Polish Easter celebration…
This is a different spin on the blog
this time…I will share what I have learned about the Polish Easter
tradition. On Palm Sunday – they make
bouquets of pussy willows, some with holly branches and/or dried arrangements. The kids made colorful paper palms this week
(picture will be posted). They have
parades (no big bands – just people in procession) celebrating the triumphant
entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. They
carry their palms and banners.
Holy Saturday (day before Easter) –
decorated baskets are taken to churches to be blessed. Here are items that are in their traditional
baskets are hard boiled eggs, ham, sausage, salt, horseradish, fruit, bread,
cake, Easter lamb (molded out of butter or sugar) and colorful pisanke (traditionally
colored eggs). Many of the items have a
specific meaning: eggs – symbolize life and Christ’s resurrection, bread –
symbolizes Jesus, lamb – represents Christ, salt – represents purification, horseradish
– symbolic of bitter sacrifice of Christ, and ham – symbolizes great joy and
abundance. Blessed food is untouched
till Sunday morning.
Sunday –Easter – there is a sharing of
the eggs with the family for good health and happiness for the rest of the
year. Many families have recipes that
have been added down from one generation to another – where hard boiled eggs
are prepared and fried in a special way.
Easter soup is Zurek or white barscz – traditional Polish soup served
with hard boiled eggs and kielbasa.
White tablecloth on the table represents white swaddling cloth of Our
Lord. Polish women do not cook or work
on Easter Sunday – it is a time with family to have a spirit of joy and good
will.
Wet Monday – kind of appropriate this
year that it is April fool’s day – people sprinkle water on each other. It brings good luck all year
through…apparently the tradition started by guys sprinkling water on the girls
they wanted to marry.
Ironically this year, we had more snow
on Easter than at Christmas…so Merry Christmas everyone! I was blessed to be able to go to the
Krzesinskis new home and had dinner with them.
Then hurried home through the snow to be able to Skype with my
family! I am so blessed!
Cup of Coffee version…
Sorry no cup
of coffee version… Have a wonderful day!
J
“But he said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed. You
seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.
He is risen! He is not here. See
the place where they laid Him.’” Mark
16:6
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