window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); The young people break the solemnity of Easter by a burst of frivolity. Gniazdo is a magazine created by the Rodzimowiercy, but there are other publications that, according to Rogalinksi, mix traditional and New Age beliefs without providing any context. The Wigilia supper is so special there is no other like it throughout the year. And Polish Easter, besides the spiritual factor, is mostly that. The shadow may also contain a clue to who the future husband might be (traits, interests, occupation). The flower had magical powers that made dream come true as long as he didnt share his good fortune. When the groom arrived with his Starosta, groomsman and family members, the maid of honor began dressing the bride. The first shoe to go over the threshold is that of the girl who will marry the earliest. On the best plate of the house, the blessed wafer or Oplatek (Christmas wafer) was placed. The Wild Hunt is not responsible for links to external content. Eggs were once a part of Polish pagan tradition and still symbolize spring, renewal, fertility, and eternity. In ancient times, when death entered a peasants house, all doors and windows were opened at the moment of passing. Whatever the number, its small, and that carries with it certain limitations. Polish traditions of the celebration of the dead is on April 30th, the second being on October 31st. Poprawiny means starting the wedding party all over again. container.style.maxHeight = container.style.minHeight + 'px'; Some are firmly rooted in the predominant religion of Poland, Roman Catholicism; others stem from pagan rites of the seasons. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'stat_source_id', 44); 7. As with Wicca, the resources for those interested in Rodzimowierstwo can be a mixed bag. Do you know the name of the publisher of the Polish edition? My mistake. There, Lech spotted a beautiful white eagle that seemed fierce and protective towards its cubs. The blessing by the parents were seen as more important than the church ceremony itself. 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. Among the many demons in Polish folklore, there is a benevolent character called Skarbnik who is a friendly mythological figure. He remembered that he mustnt share his fortune. Boys usually traveled with Szopka, staying within the confines of their neighborhood, but sometimes moving outside into other sections of town or even different villages. According to the Polish folk myth from the pre-Christian Slavic tradition, the waters were inhabited with water spirits of western Poland that were called Rusalka and it was said that they were the spirits of dead young women which continued to wander around on Earth, seeking a way to draw life energy from people and other earthly living beings. Also on Holy Saturday typically Polish ceremonies are performed in the church yard. He believes, this type of sacred place could bring Pagans together despite their low numbers. The wedding feast also followed established traditions. It was the responsibility of the males to go into the forest and bring back boughs of fir and spruce to decorate the house on this special day. Our projects & services:Agencja employer brandingSystem rekrutacyjny ATSOferty pracy w finansach. On both days, at twilight, the Poles make pilgrimages to their local cemeteries. Polish Mythology: Creatures and History - Meet the Slavs Single girls pour hot, melted wax into a bowl of cold water, and the hardened wax is then held up to the light. The white tablecloth is indicative of the white swaddling cloth with which Our Lord was wrapped when he was placed in the Holy Sepulcher. var ffid = 2; At that time, Leszek the Black is in Krakow but when the news about this unfortunate event reaches him, he quickly decides to go to Lublin and defend his people. 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;}. According to the Polish folk myth from the pre-Christian Slavic tradition, the . The schedules also includes making flower wreaths and then floating the crowns on the Oder river, so make sure to attend if you want to feel like a real Slav! ins.style.display = 'block'; On the wedding day it was customary to have musicians playing as the wedding guest began arriving at the Dom Weselny (wedding home). 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. 2014 - 2023Grupa MBE sp. 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. And many customs take from Polish pagan traditions. [Photo credit: Laszka]. }(document)); This website uses cookies. Rogaliskis number of 2,000 highly-committed regularly-active Rodzimowiercy is consistent with many other accounts. 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. On the same Saturday, in another Vistula-based city, the celebrations focus on music, with multiple stages and artists presenting different music genres. 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. 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. The Easter meal includes traditional Polish dishes including urek, biaa kiebasy, boiled eggs, and an assortment of other foods and desserts. On Fat Thursday, people line up outside of bakeries to get enough freshly prepared donuts for the day. According to some theories, the monster is a giant catfish which have been reported as creatures who attack water birds and small animals. He encouraged him to carry on with his pursuit and told him that he will soon celebrate his victory. 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. In Poland, Sw. Mikolaj is not an oversized man with red pompom topped cap, red Jacket, and riding boots. 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 olden days, Polish kings performed this rite. Slavic Rodzimowiercy groups registered with the Polish authorities in 1995 are the Native Polish Church (Rodzimy Koci Polski), which represents a pagan tradition which goes back to pre-Christian faiths and continues Wadysaw Koodziej's 1921 Holy Circle of Worshipper of wiatowid (wite Koo Czcicieli wiatowida), and the Polish . January uprisingThe last explanation is more recent. ins.style.height = container.attributes.ezah.value + 'px'; In 1863, there was an uprising triggered by the forced enlistment of Polish men into the Russian Army. They would take place . Polish traditions through the year are full of superstitions, rituals, and holiday celebrations. They just needed something to be at the same time of the year, because of the fact that Pagan festivals and traditions were preserved even despite the Christianisation. The wreath, arriving only once a year, was cherished and given much care. After everyone had an opportunity to share the wafer, the supper could begin. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The nobleman was forcibly stranded on the moon forever. The Polish also make a different version of these open sandwiches, however. In the more well-to-do-homes this was 11 or 13, with 13 being the preferred number as it represented the number that sat down at the Last Supper. It was the moment when the Czepek the cap of married woman was placed upon the head at her wedding celebration. Perun lived in the highest branches, so that he could see all that happened. Polish law does not provide it. That very night, the archangel Michael appeared in front of him and told him not to doubt himself even for a minute. var slotId = 'div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-box-3-0'; 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. 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. Oops! Adherents tend to use a reconstructionist methodology to rebuild their native faith, which has not spread through the English-speaking world as widely as some other European-based Heathen religions. The girls knock on the windows and sing songs in praise of their spruce tree. This ceremony is a reminder of the humility with which Christ washed the feet of his disciples. This day became known for generations to come as the holiday which strengthened family ties. It is believed that the brave kings life ended in the mountain Giewont which forms a great part of the Tatra mountains and that if one looks at it from far, they will see the head of the King and his knights. Read more about traditional Polish Easter recipes! Old fire in the house is put out, then a large bonfire is made in the churchyard. Easter observances in Poland actually begin on Ash Wednesday, when kocanki or bazie are cut and placed in water. Rogalinski laments that the only agreed-upon sites of worship tend to be cultural or archaeological monuments that cant be used. The nights were also part of the prognostication. The first preparation for Christmas Eve began very early, right after midnight. In Poland, fortune telling sets the mood for this evening of merriment which might be the theme for an autumn social gathering. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Easter in Poland | Polish Easter Traditions & Foods - In Your Pocket Polish and Slavic Paganism - Sanctuary of the Phoenix Later, these pagan customs were Christianized and people were encouraged to pray and light candles instead of conjuring up spirits. The Three Kings day was also the traditional day to take down the Christmas Tree, which was erected and decorated on Christmas Eve. ins.style.minWidth = container.attributes.ezaw.value + 'px'; In the scriptures, the Holy Family was en route to Nazareth when the Virgin Mary went into labour, forcing the family to find shelter. However, they arrive late enough to find an empty battlefield with a great number of kidnapped or killed people. There must always be a roasted pigs head decked with flowers, ham, veal and the famous Polish sausage strongly flavored with garlic. There are two versions: one amiable and elegant when it is only a matter of a gentle sprinkling with water or scent, the other quite merciless when whole bucketfuls come into play. 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. window.ezoSTPixelAdd(slotId, 'adsensetype', 1); Point your favorite browser to https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/, then click JOIN. The church bells silenced on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, are now rung on Saturday at midnight in noisy celebration heralding the risen Lord. It is a Polish tradition to offer the birthday boy or girl 100 years of good wishes, good health and long life. Throughout the Holy Week until the blessing of the fires on Holy Saturday, the Poles are engaged in traditional Easter activities. for fair and mild spring. It is a delightful tradition, Dyngus or Smigus as this custom is called. The very word Wigilia, which in Poland was formerly known as the day before a feast day is now used only as the day before Christs birth. At the time, hungry Polish would use a thick slice of bread as a plate and then eat it. Moreover, Wet Monday celebrates the arrival of spring and the future of a relationship. Their particular repertoire was to walk throughout the village singing carols. They visit the boys and sprinkle them with water. Religio Romana is a modern Pagan reconstructionist religion based upon the ancient faith of pre-Christian Rome. My Belarussian grandfather married a Polish woman. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); 8 Common Belief Systems in the Modern Pagan Community - Learn Religions The Polish can certainly teach us a thing or two about getting hitched to the same person on more than one occasion. It is greeted with such mystical symbolism, that it is considered by many to be a greater holiday than Christmas itself. Parties begin mid-morning with a buffet of traditional cuisine and last until after daybreak on Tuesday. St. Stephans Day marked the end of work contracts for the year; new bargains were struck for the upcoming year. var container = document.getElementById(slotId); Whether he should pursue his opponents through the dark woods and steep mountains where they had gone or to return back and admit that he was defeated in great shame in front of his people. When their buds open in a few days, this is regarded as a good omen Sorrowful God - The Sorrowful God is depicted in pre-history sculpture sitting with his head in his hand, peaceful and contemplative. Wigilia Christmas Eve Dinner. From the PGST News Vol. Mirrors were turned to the wall so that the soul would not be captured in the room. var alS = 2002 % 1000; Why? The popular and colorful celebrations were held by the nobility and larger landowners those owning large tracts of land that required hiring farmers from all around the countryside who had to be rewarded for their hard labor. See you on a hopefully warm Saturday in the Podzamcze area, right next to the Multimedia Fountain Park and the Vistula! In some areas of Poland, a loaf of common, everyday bread was placed on top of it and topped with more Oplatek. The group was followed by all those involved in the harvest. If a father could afford it, the wedding sometimes lasted three days. If a young lad would catch the wreath that was made by his beloved he could ask for her hand. Instead, he is a saintly, more dignified figure, dressed in the regal purple and gold robe, wearing a cape and bishops hat, and carrying a crosier (a crooked staff, the symbol of his bishop station). Behind him were a fiddler and double base player playing a merry tune. On Holy Saturday afternoon, the mother of the family or an older child carries a basket filled with eggs, hams, sausage, pastries and Easter seasonings to be blessed by the parish priest. Despite their religious beliefs, several Polish traditions are rooted in Pagan rites. Lacking reliable resources for many Pagan paths on paper or online, the alternative seeking a teacher in person can also be difficult, due to the low density of Pagans overall. container.appendChild(ins); 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 cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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.) ins.dataset.adChannel = cid; var ffid = 2; According to folklorists, the reason why these creatures are presented in the common nature surroundings of people is that in the past conditions in nature were so harsh that people focused stores on the hardships that they had to face and overcome. When the graves are decorated and countless flickering frame cast their haunting shadows amid the dusk, the mood is set for an outdoor service and prayers for departed souls. t.src = 'https://' + cdn + '/media/js/common/plugin_goconnect_embed.js'; ins.className = 'adsbygoogle ezasloaded'; The most popular Pagan path practiced in Poland is Rodzimowierstwo (native faith), an indigenous form of Slavic polytheism. They were able to suppress particular Pagan traditions, but the beliefs and practices simply lived on as folklore or embedded itself in the conquering faith or found a million other outlets through art and literature etc. Yet, even in Poland, one of the most Christianized European countries, Pagan religionsare growing within the shadow of the Church. The Polish believe the girl who gets the most soaked in the celebration will be the first to marry. The blessed eggs, the symbol of life, are sliced into pieces, and each person present takes a piece of egg and wishes each other good health, prosperity, and happiness for the coming year. Binding all the traditions together are the beliefs in native Slavic gods, theofferings of mead and food (traditionally groats, white cheese, and bread), a code based on principles of honor, responsibility, and courage, and thecircles of responsibility, which centers on family and widensto include community. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The symbol of Dozynki was a Wieniec, [harvest wreath] which was presented to the landowner. These willow twigs are used on Palm Sunday as palms to be blessed in the church. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The circles are a challenge [to be] understood in a positive way, not a negative one, Rogalinski acknowledged. 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. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); (document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0] || document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0]).appendChild(t); 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. Slavic Magic: Rituals, Spells, and Herbs - Meet the Slavs (eiderdown)! The origin of this custom is unknown. From very early on, everyone was careful of conduct and observed everything that occurred in the house, garden and heavens. Egg Battles The trip to the church took place in various ways, with the bride and groom riding together or in separate wagons. In modern Poland, wianki is an event most commonly organised by city councils in major Polish agglomerations. DYNGUS DAY - April 10, 2023 - National Today Every year on the night of 2nd November, the Polish people pay their respects to their late friends and relatives by lighting candles in cemeteries across Poland. The Legend of Sir Twardowski and the Devil, 11. Marzanna was the goddess who personified winter. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Those caught rebelling were deported to Siberia. var t = d.createElement('script'); The legend has remained a mystery even today as it has been said that there are witnesses who have confirmed seeing an enormous snake coming out of the water and upsetting the boats on the river Obra. According to the legend, the poor boy Jacek was too clumsy to participate in these rituals so he sat sad and alone. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Often, singing or the reciting of old verses accompany the procession: Marzanna, Marzanna, swim across the seas. By Stanley Garczynski from PGS of Texas Polish Footprints Vol.XII No.4 Winter 1995. The Mermaid of Warsaw tried to seduce the Prince by showing him a beautiful place that he was so marveled by that he decided to build a city upon it. During the church ceremony it was expected of the bride to cry. This was a live production done by a group of individuals, usually older boys and young adults, about the last days of King Herod. Easter in Poland: Traditions Through the Ages - The Northern Vox According to Rogalinski, Rodzimowierstwo has three of these formally organized groups. The Starosta sang a song to open up and the door was opened by the mother who stood before the stoop, sprinkling the married couple with holy water. The custom was called Oczepiny. by Stanley Garczynski from PGS of Texas Polish Footprints Vol.XII No.4 Winter 1995. The practice is symbolic for sending the winter away and preparing nature for spring and its rebirth. Today, the bishops and their priests do this. The most common decorating technique is so called wax-flowing or wax-melting. The crowd ate, drank and danced. This is one of the Polish traditions linked to Christianity, whereby splashing water is considered a blessing. Nevertheless, Polish mythology is full of exciting stories and characters, so here is a list of 12 Polish legends and myths: In Polish mythology, Latawiec is a mythical creature that is presented as an evil serpent who lives in the deep forest and lurks over attractive young men and women. During Easter, work, both occupational and domestic, is kept to a minimum. The Bible Another explanation is rooted in the New Testament. On this special day, young men leaped over bonfires while ladies made wreaths of herbs and cast them to float down the river. Wesele The Wedding var lo = new MutationObserver(window.ezaslEvent); Jacek found the flower and made a wish to become rich. Behind this wondrous bird that spread its wings, appeared the red- golden sun and Lech thought that this is a sign to stay at this place which he named Gniezno. t.type = 'text/javascript'; 7. St. Andrews Night, November 30th (Noc Sw. Andrzeja albo Andrzejki)