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Chine McDonald has never seen a black representation of the Virgin Mary. She travels to France searching for the origins of these images and their global significance for herself and for other black women.

Black Madonnas are statues or paintings in Western Christendom of the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus, where both figures are depicted with dark skin. They can be found both in Catholic and Orthodox countries.

There鈥檚 great speculation and disputes over the origins and meanings of many of the Black Madonna icons. There are thought to be at least 450 of them in the world. The majority are in Europe and there are more Vierges Noires in France than any other country in the world.

Chine visits the Queen of Peace in the convent church of the Congregation of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus in Paris, accompanied by expert guide Dr Christena Cleveland. And she travels to Orleans to see the Black Madonna statue: Our Lady of Miracles in the Chapel Notre Dame des Miracles.

She also visits the Wellcome Collection in London to talk with curator Janice Li about their Black Madonna painting of Our Virgin of Guadalupe. And talks about the universal and ancient origins of Black Madonna icons with Professor Malgorzata Oleszkiewicz-Peralba at the College of Liberal and Fine Arts in San Antonio, US.

Producer: Rosie Boulton
A Must Try Softer Production