Legend of the Black Madonna, Tindari Sicily

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Legend of the Black Madonna, Tindari Sicily

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Written by Larry Aiello

Sunday, 02 October 2011 23:33

There is always a bit of mystery and intrigue when one is referring to a black Madonna, since they are so rare. In Tindari, Sicily (on the northern coast) there is a legend of a black Madonna.

The old legend has it that the Madonna of Tindari is originally from the Byzantine empire. She was passed along to the local monks after she fell of a ship bound for the Orient.

The legend grows even more interesting...there was once a pilgrim woman who refused to pray to the Madonna because she was black. After the woman accidentally dropped her baby in the Lagoon of Tindari, the black Madonna demonstrated her compassion by raising the sands in order to form a sandbar so the baby could be saved. Wouldn’t it be great if more people in this world were as forgiving and had the same compassion as the black Madonna of Tindari?

Every September in Tindari they celebrate and honor her with a Feast of the Black Madonna.