Presis 2 : Polish Traditions - Lent

Polish Traditions – Lent

http://polishorigins.com/document/lent

• penance  - 1.something that you must do to show that you are sorry for something you have done wrong, especially in some religions ,eg.We prayed and did penance together. 2.Something that you have to do but do not enjoy doing, eg. Working in the garden was a kind of penance.

• a surplice - a piece of clothing made of white material worn over other clothes by priests or singers in church, eg. I went to gospel choir concert. All of the singers were dresses in surplices

• to reverberate - 1. if a loud sound reverberates, it is heard many times as it is sent back from different surfaces [= echo], eg. Her voice reverberated around the hall. 2. if a room, building etc. reverberates, it seems to shake because of a loud sound, eg. The hall reverberated with the sound of music and dancing. 3.if an event, action, or idea reverberates, it has a strong effect over a wide area and for a long time, eg. Repercussions of the case continue to reverberate through the financial world.
• a sparrow - a small brown bird, very common in many parts of the world (wróbel), eg. I've seen one sparrow on my window seal this morning. Sparrows are not migrating to Africa for the winter time.
• fickleness - 1.someone who is fickle is always changing their mind about people or things that they like, so that you cannot depend on them - used to show disapproval, eg. another example of his fickle behaviour. A fickle friend 2.something such as weather that is fickle often changes suddenly, eg. The weather here is notoriously fickle. The fickle world of fashion

• a trinket - a piece of jewellery or a small pretty object that is not valuable (ozdóbka ,świecidełko) ,eg. I've seen the small girl who was crying for the trinket, which she saw on one of the shop's shelf.
• benevolent - 1. kind, helpful and generous, eg. a benevolent smile/attitude, belief in the existence of a benevolent god, 2. used in the names of some organizations that give help and money to people in need, eg. the RAF Benevolent Fund

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After Carnival in Poland comes Lent- preparation for Easter which lasts approx.40 days.

It started with preaching “ash sermon”, during which people would just make fullish speeches. After bells rung at midnight, they went back homes to prepare special breakfast- “Podkurek” consisted of herrings, eggs and milk, a symbolic farewell to meat prohibited during Lent.

The milk remains was splashed on the ceiling to read the future .

Musical instruments, mirrors, and even children toys had to be hidden and clothes changed for dark ones.

Next morning on “Ash Wednesday” everybody had to participate in Holy Mass where their heads were sprinkled with ashes. Sad atmosphere was not welcome, so sometimes people made fun by throwing pots of ash at someone. The custom of throwing such pots against the door at midnight was a symbol of tightening up the fast-very strict those day.

The middle of Lent was also the time of drowning or burning a straw dummy, called “Marzanna”-symbol of the death and winter, which is still practised nowadays on March 21, the first day of spring.

In the middle of Lent was Palm Sunday-the memorial of Jesus Christ entering Jerusalem before His Passion. On this day all people went to church with palms in their hands, made of straw and dry flowers, which were blessed during the mass and brought homes for prosperity.

Boys also made a dummy Judas which had to be damaged completely and his leftovers were burned or thrown into water.

Lent seems to be a sad, gloomy and gray time, but even at that time of year, Polish tradition included many colourful and charming customs.