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State and national holidays in Poland
It is always interesting to know which dates are marked in other countries. Because holidays are associated with the culture and traditions of a particular people. Some of them are also noted in our country. Others are characteristic only of a certain people. Well, it's worth talking about the holidays in Poland - a country that is relatively close to Russia, and whose inhabitants are Slavs, just like us.
Officially non-working day
Some holidays of Poland are with us. Naturally, the New Year is heading the list of such celebrations. This is an international celebration in general! In Polish it is called Nowy Rok. A wonderful holiday, which is loved by many people all over the world. Although for special skeptics it's just a change of calendar.
By the way, in Poland this holiday is also called the Day of Saint Sylvester. He was a Roman bishop, who died in 335. Then began a real panic throughout the Catholic world. People believed that the end of the world was about to come. But the apocalypse did not happen, and from that moment on December 31 is considered the day when Bishop Sylvester defeated the evil Leviathan, who wanted to devour the whole world, than saved the planet.
On the night of January 1, Poland does not sleep. All restaurants and cafes are open, loud incendiary music is heard on the streets, and the sky is lit up with fireworks. In addition, the end of December is the time of carnivals, dances and shows! Local residents arrange a round dance of sledges, parties on the street near fires, fry sausages on fire, make sweet firewood and donuts with jam. In general, the New Year can celebrate here.
Winter Celebrations
In general, the New Year holidays in Poland begin in the 20th of December. Mass celebrations "start" on the 25th. This is the first day of Catholic Christmas. On December 26 the festival continues. These days the locals do not work.
It should be noted that the holidays of Poland have preserved their identity. Catholic Christmas here is celebrated on a grand scale. Traditions have not yet outlived themselves. Many families still leave one seat at the table for an unexpected guest. In addition, it is a tribute to those who left the earthly world and could not be on holiday with the family. People who have no one to celebrate, families are invited to visit. On Christmas, no one should be lonely. And before you start laying on the table, the hostess puts a little hay, which symbolizes the shed - because in it, and was born Jesus. And then - fortune telling. Each of the guests, without looking, pulls a straw out of the tablecloth. Got even? So, the year will be good. Broken or curved? Most likely, it is necessary to struggle with some difficulties.
What else is interesting: Poles celebrate Epiphany on the 6th day (on Christmas Eve of Christmas). That is Święto Trzech Króli. Literally translated as "Holiday of the Three Kings". This is one of the most ancient Christian celebrations, which is dedicated to the appearance of Jesus Christ and his baptism.
Christmas Eve
We can not fail to note his attention, talking about holidays and weekends in Poland. What does the word "eve" mean to us? We use it usually in relation to the New Year. The day when you need to finish all the things like slicing salads, baking meat, buying gifts and everything else (many even a Christmas tree just on the eve of putting).
But in Poland, Christmas Eve is the main family holiday, which is called Vigilia. On this day, the family decorates the tree and prepares the food. It's very important to complete everything until dusk - until the first star appears in the sky. Then the family goes on to traditional rituals, including the reading of the New Testament, the division between all the present wafers - a thin crispy leaf baked from unleavened dough. Then - dinner. On the table there are only lean treats. And dishes only 12, which symbolizes the number of apostles. Required food is kutya. Vareniki with mushrooms, pies with cabbage, fish, pancakes and kissels, salads, poppy seeds, vermicelli, boiled potatoes, dried fruit compote (alcohol is not consumed in Vigilia), champignons and mushroom kvass are traditionally served. After dinner, the family goes to the liturgy.
State celebrations
About them, too, is a little to tell. On the 1st of May Święto Państwowe is celebrated in Poland. That is, Labor Day, which is celebrated annually, beginning in 1950. We, in Russia, it is also celebrated.
In a day comes Święto Narodowe Trzeciego Maja - national holiday on May 3. This celebration is the most that neither is Polish. It was established in 1919, and then resumed after 71 years - the anniversary of the adoption of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland.
But this is not all celebrations. Talking about the national holidays of Poland, we can not fail to mention about November 11. On this day Narodowe Święto Niepodległości is celebrated. That is the National Independence Day. Every year a memorable event of 1918 is celebrated. It was then that Poland was recognized as an independent state.
In memory
This is not all the holidays in Poland, which are worthy of attention. April 13, for example, in 2007 was appointed as the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Katyn. This is really an important date. Every year on the 13th of the month, the people mourn over Polish officers shot by the NKVD in April 1940.
Five years ago, another memorable date was announced - March 1. This is the Day of the "Damned Soldiers". Beginning in 2011, every first March the people recall the young soldiers who were members of the anti-communist and anti-Soviet armed underground (40-50 years of the last century).
Also, when talking about national and state holidays in Poland, you can not forget about the Poznansky Memorial Day in June 1956. It is celebrated on June 28 - the day when the first insurrection in the history of the republic broke out in the city of Poznan that is on the Warta River. It was severely suppressed by government troops.
Interesting dates
Well, we should return to more positive celebrations. For example, on January 21, the country celebrates Grandmother's Day. And the next day, Grandfather's Day is celebrated. February 14, as elsewhere, there is a celebration of all lovers. And on March 27 (in 2016) - Catholic Easter. Also in the country is the Day of the Youth. September 30, to be more precise. And after a fortnight, October 14, all students and students congratulate their teachers on Teacher's Day. Most often it's a day off. Holidays in Poland in October are few, in contrast to the winter months. There is one more celebration, celebrated on October 16, is the day of John Paul II. The date when the memory of the great pope is honored.
But the last month of autumn is full of different events. Holidays in November in Poland begin on the first day. 01.11 is the All Saints' Day. In all churches and churches of the country in honor of the date arrange solemn divine services.
And after a day, on November 2, the Feast of the Dead comes. Or, as it is also called, Remembrance Day. How does it differ from the holiday on November 1? The fact that the Day of Remembrance is remembered primarily by deceased relatives and close people.
And on 30.11 the Day of St. Andrzej is celebrated. In the evening, on the eve of the holiday, on November 29 people gather for traditional divination.
Easter
This is another significant holiday in Poland. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the spring full moon. In Poland, this celebration is called Wielka Noc, which translates literally as "a great night". On pre-holiday days fairs are organized - with an abundance of Easter bakery, bread and meat products (tins, pastes, saltison, bacon, rolls, etc.). Before going to the church, the Poles collect a "Velkanotsnu" basket, where they put colored eggs, sausage, shink, yeast, "lamb" (butter or sugar) and vinegar.
Even in Poland, the 7th Sunday after Easter is celebrated, being the first day of Pentecost and the 9th Thursday after it. This is the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.
What else is worth knowing?
As it was already possible to understand, in Poland holidays like and know how to celebrate them - whether they are national, state or religious.
Finally, it is worth noting the fact that all significant dates are determined by the law "On non-working days" of 18.01.1951 and the decisions of the Seimas of the Republic of Poland.
And yet, in 2007, a provision was officially adopted prohibiting trading during thirteen holidays. Of these, 3 are public, and the rest are religious.
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