the 30th of this month.
℣. And elsewhere many other holy martyrs, confessors, and holy virgins.
℟. Thanks be to God.