Return of the Black Madonna - alchemy of the heart

Every archetype has its seasons. They come and go according to the deepest, often unconscious, needs of the psyche both personal and collective. Today the Black Madonna is returning." - Matthew Fox, "Return Of The Black Madonna," 2006

The Black Madonna, a centuries old icon, can be seen in churches throughout Europe and even in North America. She is the representation of the Divine Feminine as the Divine Mother of transformation. She holds human suffering in the alchemy of Her heart. She is in the trenches with humanity - loving, inspiring, nourishing, promoting growth and change in all of us. She is the divinity inherant in our bodies, in all physical matter.

I have visited the sites of many Black Madonnas - in France, Ireland, England, Italy. One of my favorite is the Black Madonna of Oropa, high in the mountains of northern Italy. See a photo of Her, and read more about her here:
http://www.interfaithmarianpilgrimages.com/pages/oropa.htm