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. Because one year is not nearly enough. With the help of several Polish Pagans, we examinethe diversity of Pagan practice found withinthe country. If a young lad would catch the wreath that was made by his beloved he could ask for her hand. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. As it isin other countries,thesebusinesses have the potential tobecome networking hubs as the Pagan population grows. 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. 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 . 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. XI No.1 Spring 1994 by Stan Garczynski. St. Andrews Night, November 30th (Noc Sw. Andrzeja albo Andrzejki) Salt had equal footing with bread in all family customs from birth to death. On that day in Poland, the youngsters are visited by Sw. Mikolaj. In Poland, no-one would dream of wishing their friend a good year on their birthday. Polish traditions of the celebration of the dead is on April 30th, the second being on October 31st. The Legend of Leszek the Blacks Dream, Slavic Mythology: Myths, Creatures and Stories, Top Prague Festivals for Each Month of the Year. container.appendChild(ins); An odd number foretold that someone would not live to the next Christmas Eve supper. Because the majority of Poland's population identifies as Catholic, it follows the Western church calendar in its celebrations, and Christian symbolism is strong in the observance of this holiday. Feast of Greenery, September 8th (Matki Boskiej Zielnej) 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. All myths and mythical creatures primarily come from the need to explain reality. The entire procession stopped at the gate leading to the manor house, its members continuing to sing until the owner emerged. Religio Romana is a modern Pagan reconstructionist religion based upon the ancient faith of pre-Christian Rome. However, if a man believed their stories and was seduced by them, his life would soon tragically come to an end. Every year around 21st and 22nd of June, when the nights were extra short and the June solstice arrived, pagan people celebrated fire, water, fertility, love and joy - quite a pagan alternative to modern-day Valentines! 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. This large wreath was made of a mixture of wheat and rye, sometimes one or the other. On the best plate of the house, the blessed wafer or Oplatek (Christmas wafer) was placed. Because engagement was as binding as the marriage itself, it was always done in a public act in front of family and friends who acted as witnesses. On Good Friday, in some houses mirrors are covered with black cloth and parents wake their children with twigs, whispering the words of a Lent prayer The wounds of God. At this place, she met the Mazovian Prince who was wandering around. People believed that the water female spirits actually missed the human world which they once knew so they wanted to share company with men by encountering them and asking bread, salt, or onions from them. The nobleman was forcibly stranded on the moon forever. Furthermore, roughly 4,500 is the total for the category of Pagans, Neo-Pagans, and Rodzimowiercy, The author is correct that the census option did not separately name any other paths (Wicca, Druidry, Asatru, etc), but they were theoretically included in that number, even though they are probably quite a small percent of the total when compared with Rodzimowiercy. The marriage cap was usually a gift to the bride from her godmother. People bless the eggs on Easter, they decorate the table with green, they have a Christmas tree, they eat the meals that are traditionally connected with Winter Solstice, they hang mistletoe, they celebrate Pagan Dziady (the festival connected to death) and they have to add some invented holidays (e.g. Wigilia Christmas Eve Dinner. And Polish Easter, besides the spiritual factor, is mostly that. When their buds open in a few days, this is regarded as a good omen On the last night of the wedding, the most important wedding custom of all took place. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); They usually began at the manor house or church rectory and made stops at various homes. X No.4 Winter 1993 by Stan Garczynski. Another traditional pastime is for the girls to toss their shoes to the middle of the floor. Fascinating how this and other native Eastern European practices have persevered under both Christianity and Communism. 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. Family picnic on St Johns Day, fireworks display and concerts. We use cookies to analyze our traffic, enhance our websites functionality and performance, and a better experience for our users. As a deeply Catholic country, Polish Easter traditions (PL:Wielkanoc) are taken very seriously. So was the case with Polish mythology and folklore which stems from the folklore and beliefs rooted in Slavic religion also known as Slavic paganism which was observed by the Slavs before the introduction of Christianity in the period from the 9th to the 12th century.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'meettheslavs_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_1',117,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-medrectangle-3-0'); When historians and folklorists examine the folklore of each of the Slavic- speaking regions, and later established countries, they conclude that all of them have a mutual folklore history which is full of tales, epic storylines, and creatures such as monsters, demons, devils, princesses, kings, and werewolves. Leaving the church ceremony, the bride sometimes threw handfuls of straw on the young boys and girls who followed the wedding party. Very often, those people have problems with finding or maintaining their jobs. Then there were Oprosiny or Zaprosiny (the invitations). t.src = 'https://' + cdn + '/media/js/common/plugin_goconnect_embed.js'; This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Everyone sang the bridesmaids, the groomsman, the musicians and the wagon driver. 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. This monster lives in the river Obra which is an offshoot of the River Warta in Poland.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'meettheslavs_com-leader-1','ezslot_10',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-meettheslavs_com-leader-1-0'); According to the folklore records, a giant fish or fish- serpent lives in the northern part of this river and sometimes attacks ducks, swans, and small animals that it drags underwater like a real mighty predator. ins.dataset.adClient = pid; You can celebrate the Kupala Night in a real olden-days style by attending the event at Pomeranian Dukes' Castle in Szczecin. The oldest form of Christmas caroling in Poland was with the Turon. Whatever the number, its small, and that carries with it certain limitations. On seeing a guest approaching they would begin to play, for which they were sometimes rewarded with a small tip. The entire family washed themselves in this water in order to assure plenty of money for the rest of their lives. These unique representations of our world and humanity offer a multilayered world of imagination that opens up a whole new universe of perception and understanding of history, nature, culture, anthropology, etc. Szopka was a portable crib or manger scene carried by young boys from house to house. Make sure to check if similar events are in your city as well, if it is not included on our list above. This traveling mode of entertaining with caroling provided a somewhat lucrative way of making money and/or receiving something sweet to eat. The Easter table will be covered with a white tablecloth. As with Wicca, the resources for those interested in Rodzimowierstwo can be a mixed bag. Rogalinski explained more of the tenets of this native religion, which varies depending upon the source material. Mythologies have fascinated humanity and civilizations for centuries. This is one of the Polish traditions linked to Christianity, whereby splashing water is considered a blessing. Religious freedom is a right in Poland, and a group of 100 people can form a church, carrying with it lower taxes and the ability to teach thereligion in a school setting. Boze Narodzenia, Christmas Day, was considered so important a holiday that menial work of any kind was not even thought of. Therefore, the crafty nobleman could try out his newly magical persona without paying the price as long as he didnt go to Rome. The Obra Water Monster is a creature related to a folk tale similar to the one of the famous Loch Ness monster from Scotland. After years went by, he came back and found that all members of his family were dead. Like in many other European countries, the arrival of summer is celebrated on St. John's Eve in Poland. container.style.maxHeight = container.style.minHeight + 'px'; 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! They stuffed a calfskin with smoldering sulfur and gave it to the dragon to eat it, causing a horrible death. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. "Swan-kow-ski.". And many customs take from Polish pagan traditions. It is greeted with such mystical symbolism, that it is considered by many to be a greater holiday than Christmas itself. The interest in such practices is marginal, but is becoming bigger.. The candles were to symbolize the eternal light for which the soul yearns . It was also the official day for caroling to begin. var ins = document.createElement('ins'); What would be more surprising to see would be people dressed as goats, horses, roosters, a devil, and grim reaper. ins.style.height = container.attributes.ezah.value + 'px'; 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. The happy tradition includes many festivities including parades. Satanic Temple candidate loses primary bid, https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Wild_Hunt_News/. Starting on Palm Sunday, the girls will begin gathering eggs, which will become pisanki. 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. This legend was very popular in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, and in the 19th century, a number of writers and activists used the character of Janoshek as a symbol of resistance to many kinds of oppression and this practice was extended even during the Second World War when anti-Nazis partisan groups praised or bore his name. Polish mythology is mainly associated with distinctive and vivid demonology full of monstrous creatures, witches, evil spirits, and werewolves. Despite their religious beliefs, several Polish traditions are rooted in Pagan rites. 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. The people decorate the graves with chrysanthemums, asters, and autumn flowers ~ and place candles and votive lights. These celebrations, often extended to the following night - 23rd/24th of June, when they were called the Kupala Night or Sobtka instead, were common among all Slavic and Baltic nations, or even further in Europe, but their popularity decreased with the arrival of Christianity, which successfully introduced a substitute holiday - St Johns Eve. On this special day, young men leaped over bonfires while ladies made wreaths of herbs and cast them to float down the river. Generally, it was worn by a young girl involved in the harvesting, or someone who was considered a very good worker. The flower had magical powers that made dream come true as long as he didnt share his good fortune. Christmas is, apart from Easter (see: Traces of Slavic Pagan Rites in the Polish Easter Tradition), the most celebrating feast in Poland (Lemnis, Vitry 1979:178).This Christian holiday, which is intimate, family, and usually spent with the dearest people, however, goes back to the traditions of pagan-Slavic times (Ibid. These grains were considered the most important. 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 Poland, Sw. Mikolaj is not an oversized man with red pompom topped cap, red Jacket, and riding boots. Slavic mythology has different versions of this story and some of them describe the Rusalkas as spirits of dead brides who died of unfortunate events or young womens souls who suffered a violent death, so now they revenge on men that they encounter near the lake where they live. Terence P Ward is a moneyworker, journalist, Hellenic polytheist and convinced Friend who lives in the bucolic Hudson Valley with his wife, five cats, and multiple household shrines. 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. An important part of the funeral ceremony were the feasts, called strawa in the old Polish tradition, and from the 16th century on, the Latin stypa. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. They stopped before a window and sang a carol. Copyright Trafalgar Tours, all rights reserved. Warsaw, Garlands over the Vistula River 23, Krakw, Wianki - a Celebration of Music 23. There are some clashes, but it is more connected to political rather than religious reasons. (eiderdown)! Rogalinski laments that the only agreed-upon sites of worship tend to be cultural or archaeological monuments that cant be used. Candlemas in the term when we have Weles festival, Saint Johns festival on Kupaa, etc.). Thank You in Polish? 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. The blessing by the parents were seen as more important than the church ceremony itself. 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. On the same Saturday, in another Vistula-based city, the celebrations focus on music, with multiple stages and artists presenting different music genres. No one has ever been able to truly eradicate it, despite centuries of tremendous effort. 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. Behind the wagon, on horseback, rode the master of ceremonies, the Starosta and the best man with a bottle of vodka who alternately offered it to the wagon driver. It was so essential and played such a vital roll in wedding activities that where other customs have disappeared altogether, the Oczepiny has survived to this day. I never got back to the business to get his contact information either. Make sure to click the bell, too, to be notified of new articles posted to our subreddit.
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