19th February : Our Lady Of Good Tidings
19th February
Our Lady Of Good Tidings
Country :
Year : 1793
The statue honored at Lempdes, France, is one of those, known as the black virgin. It is a very ancient piece and was formerly honored by numerous pilgrimages. The chapel containing the image was sacked in 1793 and demolished in 1830. A cross marks the place where it once stood. The statue was then carried to the church at Lempdes.
At Nancy there is another shrine to Our Lady of Good Tidings. In 1525 when Anthony, Duke of Lorraine, was defending his territory against the invasion of the Protestants, a little child was praying before the statue of Our Lady in the church of St. George. The child, a deaf mute, suddenly heard a voice telling her to go and tell the duchess that her spouse would return victorious. The child fulfilled the order. “Ah, that is good news,” said the duchess, when she received the message. The duke was victorious, and from that time on the statue was known as Our Lady of Good News.
Pilgrimages began to flourish and many miracles occurred. A commission was named to verify the latter. In 1742, the Church of St. George was torn down and the statue carried to the cathedral. It is still venerated there, for it was rescued during the time of The Terror.
