marian anniversaries september
September 20
Könnyezo Madonna, Sumuleu Ciuc, Miercurea-Ciuc, Harghita, Romania
The Weeping Madonna is a larger-than-life statue, thought to have originated in a Hungarian workshop
of the 1500s, on the high altar of the Franciscan Monastery in Sumuleu Ciuc,
Transylvania (Csíksomlyó in Hungarian): a standing late Gothic Madonna and Child with gilded drapery, set against an aureole of solar
rays. On Pentecost in 1567, Hungarian Zsigmond Janos, King of Trasylvania
and a Protestant, set his army against a Catholic gathering here. With prayers to the Madonna, the Catholics rallied and drove Janos out. Ever since, in commemoration, pilgrims
flock to
Csíksomlyó on Pentecost Sunday. The Virgin of Csíksomlyó is especially dear to the Székely and Csango ethnic groups, who bring to her pilgrimage a rich heritage of music,
dancing, costume, and cuisine.
| Vándor fecske hazatalál, Édesanyja fészkére száll, Hazamegyünk, megsegít a Csíksomlyói Szuz Mária. (old Székely hymn) |
The wandering swallows rest again in mother's nest; so once again we go home to Csíksomlyó. |
In 1661, Tatars burned the church, but the image stayed put. Tradition holds that one of the Tatar leaders tried to steal the precious statue, but it became so heavy that even with eight oxen he couldn't move it. The angry commander struck the Virgin's face and neck with his sword, leaving marks still visible today. After the attack, the statue was seen to weep. On September 20, 1798 the Church confirmed the miracles of Csíksomlyó and crowned the statue. Picture from the Monastery's site, www.csiksomlyo.ro.
Also celebrated this date:
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