#2827: Re Polish presence in Haiti : Rawls adds

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: Linda Rawls <lrawls@pbpost.com>

My fellow reporter John Murawski is a refugee from Poland. His father
provides this insight, translated by John, with his father's words in
Polish following...

Linda,

My father says that according to Polish legend, the Black Madonna has
scars on
her face because pagan soldiers — Turks or Tartars — attempted to ruin
the painting with
their swords, but the Madonna miraculously healed, leaving only scars.

As for the Polish presence in Haiti, my father said it is likely that
Napolen
dispatched Polish soldiers to quash a rebellion in the French colony of
Haiti,
and the Polish soldiers might have brought a picture of the the Black
Madonna
to aid them in their battles.

JM

Kris Murawski wrote:

> Czy pytanie jest "how this very old and famous painting found its way
into
> the realm of Voodoo", czy "what is the origin of the scratches on the
Polish
> black madonna's face"?
> Co do pierwszego pytania, to odpowiedz moze byc taka ze Napoleon
wyslal
> polskie wojska dla stlumienia powstania na Haiti.  Niektorzy polscy
> zolnierze tam zostali i oni mogli zawlec tam polski obraz religijny.
W
> Polsce jest wiele kopii tego obrazu z Czestochowy.  Co do drugiego
pytania,
> to jest w Polsce legenda ze obraz ten chcieli zniszczyc jacys wrogowie

> chrzescijanstwa (Turcy czy moze Tatarzy - nie pamietam bez
sprawdzania) i
> usilowali posiekac obraz szablami, ale obraz w cudowny sposob ocalal i
tylko
> zostaly slady ich szabel.
>
> > Tatusiu,
> >
> > Pytanie o Polsce, ale watpie czy masz odpowiedz.
> >
> > JM