Sunday 2 November 2008

THE ALL SAINTS' DAY IN POLAND.





Yesterday, much before the sunrise, I and Albert went to light the candles and lay the flowers on our parents' and Izabella's husband's graves. She didn't come this year due to her bad health. That's a different story altogether! Entirely through her own neglect and sheer lack of brain she is a total wreck!
The reason we went so early was to avoid the crowds. Even at 5.30AM we could hardly find a parking space within a reasonable distance from the cemetery. This tradition is so strong that the whole country is on the move! Just imagine what's happening on the roads. The 10 000 of Police is out in force as there is another strong Polish tradition of running on "double gas" - i.e. the car is tanked up and so is the driver! They came up with an idea of handing out little grave lanterns with a sign "For these who didn't come back" to light them on the road-side by the places marked as the sites of the car accidents... To make people think, drive carefully... will it work? But, as the saying goes, if it saves even one life...

In Poland the old tradition of adorning the graves with flowers and candles on the All Saints' Day goes back well into the tenth century. It grew out of the ancient pagan custom when the strong believe in after-life required that the dead had all the assistance and help from the left behind. At first the fires were lit on the graves so the smoke and the flames showed the souls the way to Heaven. This was gradually replaced with the candles. Despite all the solemnity of the occasion this Holiday is joyous and reflective, full of prayers for the Dearly Departed now in Heaven.-






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