For the fourth time already the Icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa travelling in Her pilgrimage in defense of the civilization of life and love came to an ocean shore. This time it is the Pacific.On the American Independence Day, July 4th 2014, the Black Madonna visited the town of Astoria in the State of Oregon on the West Coast of America and stopped at the Catholic parish of St. Mary, Star of the Sea.
After a solemn Holy Mass the faithful symbolically carried the Icon to the ocean shore and stopped at the monument of Lewis and Clark. The ceremony was attended both by Catholics and Orthodox Christians.
The rights of Man and the tradition of religious freedom
“As we face increasing threats to our religious freedom in the midst of the greatest human rights violation in history—the war on innocent preborn lives in the womb - it is fitting that this milestone in the From Ocean to Ocean campaign will occur on the day we celebrate our freedom and independence in the U.S. We are asking for Our Lady’s intercession in this fight against a culture of death for the protection of the family and of all human life from conception to natural death.” – said Fr. West, the coordinator of the pilgrimage in the USA and Canada, the vice-president of Human Life International for the missions.
On the historical trail of the discoverers
Across the northern and western states of the US the Czestochowa Icon was travelling along the historical trail of the Lewis and Clark`s exploratory expedition. It was the first American land journey westward across the newly acquired territory of Louisiana. The expedition arrived at the Pacific shore in Astoria in 1806. This event sums up the journey of the Czestochowa Icon across the whole continent of North America.120 km. already – three times along the Equator.
In the first stage of Her journey across Asia and Europe the Black Madonna visited 75 cathedrals, 73 shrines with Lourdes, Fatima and Saragossa, and around 50 Orthodox churches. In Her second stage in the USA and Canada (which is in progress), She stopped in 16 cathedrals, 6 basilicas, numerous Catholic parishes in 170 towns and in 9 Orthodox churches.
She also visited single mothers` homes, elderly people centers and hospices. She also attended many prayer meetings at numerous abortion businesses. She has even visited a Canadian prison, where Mary Wagner was imprisoned for attempts to make women give up the thoughts of abortion. We also know 10 cases when children were saved from abortion. Recently we have had an official information that 27 abortion businesses have been closed since last year in US.
The Icon was welcomed on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean on the 24th of August 2013 on the Island of St. Clement, at the Potomac River estuary. The Black Madonna covered around 55 thousand km. across America and Canada and in Her first stage “From Vladivostok to Fatima” – around 65 thousand km. The whole journey therefore covers around 120 thousand km., that is as if She has gone around the globe three times.
Further on into Latin America
The pilgrimage is due to be continued along the West Coast of the USA and will end on the Feast of All the Saints, on the 1st of November 2014 at the church of Our Lady of Czestochowa in Phoenix. Next the Icon will travel to Mexico and other countries of Latin America.