Order of the Black Madonna Dark Moon Petition Ceremony
Devotees of the Dark Mother are welcome to perform this ceremony at their personal altars each Dark Moon.
You do not need to be an Order member to perform this ceremony.
If you are interested in joining the Order, please see below.
You will need:
A red candle
A stone
A bell
Stand before your Black Madonna altar and open your ceremony by ringing your bell and intoning MAAAAA.
Calling in the Elements, please use the following invocations:
At the edge of the space: Ave Tenebros Clara!
In the East:
Ave Hodegetria, She who Shows the Way
Dark Mother we call to you,
Black Madonna of Częstochowa
Shine your Guiding Light and
Be with us! Ave!
In the South:
Rosa Mystica!
Dark Mother we call to you,
Virgen Santissima de Guadelupe
Glow your radiant Grace and
Be with us! Ave!
In the West:
Stella Maris! Star of the Sea!
Dark Mother we call to you,
Ste-Marie-de-la-Mer
Pour out your Mercy and
be with us! Ave!
In the North:
Sedes sapientia, O Throne of Wisdom!
Dark Mother we call to you,
Black Madonna of Montserrat,
Stand as our Mountain Sanctuary against the storms
of a Troubled World. Ave!
Calling in the Ancestors, say:
Ancestors, Beloved Dead, mighty beings of love and light who carry the gifts and teachings of all our lineages, we bless and honor you. Be welcome here, guard our proceedings, and whisper your wisdom to us as we honor the great Mother of all, the holy Black Madonna. Hail and welcome!
Take a moment to silently call upon the Black Madonna of your heart, envisioning her hearing your petitions and acknowledging them, with light radiating out from her heart.
Light your candle and recite:
Alas, I do not know either the mystical word or the mystical diagram, nor do I know the songs of praise to thee, nor how to welcome thee, nor how to meditate on thee...nor how to inform thee of my distress. But this much I know, O Mother, that to take refuge in thee is to destroy all my miseries.
Oh Most Gracious Black Madonna, never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection, implored thy help, or sought thy intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this I fly to thee Oh Mother of Mothers. To thee I come, before thee I stand, quiet and powerful. Oh Mother of All Divinities, despise not our petitions, but in thy mercy and clemency, hear and answer our prayers. Blessed be.
Either write down in advance, and read aloud, or spontaneously speak aloud the petitions that you bring to her graceful feet, knocking on your altar with your stone after each one is spoken and saying,
“So mote it be for the greatest good.”
Acknowledge any personal or unspoken petitions.
Upon concluding petitions, recite:
"We lift you up so your soul can be seen by Mother Mercy,
she who checks doorways, sees through cracks
and into corners where souls often hide, seeking refuge.
She who is the Immaculate Heart sees you easily,
greets you warmly, remembers you with love,
for she is
the Mirror of Heaven,
the Tower of Ivory,
Obsidian Blade,
Star of the Waters,
Seat of Wisdom...
We lift you up so Blessed Mother can see
all that you need now
in order to bring goodness and contentment,
healing and health,
understanding and love
--to you and your beloveds--
in every possible way.
And especially, may all these be given to you
in ways you can most easily see and understand...
and in ways you can put to immediate good use.
We lift you up because you were knitted up
in your earthly mother's womb by One Greater...
not only born already blessed...
but also born as a blessing on all of us...
Do not forget this,
for we have not forgotten you.
And neither and never has your Greater Mother.
Let you walk now forward into this day,
both deeply blessed and blessing others
with the magnitude of Our Holy Mother's love.
Aymen"*
Close the ceremony with the Petition for Protection & Blessings with this prayer: (movements are optional according to ability)
Great ocean of night, how I adore you.
Queen of time and space, I bow down.
(Perform prostration that resembles child’s pose, on knees, forehead to ground, but with arms outstretched in front, then rise to you knees, looking at her)
Mother and defender, I call to you, watch over me.
To She of vastness, I bow down again.
(Prostrate again, then rise to your knees)
Mother of all, how I love you. Watch over me.
(Prostrate again)
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the silent, secret blessings you bestow.
We are all rich in ways we don't even know.
Rise and ring bell one final time to close the ceremony.
*prayer by Clarissa Pinkola Estes