Sankt Veit an der Glan
Photo: Johann Jaritz
Black Mother of God (copy of Black Madonna of Loreto)
In the forest chapel Black Mother of God (Waldkapelle Schwarze Muttergottes am Muraunberg), in the woods of Mt. Muraun, 4.5 km from the town, Muraunbergweg 15, 9300 St. Veit an der Glan, chapel and likely the Madonna too from 1864, open to the public.
Commonly Black Madonnas are associated with sacred springs, but this one outdoes them all: her chapel was erected over 3 sacred springs! It was donated by a local from St. Veit. Two very different legends (or ghost stories) talk about it.
The inscription says: Under your protection and umbrella we flee, oh holy Mother of God. photo: Monika Gschwandner-Elkins
One tells of a hunter, who used to hunt for squirrels on Sundays (he must have been quite poor to resort to eating squirrels) instead of going to church. One Sunday he was punished for this sin by an attack of little demons disguised as squirrels. In his anguish, he prayed to the Virgin Mary and she helped him. In thanksgiving he built a chapel on the spot and placed a Mary statue in it. Sometime later, the place survived a Turkish attack and the Madonna turned black.
The other legend tells of a peasant trying to find his way home after a long night of drinking. He was looking for a shortcut through the forest when he heard the clock on the church in town strike midnight. A storm kicked up, the underbrush moved, and pale figures emerged threatening the terrified drunk. Running for his life, he fell down a steep incline, where he lay injured. Staring death in the face, he remembered that he had a blessed rosary on him. He took it out and prayed fervently. When the clock struck 1, the ‘witching hour‘ ended, the ghosts disappeared, and the exhausted peasant fell asleep. Come morning, he limped home in deep gratitude that his adventure had ended well. To repay his debt, he had this chapel built and placed the Black Madonna in it.
Source:
http://www.kleindenkmaeler.at/detail/waldkapelle_maria_loreto_am_muraunberg
The Queen of Peace, Our Lady of Medjugorje, says: “…a powerful prayer full of love changes the world. Therefore, my children, pray, pray, pray.”