Interview by CF News with Dr. Thomas Ward dr.thomas.ward@btinternet.com member of the International Executive Committee of From Ocean to Ocean:
Towards the new Evangelisation and the Civilisation of Love and Life, Marriage and the Family.
CF NEWS : What is From Ocean to Ocean?
Dr WARD : It is a act of entrustment of the Civilisation of Love and Life into the hands of the Mother of God.
CFN : But why the name From Ocean to Ocean?
TW : It is a pilgrimage of an icon of the Mother of God from the Pacific Ocean at Vladivostok to the Atlantic Ocean at Fatima.
CFN : Why Entrustment to the Mother of God?
TW : Because the scale of the global attack on life, on marriage which is the union of one man one woman and the family is massive and without historical precedent. We know that alone we can not overcome the Culture of Death.
CFN : What is unique about this pilgrimage?
TW : After one thousand years of fratricidal distrust the Mother of God is bringing her Orthodox and Catholic sons and daughters to work together to bring about the new Civilisation of Love based upon the family in the Third Christian Millennium.
CFN : Why choose the icon of Our Lady of Czestochowa?
TW : It is the most well-known and unifying tradition in the East as well as in the West and in Russia Our Lady of Czestochowa is the patron of those who desire a restoration of family values. It is one of Christianity's holiest relics.
CFN : What is the history of the Icon of Czestochowa?
TW : The documented history shows that Wladyslaw, prince of Opole donated the icon to Jasna Gora in 1382 and that he had received it as a wedding gift in Belz Rus.
There is evidence the icon having been in Constantinople. Prior to this we must turn to Christian tradition which maintains that it was written by St. Luke. The icon dates from before the schism between the Church in the West and the East and therefore like the Mother of God belongs to both Orthodox East and Catholic West.
CFN : Why did Poles write this beautiful replica and then give it to the Russian Orthodox pro-life movement?
TW : I think quite simply as an act of fraternal solidarity with Russian families. What happened was that Human Life International and HLI Poland gave it to a coalition of Russian Orthodox pro-life/pro-family groups including Zhizn (Life) , the Charity Fund for the Protection of Family, Motherhood and Childhood and the All Russian organisation For Life and the Protection of Family Values.
CFN : Is the icon of Czestochowa revered by the Orthodox?
TW : The Orthodox Church venerates it as one of the oldest of the so-called Lucan school and consider it to be an ancient Orthodox icon. Old and new copies of it are frequently found in Orthodox churches. It can be found in Orthodox homes. The Orthodox name for it is 'Invincible Victory'. The hymn 'Victorious Queen' is sung in her honour. It is the patron of those who desire a restoration of national and family values. They chose the Czestochowa icon as the most well-known and unifying tradition in the east as well as in the west
CFN : Tell me about the support of the Russian Orthodox Church for From Ocean to Ocean
TW : Writing of our pilgrimage Metropolitan Hilarion, chairman of the Department of External Church Relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, observed that in the contemporary world, people increasingly aim to achieve material prosperity, and unfortunately family and children are often regarded as an obstacle to self-realisation. He hopes that our endeavour, which he has blessed, would contribute to the protection of life and the strengthening of family values.
CFN : And the Poles?
TW : Quite simply I believe the icon of Czestochowa is the heart of Poland and that it was She who delivered the East from atheistic Communism. In very few words - Maryja Królowa Polski Mary, Queen of Poland.
CFN: And in British Isles?
TW: I am delighted to say that the the Pilgrimage of the Black Madonna of Częstochowa from Vladivostok to Fatima in defence of life and the family will visit England and Scotland from the 5th to the 16th November 2012 just shortly after the launch of the Year of Faith.
For further information on the icon see also: http://www.fromoceantoocean.org/faq