S1.E6: Newfoundland’s Madonna Iceberg

HistorySeason 1Folklore

May 7

Written By Robert Hiscock

Season 1, Episode 6

Time: 7:05

Newfoundland’s Madonna Iceberg

Hayward’s Picture of Our Lady of Fjords, St. John’s, NL, 1905

In 1905 the people of St. John’s were treated to an unusual iceberg — it looked like it had an ice statue on one end of it. Some people, including a prominent archbishop, were convinced it was the likeness of the Virgin Mary and that the iceberg was a message from God.

Read the Blog Posts

Read the blog post for more information, references and images.

1. Like A Virgin: NL’s Madonna Iceberg

2. Salads, Saints and 7 Other Iceberg Oddities

Sources & Further Reading

Our Lady of the Fjords, Newfoundland Quarterly, 1909
Pretty Iceberg, Evening Telegram, July 04, 1905
Mysterious Iceberg Off St. John’s, Archival Moments

Bonus Content

Purely for my own amusement I’ve studded this piece with many references to the singer Madonna.

The following is a playlist inspired by the blog post and podcast.

St. John'siceberg

Robert Hiscock

Robert grew up in a tiny Newfoundland community called Happy Adventure. These days he lives in Gander, NL and his happiest adventures are spent with his two Labrador retrievers exploring the island while listening to a soundtrack of local music.

When the dogs are napping Robert takes photos, writes about Newfoundland, and makes a podcast.

https://productofnewfoundland.ca

Dec 18, 2024

Coming Home For Tibb’s Eve

In this Christmas story, set on Tibb’s Eve in Trinity, Clara stumbles upon a house aglow with warmth and stories from the past. As the night unfolds, she discovers the magic of memories, old friends, and the fleeting nature of time.