Page 23 - LOTN Issue 45

FAITH AND CULTURE

dried fruit and honey.
An extremely important tradition in
Poland is the keeping of a free seat at the
table during the Christmas Eve supper.
This is intended for an unexpected
guest. Ewelina, deputy leader of the
Polish community “Credo” prayer group
remarked: “For me it is an important
custom because it is an expression of
openness to other people” In Ewelina's
house, her mother always reminds the
members of the household to leave an
additional setting on the table. In turn, in
the house of Marek, who has been serving
in Aberdeen for many years as a lector at
Polish Masses, there is also always room
for an unexpected visitor, because that's
what his parents used to do.
Singing Christmas carols is an
inseparable part of the Polish Christmas
Eve. In the Polish tradition, over 500
Christmas carols and pastorales have Polish Carol singers in festive costume / Polscy kolędnicy w przebraniu
survived, some of which date from the
first half of the 15th century, so there is also plenty to choose numerous to mention. Just like on Christmas Eve, traditional
from. Polish Christmas carols are sung at the table.
“I love singing Christmas carols, preferably with the whole In Poland, December the 26th is a day off from work. It is St
family. I can't wait to be able to sing again”, confesses Kasia Stephen’s Day or Holy Szczepan, who was the first martyr for
W. In the house of another interviewee, Małgorzata, Christmas the Christian faith. On that day, during the Mass, the priest
carols are not only sung, but also listened to from CDs. blesses the oats which later will be used for domestic animals
In Poland, gifts are not put under the Christmas tree until as food and medicine, and be sown in the spring, with the
December the 24th, and they are opened on the same day, right expectation of a bountiful harvest. On the 26th Poles also visit
after the Christmas Eve dinner. In the old days people used their relatives and friends.
to give gingerbread, apples and nuts. According to tradition, Carolling is a very important custom in Poland. In the Polish
Christmas gifts are brought by ... Saint Nicholas, a very generous tradition, carollers go from house to house, singing Christmas
saint, especially to children, who cannot wait for the moment carols and greeting the people they visit - they usually start
the gifts are opened. carolling on December the 26th and the last carollers can be
One of the most important Christmas traditions in Poland expected on the Epiphany, though sometimes even later on the
is the Mass celebrated on the night of December 24-25th. Feast of Our Lady of the Candlemas on the 2nd February. A
Krzysztof, a parishioner of St. Mary's Cathedral in Aberdeen carol is often an opportunity to show off your musical abilities
speaks with great fondness about this celebration: “When it - people are eager to open the door when they hear beautiful
comes to childhood and early adolescence, I associate this time music outside. Often, the carollers will dress up as a “turon”, a
with the great fun of going to church in the middle of the night. mythical creature from Polish folklore. Sometimes the carollers
There would be a brass band in the choir playing carols and a will present a scene from the nativity of Jesus. An important
crib. Now, however, I am trying to see that it is the birth of the prop of carollers is a colourful, hand-made star attached to a
man - God and everything else is simply a beautiful addition to stick.
this event. I really like the atmosphere of Midnight Mass.” On December the 31st, New Year's Eve is celebrated in
The highlight of the Christmas season is December the 25th. Poland. People have fun at parties, go out to the city squares
For believers Mass is a must and then a visit to the Christmas where concerts are held. Churches often hold thanksgiving and
crib. This is usually put together with the help of parishioners. In penitential services where worshippers thank God for the year
Poland, the tradition of preparing a nativity scene appeared with and to express contrition for their sins.
the Franciscan order in the 13th century. During the Christmas Pope Saint John Paul II said in his Christmas Message of
season, they are also placed in town squares. Sometimes they 1978: “If we celebrate with such solemnity the birth of Jesus, it
even include live animals. is to bear witness that every human being is somebody unique
Christmas dinner is eaten with the family. Not a turkey to be and unrepeatable.” So no matter where in the world we may be
seen, but rather pork chops or chicken fillets, mashed potatoes, celebrating Christmas this year, let us try to bear witness to this
various salads, and then cakes and pies such as: gingerbread with indubitable truth.
nuts, poppy seed cake, cheesecake, apple pie and others too

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