The Pauline Monastery of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, with its most treasured possession, the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus, is unquestionably the spiritual capital of Poland. Founded by Pauline monks, the monastery has been a pilgrimage destination for hundreds of years. Little is known about the origins of the Miraculous Image which, by the time it was donated to Jasna Góra in 1382 by Ladislaus, Duke of Opole, was already widely known and venerated. The image of the Virgin Mary is marked by vertical and horizontal cuts, a permanent vestige of the desecration of the icon during 1430 plunder of the monastery. The halos around holy figures’ heads blend into one light composition which contrasts with the dark complexion of their faces. For this reason, the icon often called “Black Madonna.”