Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa Attacked in Poland

[Wynfrith77]

france24.com/en/20121209-man-throws-paint-polish-miracle-virgin-mary-icon

Prayers . . .

I will admit the article is badly written using terms like cult to the icon and all that, but I wanted people to know somebody attempted to harm the icon.

Do not worry. The icon is protected by glass and guards.

Just send prayers because it has distressed the faithful in Poland, and I wonder if the guy attacking the icon has other problems then just psychological. I am not saying he does, but every time somebody tries this stuff I wonder.

 

[Della]

It seems to me too that the man probably has mental health issues, poor thing. At least he tried to attack an object, no matter how holy, instead of shooting pilgrims (God forbid), and the picture is all right, so it’s much better than it might have been.

As to the use of the words “icon” and “cult”. In Europe these terms are not pejoratives, like they are in America. Any depiction of a holy person can be considered an icon and, within the context of the article and how the Church uses it, the word cult only means people who have the same spirituality.

 

[Wynfrith77]

I did not the Europeans view the terms different. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[Della]

I did not the Europeans view the terms different. Thanks for the clarification.

Well, they haven’t had the problem with cults, as we think of them, in Europe as we have in America. Although, they are learning what it means because Scientology is taking hold there and has become a problem, in the eyes of some European countries.

 

[90Domer]

We were at the American Czestochowa Shrine in PA, and I give thanks the the Icon was not harmed. As a Polish American, this story troubled me but am glad it had a good resolution.

 

[edwest2]

As a Polish American, I found the article to be very badly written and researched. It is a religious icon but there is no cult in Poland or anywhere else regarding it. The history of the image is presented incorrectly on the internet. In essence, Tartar invaders knew how valued the image was to the people, so a soldier managed to cut it twice with his sword before falling over, dead.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Della]

As a Polish American, I found the article to be very badly written and researched. It is a religious icon but there is no cult in Poland or anywhere else regarding it. The history of the image is presented incorrectly on the internet. In essence, Tartar invaders knew how valued the image was to the people, so a soldier managed to cut it twice with his sword before falling over, dead.

Peace,
Ed

These sorts of articles usually are badly written, especially these days when journalists don’t care if they get their facts straight. But the word cult may not have been a “dig”. The Church itself refers to devotion to Mary as the “cult of Mary”, meaning those devoted to her, not a radical, fringe group, as we think of the term in the USA. It’s probably not a good idea to characterize a whole population, though, as a cult following–just for the sake of sensibilities.

 

[Wynfrith77]

The history of the image is presented incorrectly on the internet. In essence, Tartar invaders knew how valued the image was to the people, so a soldier managed to cut it twice with his sword before falling over, dead.

Peace,
Ed

I did not know that history. Could you tell us more about the icon?

 

[jilly4ski]

As a Polish American, I found the article to be very badly written and researched. **It is a religious icon but there is no cult in Poland or anywhere else regarding it. **The history of the image is presented incorrectly on the internet. In essence, Tartar invaders knew how valued the image was to the people, so a soldier managed to cut it twice with his sword before falling over, dead.

Peace,
Ed

It seems the article is written for different (read dumbed down audience). Cult following is slang for a niche interest. So Radiohead (the band) had a cult following. They weren’t mainstream, at least at first, but appealed to a certain niche group (college students). So the Icon (which is what it is) has devotees, but not everyone has a devotion to the Icon. Thus, in popular parlance it has a “cult following.”

 

[BroomWagon]

We were at the American Czestochowa Shrine in PA, and I give thanks the the Icon was not harmed. As a Polish American, this story troubled me but am glad it had a good resolution.

Bless You, one of the Churches here definitely have a Shrine to Her and I think another is named in Her Honor somewhere in the State. I have researched that Shrine before in PA.

 

[Della]

Another strange group I’ve never heard of–for which I should be thankful. And yes, I too stated that the word cult in this context only means “those who follow” not “fringe group”, as is so often assumed. :tiphat:

 

[Della]

I remeber reading/hearing something about that group. So sad! And I often type the wrong word. Some words just seem to type themselves, don’t they?

If only the people who follow odd fringe cults would become “cultists” Our Lady of Czestochowa how much better off they’d be! :yup: