There is one day in the year when the consumption of water in Poland shoots up. Holidays and Celebrations Szczodre Gody (Generous Festivities) - Winter solstice - December 21-22 Putting a tree of life at home, a ritual feast Jare wito (Spring Festival) - Spring equinox - March 21 Burning a sacred fire, drowning mammon, decorating eggs Noc Kupay (Night of Baths) - Summer solstice - June 21-22 They visit the boys and sprinkle them with water. One of the carolers played a musical instrument to accompany their songs. In Slavic legend, a sacred oak tree was the home of all beings; the top branches were the heavens, the trunk and lower branches the realms of men, and the roots were the underworld. Sometimes the male head of the house himself, in collusion with the perpetrators, let the men into the house himself to have his women folk abruptly awakened and doused liberally with water. According to folklorists' research and findings, Slavic folklore contains a great number of spells, charms., incantations, practical rituals for love, relationships, work, fertility, protection, healing, divination, communicating with old spirits and ancestors, averting the evil eye and many others. If a father could afford it, the wedding sometimes lasted three days. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(t); The chosen girl went to church in great pomp and ceremony, wearing the wreath on her head while sitting in a wagon pulled by four horses decorated in greenery and surrounded by other young maidens wearing flowers in their hair. The belief was that those sitting down to eat must add up to an even number. On Tuesday, and every day thereafter until the time of the Green Holidays Pentecost the women doused the men.. As you might suspect, Poland has a whole series of customs and traditions surrounding Easter, which range from pious to playful, to downright pagan. Tomasz Rogalinski calls Rodzimowiercy to ritual. On that day in Poland, the youngsters are visited by Sw. Mikolaj. Mythologies have fascinated humanity and civilizations for centuries. he has come! St. Nicholas entered, filling the room with not only his presence, but with his smile, the twinkle in his eye and his teasing booming voice. The wedding feast also followed established traditions. In ancient times, when death entered a peasants house, all doors and windows were opened at the moment of passing. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. This was done with one glass which traveled from hand to hand. ins.id = slotId + '-asloaded'; It was believed that salt had the power to heal and cleanse, uncover thieves, protect houses against fire, dispel storms and hail, and drive away evil spirits. Next, the brothers entered a dispute about who deserves the honor of killing the dragon.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'meettheslavs_com-banner-1','ezslot_6',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'meettheslavs_com-banner-1','ezslot_7',120,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-banner-1-0_1'); .banner-1-multi-120{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:10px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:10px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. published: Ewelina Nurczyk Special kits for painting eggs with a funneled pen, color dyes and a wax can be purchased in Ukrainian or Polish gift shops. It gets especially serious when it comes to food-related events. If the day was fair but it rained or snowed during the night, then it foretold that the first half of the month would be fair but the second half would be damp. Many of the traditions and beliefs are still here today in slightly adapted forms. However, the devil was even more than Sir Twardowski so, one day, he tricked him and made him visit an inn that was named Rome. If you happen to visit Poland the day before Lent, take a gander at the snaking queues outside every bakery. Meet the Slavs covers topics related to the Slavic culture, history, mythology and more. The wreath, arriving only once a year, was cherished and given much care. This most delicious of Polish customs offers one last chance to overindulge on anything and everything sweet which the largely Catholic population foregoes for Lent. In customs that can be documented back to the sixteenth century, the young couple was most often greeted at the entrance of the house with bread and salt. On the same Saturday, in another Vistula-based city, the celebrations focus on music, with multiple stages and artists presenting different music genres. Wherever the initials K M B for Kaspar, Melchior and Baltazer, with a cross between them, were seen written in chalk at the top of entrance doors, it was evident to a wayfarer that a Catholic family lived there. In old Poland, it was so significant that only after the Oczepiny, and not the church ceremony, that the man exercised his marriage privileges towards his new wife. There were numerous variations on this custom, but in whatever form it appeared, the central elements were an uncut loaf of bread and a white towel or scarf. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); Parties begin mid-morning with a buffet of traditional cuisine and last until after daybreak on Tuesday. XI No.2 Summer 1994 by Stan Garczynski, All Saints All Souls Day, November 1st and 2nd, Feast of Greenery, September 8th (Matki Boskiej Zielnej), Polish Easter Customs (Polskie Tradycje Wielkanocne), St. Andrews Night, November 30th (Noc Sw. Andrzeja albo Andrzejki), St. Nicholas Day, December 6th (Sw. Mikolaja albo Mikolajki). Suddenly, a fairy came up to him and told him to go to the forest and find the flower of the fern which blossomed only on that night. He first encountered the tradition in 1978, before it had acquired the standardized name. More info about Krakw Wianki 2018 here. It was only at the beginning of the 20th century that reconstruction became widespread by comparing Slavic data with data from other Indo-European (Baltic, Iranian, German, etc.) These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. The Warsaw Mermaid was a character that served as an inspiration and a staple figure in many literary works as well as visual artworks. I know some cases when people following other than Catholic paths are discriminated, especially in smaller places and in the villages where people point the finger at those who do not attend mass. And join more than 6 thousand other people. She was often given a handsome reward consisting of either money or some gift. The shadow it casts on the wall is said to reveal the girls marriage prospects: if its shape resembles something used by a man, she will marry within a year. The whole country follows an age-old tradition which resembles one big water fight. Quite often forgotten and preserved only in some rural areas, the celebrations surface now in the 21st century as another idea for a fun summer activity. My mistake. In 1954, the Polish writer Ewa Szelburg Zarembina composed a fairy tale inspired by the folklore motifs of the Warsaw Mermaid Story. The Polish Legend of St.Johns Night was born in early ancient Slavic times when a ritual of water and fire was performed to honor the shortest night of the year. As a deeply Catholic country, Polish Easter traditions (PL:Wielkanoc) are taken very seriously. There must always be a roasted pigs head decked with flowers, ham, veal and the famous Polish sausage strongly flavored with garlic. While part of the Polish custom bonfires, singing and dancing resembles other celebrations all over the world, the traditional wild flower crowns and fortune-telling rituals date back to Slavic paganism. The wedding is one of the most important family celebrations. The couple always sat at the table which was located along the wall containing holy pictures. The Polish have a deep respect for their past and a pragmatic outlook on their future, which youll discover in great depth during your next visit to Poland. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); This traveling mode of entertaining with caroling provided a somewhat lucrative way of making money and/or receiving something sweet to eat. All myths and mythical creatures primarily come from the need to explain reality. In some areas of Poland, a loaf of common, everyday bread was placed on top of it and topped with more Oplatek. All Saints Day, November 1st, traditionally has been associated in Polish legend with ghosts and wayward souls. Wedding traditions demanded that guests be invited in a certain obligatory manner. Sorrowful God - The Sorrowful God is depicted in pre-history sculpture sitting with his head in his hand, peaceful and contemplative. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". In case of a serious threat or catastrophe in the mine, the Treasurer shows up to warn the miners by flickering a lamp, appearing in front of them, or hitting the ground strong enough so they could hear him. This ceremony is a reminder of the humility with which Christ washed the feet of his disciples. Eggs were once a part of Polish pagan tradition and still symbolize spring, renewal, fertility, and eternity. He was attracted to it because of hisextensive historical knowledge of the Slavs. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. by Stanley Garczynski from PGS of Texas Polish Footprints Vol.XII No.3 Fall 1995. Leszek the Black started thinking about what is the right thing to do. One celebrates an Obiat (a feast) in memory of the deceased. Polish Easter - your ultimate guide to Polish Easter foods, customs and See you on a hopefully warm Saturday in the Podzamcze area, right next to the Multimedia Fountain Park and the Vistula! He travels the countryside on foot, occasionally astride a white horse, blessing the children, and distributing goodies to well behaved children and swishes (rozgi) to the naughty. The blessings were so important that, if a mother or father had died, the wedding party would stop at the cemetery where the groom or bride asked for a blessing from the deceased parent. The Polish also make a different version of these open sandwiches, however. Every able-bodied individual trudged through freezing weather in the dark of the night, or rode in sleighs to local churches by way of town streets or country roads. container.style.maxWidth = container.style.minWidth + 'px'; The Legend of Sir Twardowski and the Devil, 11. Traditions Only Poles Can Understand - Culture Trip Native Polish Church - Wikipedia Going back to the earliest, notable stages of history, we may conclude that many phenomena were hard to be comprehended and one of the ways to tackle this was to create a belief system that will put the existence of supernatural powers and creatures forward. Although the story of the Three Kings is taken from the apocryphal literature for which strict historical truth is not assured, the love and respect held for these three wise men was so strong, so universal, that the church also paid homage to them. Sometimes the owner removed the wreath from the girl himself and placed it aside. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Rogalinski explained more of the tenets of this native religion, which varies depending upon the source material. To clarify one of the statements in the article: The number of roughly 4,500 adherents was based on a census methodology that didnt ask every respondent the question, so its an extrapolation from a smaller number of people answering the question. In olden days, Polish kings performed this rite. Everyone would gather at the home of the bride to accompany the bridal couple to the church, but also to witness the blessing and symbolic farewells of the bride with her parents, relatives, and friends. The minute the enforcers of orthodoxy begin to loosen their grip, or a country accepts a degree of pluralism, it all comes roaring back to life . This day was spent in comparative quiet surroundings within the intimate family group. In preparation of this most important meal of the year, the table was first covered with straw or hay, and then with a white tablecloth. These short moments of joy in the difficult life of peasantry follow many traditional customs before young couple exchange the wedding rings. It was also the official day for caroling to begin. Matins are observed in churches on Wednesday of the Holy Week. Like in many other European countries, the arrival of summer is celebrated on St. John's Eve in Poland. Laszkas number probably embraces a broader and more diffuse set of people who follow Facebook groups about Rodzimowierstwo and maybe sometimes visit a festival, etc. Wigilia or Wilia, from the Latin word vigilare to watch, Czuwac in Polish, is reverently close to the heart of a Pole. The day itself had significance many centuries before Christs birth. for fair and mild spring. Skarbnik was wandering around the mines and observing, According to the legend, he is hidden but if one whistle, Skarbnik shows up and may punch one in the face. Wianki (literally 'wreaths' in English) is an event that can however be traced back to the bygone days of paganism and has preserved some of its original character. According to this legend, the King and his knights were fighting a battle where Boleslaw lost his life. Consequently, Catholic Polish believe one must always be ready to accept an unexpected guest, never turning away anyone in need. Slavic Magic: Rituals, Spells, and Herbs - Meet the Slavs by Stanley Garczynski from PGS of Texas Polish Footprints Vol.XII No.4 Winter 1995. In Poland, it took root in the 13th-15th centuries, and the tradition was to go door to door between 26 December (the second day of . First, the engagement period Zareczyny or Zrekowiny. The girl wearing the wreath approached, removed it from her head, and either handed it over to the owner or placed it on his head. The 10 Most Important Slavic Gods - ThoughtCo 04 of 11 Ham and Polish sausage were very popular, since pork had always been eaten at special festivities. var alS = 2002 % 1000; 8 Common Belief Systems in the Modern Pagan Community - Learn Religions Their particular repertoire was to walk throughout the village singing carols. var ffid = 2; According to a completely different version or interpretation of this legend, the Treasurer is a humanized creature with a white beard and a lamp who is forever stuck in the coal mines because he is punished for the murder of his daughter. Some customs varied at different sections of Poland, but the importance of the holiday was general in the whole country. One of the young girls of the family went to the nearest stream and brought back pails of water. Due to the tradition of eating fatty or sweet foods before the start of Lent, which calls for fasting, Poles have adopted the custom of eating paczki, or Polish donuts. All Saints All Souls Day, November 1st and 2nd Cooking included only the heating of previously prepared food. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. container.appendChild(ins); Jaselka is the general name given to the two forms of Christmas caroling called Szopka and Herody. ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; He encouraged him to carry on with his pursuit and told him that he will soon celebrate his victory. These smaller sandwiches, called tartinki, are quite possibly responsible for transforming parties in Poland from seated affairs into standing ones. Today, Leszek Czarny is one of Lublins most popular heroic legends and an ever-inspiration for poets and artists. Another custom arising from the past, was the belief that spirits pervaded the home on this day. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. The Legend about Sir Twardowski and the Devil is, understandably, a devilish story about one of the most popular devils in Polish folklore that signed a pact with the nobleman Sir Twardowski in the 16th century. The Poles called it the Shepherd Mass, because the shepherds were first to greet the new born Christ. The Legend of the Dragon of Krakow tells us the story of one of the historically most significant cities and once the capital of Poland.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'meettheslavs_com-box-4','ezslot_4',113,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'meettheslavs_com-box-4','ezslot_5',113,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-113{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:10px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:10px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. If a young lad would catch the wreath that was made by his beloved he could ask for her hand. Sw. Mikolaj does not live at the North Pole, but up in Heaven. Next, Sir Twardowski had to face the devil and his inevitable tragic fate. He believes, this type of sacred place could bring Pagans together despite their low numbers. According to the legend, the father of the mermaid was King Baltic who was the ruler of the seas and the underwater world. Some are firmly rooted in the predominant religion of Poland, Roman Catholicism; others stem from pagan rites of the seasons. t.type = 'text/javascript'; The Legend of Leszek the Blacks Dream, Slavic Mythology: Myths, Creatures and Stories, Top Prague Festivals for Each Month of the Year. The top of the spruce or pine was hung from a beam in the ceiling, with the tip facing down over the table where the Wigilia was to be held. It was believed that water on this day had the power to heal and prevent illness. Starting on Palm Sunday, the girls will begin gathering eggs, which will become pisanki. The period approaching midnight was a magical time when animals talked and well water turned to wine and everyone readied themselves to attend the midnight Mass of the Shepherd or Pasterka. Manage Settings lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId + '-asloaded'), { attributes: true });var cid = '6354310426'; During Easter, work, both occupational and domestic, is kept to a minimum. Taking the young girl in his arms, the lord of the manor started dancing. The trip to the church took place in various ways, with the bride and groom riding together or in separate wagons. At the time, hungry Polish would use a thick slice of bread as a plate and then eat it. The Legend of King Boleslaw and his Knights, 3. This tradition is rooted in the pre-Christian sacrificial rites of Slavic Pagans. migus-dyngus (Polish pronunciation: [migus dnus]) is a formerly pagan and now a Roman Catholic celebration held on Easter Monday across Central Europe, and in small parts of Eastern and Southern Europe.The tradition is widely associated with Poland and is observed by Polish Diaspora communities, particularly among Polish Americans who call it Dyngus Day. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. And sometimes, the Polish even push these celebrations out for a week. And Polish Easter, besides the spiritual factor, is mostly that. It is greeted with such mystical symbolism, that it is considered by many to be a greater holiday than Christmas itself. Drawning Marzanna in the village Jeziorzany in 2014 [Photo Credit: Jacek wierczyski]. z o.o. According to the Polish folk myth from the pre-Christian Slavic tradition, the . After getting the girls out of their beds, the boys will douse them with water. He was dressed in a long white robe, wearing a tall head piece much like a bishops mitre, a long white flowing beard, and in his hand he held the shepherds staff. Religio Romana is a modern Pagan reconstructionist religion based upon the ancient faith of pre-Christian Rome. ins.style.minWidth = container.attributes.ezaw.value + 'px'; A traditional meat-free Wigilia meal has 12 courses drawn from forest and ocean, field and orchard, representing the months of the year. It is a delightful tradition, Dyngus or Smigus as this custom is called. I never got back to the business to get his contact information either. Lent ends Saturday noon, but fasting is observed until Resurrection Mass. There, Lech spotted a beautiful white eagle that seemed fierce and protective towards its cubs. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. They are symbols of hospitality and conjugal harmony. In Poland, Sw. Mikolaj is not an oversized man with red pompom topped cap, red Jacket, and riding boots. Another traditional pastime is for the girls to toss their shoes to the middle of the floor. The Obra Water Monster is a creature related to a folk tale similar to the one of the famous Loch Ness monster from Scotland. Satanic Temple candidate loses primary bid, https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/. Yet, even in Poland, one of the most Christianized European countries, Pagan religionsare growing within the shadow of the Church. Starosta (an intermediary) joined the right hands of the couple above the bread, tied them together with white cloth, and made the sign of the cross over their joined hands representing the joined endeavors of the man and woman to prepare the bread that they always have bread beneath their hands. From very early on, everyone was careful of conduct and observed everything that occurred in the house, garden and heavens. On the best plate of the house, the blessed wafer or Oplatek (Christmas wafer) was placed. Fish was served in the families who could afford it. I met a Rodzimowierstwo practitioner living in Portland, ME. It's definitely not a Wiccan path, and because of the structure within the spirituality, it's not even something where you can swap out gods of other pantheons and insert the Roman deities. However, if a man believed their stories and was seduced by them, his life would soon tragically come to an end. The pagan Poles bickered with nature Dingen by means of pouring water and switching with willows to make themselves pure and worthy of the coming year. The Legend of King Boleslaw, the Brave, and his Knights is about a mighty and courageous ruler who has united Poland and exalted her state power. All told, while laws and aspects of the culture present very real obstacles for Polish Pagans, the small community does enjoy the freedom to practice and continues to eagerly expand despite the very large shadow of the countrys dominant religion. There is much pageantry in this church ritual, with the lifesize image of the stricken Savior lying in a grotto, guarded night and day by priests and faithful worshippers. RELATED CONTENT: Poland travel guide everything you need to know. Built with the Largo WordPress Theme from the Institute for Nonprofit News. var ffid = 2; Old fire in the house is put out, then a large bonfire is made in the churchyard. He won and released the captives. If you require more information please view our. ins.style.display = 'block'; The farm people bring to church great bouquets of herbs, vegetables, and corn, interwoven with a few flowers from the fields and gardens, which are blessed by the priest. lo.observe(document.getElementById(slotId + '-asloaded'), { attributes: true }); .box-3-multi-110{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:10px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:10px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. Then they kindle new fires in their home, to signify the renewal of faith and greeting of the spring. The most popular Pagan path practiced in Poland is Rodzimowierstwo (native faith), an indigenous form of Slavic polytheism. Everything was to be made as comfortable as possible for them and that this last day of the year would prophesize everything that was to happen in the coming year. Wrocaw decided to organise a family event with wreath-floating, starting from 3 pm and lasting almost until midnight. From drowning winter to getting hitched twice, Polish traditions and customs often border on the bizarre but are certainly a highlight to discover.
Best Rv Dealer In Southern California,
What Is Chime Bank Identification Code,
Lazy E Ranch Internships,
Articles P