Marina, 3e

EASTER IN POLAND

After 40 days of Lent comes the Easter holiday. It begins with Palm
Sunday. On Good Friday people are supposed not to eat meat. On Easter
Saturday we go to church to bless eggs and other food, which are earlier
papered and put in a colourful basket. Eggs are painted and decorated
with different patterns. These colourful eggs are called "pisanki" or
"kraszonki". To the basket we put also some bread, meat or a sausage,
some sweats and salt. Easter eggs are a symbol of the new life. On
Easter Saturday people visit also the tomb of Jesus Christ. Tradition
says that the tomb must be looked after young boys or men the whole
night before the Easter Sunday.
Nowadays, the Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first
spring full moon, but in the past the Christians celebrated it at the
time of Jewish Passover. On Easter Sunday morning the Christians take
part in the procession around the church and in the holy mess called
Resurrection. We also gather to have the Easter breakfast. We eat the
blessed food from the baskets. There is also a lamb on the table which
symbolizes Jesus Christ. To the modern tradition belongs an Easter
bunny. Children believe that bunny brings them some presents such as
sweets or small chocolate eggs. On Easter Monday boys splash girls with
water. It is an old tradition which dates back from the antiquity. Our
forefathers splashed fields with water to weak up The Earth Mother.
Nowadays, this funny tradition is called "Smingus dyngus". But some of
us, especially girls, sometimes are tired of it. Easter is the oldest
and the most important Christian holiday.

Marina, class 3e