Easter in Poland

Easter it is a celebration which begins spring. What does it mean for the Polish people? How Polish celebrate do this event?

Here a small presentation, by Agnieszka Martineau-Kosobucka

Easter in Poland - Polish tradition, habits, symbols

The Easter party is a very important for Polish, because Poland is a catholic country and the number of catholic people is very high. Easter is preceded, according to the religious tradition, by the Large Lent, which lasts 40 days.

The week preceding Easter is a week of the intensive preparations, at the religious level and on the practical side - because the tradition requires that all be perfect. That starts with Sunday of Branches - the axact translation from French Rameaux (Palm Sunday in English) said in Polish "Niedziela Palmowa". During this day during the masses with the catholic church, the "palms" are blessed - smaller and modest branch to large palm with decorations and flowers in braid. This tradition is very alive in certain Polish areas where one organizes even the contests of palms which measure until a few meters. This palm will decorate then the house and will serve during all the year like the symbol as protection of the hearth.

During the Holy Week, the special program is organized by the parishes - "Rekolekcje", it is a true time of reflection, the Catholics practise can go to the mass the every day - they are special masses having for the goal to prepare Easter well, of the confession to the communion. Friday, takes place an exceptional mass - "Droga Krzyzowa", the Road of cross - it is a "rebuilding" of the last road of Jesus Christ.

Saturday, according to the old Polish habit, it is the day when the "holy menu" is blessed by the priest with the church. That must be, according to the Polish tradition, the final point of the preparation to the party: all is clean, and the menu which will be consumed during the 2 feast days, is already ready. And there is much work to prepare it, because the receipts are rather difficult, people thus work during several days so that all is as it is necessary. Because when the "holy menu" is at the house, there is not any more right to work. It is the time of reflection, believing them practise can take part in the "day before" - "czuwanie", i.e. the prayer in front of the tomb symbolic system of Christ.

What is it the "holy menu"? Called in of Polish language "swieconka" or "swiecone" (blessed), they are hard-boiled eggs, bread, salt, meat, fruits, put out of decorated basket. With this basket Polish - generally the children, it is their privilege, accompanied by their parents, go to the church, where during a short mass the priest blessed baskets brought. It is Swieconka which will begin then the meal of Easter.

For the Easter, Polish obviously has also the habit of decorated eggs. Called in Polish "Pisanki" or Kraszanki", it is one of the symbols accompanying Passover. Kraszanki they are eggs very painted linked color, without decoration. Pisanki they are eggs decorated with wax and then soaked in painting. Like the reasons for decoration, people can resort to their imagination: flowers, plants, voux, Jesus, bells, Baranek (sheep of Easter), rabbits. These beautiful eggs will be then a decoration of the table of Easter and can be consumed, constantly the two days of the party, without moderation!

The menu of Easter is varied enough; each area and each family has their own tradition.

But generally one will see on the table of the meats of all kinds, roast, fume, cooked, of sauces, of salads, and obviously, of the cakes, whose famous Baba - a cake prepared with many eggs, aromatic, large - formerly, it could measure even a half measures! Or Mazurki ("mazurek") - richly decorated.

Easter Sunday starts with the mass of resurrection. Then, the breakfast in family will be celebrated. Because it is the breakfast, known as "holy", which is the time of meeting in family in Poland during Easter.  

The party starts with a prayer, and then everyone can sit down with the table, filled with delicacies with the "small saint" in the medium. Polish begins their meal with the division of the "small saint" and the voux. Often the breakfast continues all the day, because Polish likes much to remain with table.

Easter Monday, it is Smigus-Dyngus or Lany Poniedzialek, therefore "wet Monday". During all the day, it is allowed to throw water on the others, same unknown! The best thing is thus to remain at home all the day, because while leaving to go for a short walk or to even go to foot to the church, one is likely to be wet! And there is not the right to be annoyed. Obviously, one should not exaggerate with the quantity of water thrown on an unknown, cultivate the tradition, but without making evil with the person.

Formerly, Smigus-Dyngus in the Polish culture symbolized also a very popular tradition in particular in shifts among the unmarried women and men: the men tried to put the most possible water on the girls whom they liked, thus showing them their interest and their feelings! Thus more received water - more the girl was loved. And the girls their said "thank you" by offering more decorated eggs! It is beautiful the tradition.

The Easter is a party of new life. Symbols of Easter: eggs, water and the palms, they are the symbols of the new life which starts in nature in spring, obviously. The life reappears - it is so beautiful!

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And on the "practical" side: The Easter it is one season very with the mode for the marriage. In fact, after 40 days of deficiency of the Lent, when the church wedding generally is not celebrated, because it is not a period appropriate to the joy and with the party, it is true "a river" of the catholic marriages. The baptisms are also popular during this time.

Easter Monday, it is also time when the Polish godmothers offer to their godsons "annual" gifts, known as in Polish jargon "wykup", which one can more or less translate by "tax".

In France Fatty Tuesday ago, in Poland Fatty Thursday ago! It is Thursday preceding French Fatty Tuesday. Throughout the day, Polish can eat what plait to them and much, traditionally one eats fritters in "industrial" quantities almost (I remember that some of my girlfriends, however very thin, could eat of it more than one ten! - because the tradition must be satisfied, in particular the so greedy tradition.) or of other cakes cooked into fatty - chrusty or faworki yes still roze (they resemble botteraux popular in our French area) and is various forms and names let us selons the Polish areas.

And Fatty Tuesday in Poland is also celebrated and that much because it is the last day before the Large Lent. Often called "Ostatki" or "Zapusty", it is the day when it is necessary to celebrate and have fun the maximum, because the next occasion it is in 40 days.

If you are interested particularly in the Polish traditions, you may want to read also the following articles:

A flower for Eva - The International Women's Day

Polish wedding - celebration, ceremony, party and honeymoon in Poland

A flower for Eva - The International Women's Day

Christmas in Poland - the Polish tradition of Christmas Eve and Holiday