Family, today I visited the Black Virgin of Paris. Officially, she is known as...-gctid81371

[Runoko Rashidi]

Family, today I visited the Black Virgin of Paris.  Officially, she is known as Our Lady of the Good Deliverance.  She is a 14th century (meaning she is more than 600 years old) copy of an 11th century statue.  She is black of face, hands and feet and holds in her arms a Black baby Jesus with nappy blond hair.  She is the symbol of Paris and the most venerated icon here.  She is adorned in the French national colors of red, white and blue and holds in her hand a wand denoting French sovereignty.  Because she is Black she is considered a miracle worker.  And hundreds of prayers to this miraculous madonna cover the walls of the chapel.  I lost count of them.  So the questions are: Why is the most venerated icon in Paris painted Black?  Does she represent the Kmtyw goddess Ast (Isis)?  Is the Blackness ethnic?  Why would she be so important in a country at the time that the statues were erected populated with so few Black people?  Clearly, she is the great mother.  And eureurasiaan kings and queens and the high and the mighty have bowed down before her to kiss her feet.  The majesty of the Black woman!  On Thursday, I revisit Notre Dame Cathedral, in the center of Paris and built on top of an ancient temple of Isis.  Yes, the majesty of the Black woman!  Pictured here is the Black Virgin of Paris--Our Lady of the Good Deliverance.  Photo courtesy of Runoko Rashidi.