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Great Wednesday
One of
the important days of Holy Week is Great Wednesday. The
youth, especially boys in some regions of Poland drown
Judas on this day. From straws and old clothes they make
a big doll which is next dragged on chains all around
the area. On the way stand lots of people who beat the
doll with sticks. At the end they throw the traitor into
a pond or marsh. Given in such a way justice brings them
satisfaction.
 
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Great Thursday
On Great Thursday we
remember Last Dinner
on which Jesus set up Eucharist and ordination
sacraments. On this day there is only one mass with
contribution of all priests, it is the mass of the
Passion which starts three-day celebration so called
Paschal Triduum. During this evening mass the church
bells rumble so that these who couldn't get inside are
breath-taken. But only a couple of rumbles more and they
get silent to sound again only on Great Saturday. Silent
there are also gills at the altar. Their happy sound
will be replaced with dull rattling. Christ revealed for
tortures suffers and all the church plung in sorrow.
Before twelve o'clock in all the churches bishops bless
holy oils needed for the ill's, baptism, and
confirmation sacraments.
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Good Friday
 This
is the only day in a year when there are no masses. Good
Friday is in the church the most mourning day in memory
of tortures and death of Jesus killed on the cross.
Before his death He was floged, tortured, forced to
carry the
cross and crucified on it. In Polish Easter tradition
there is also the custom of the guards at the grave.
Every year there are volunteers of soldiers, firemen and
representatives of different organizations to watch the
grave.
Big Rattling
When the church bells stopped ringing clappers
resounded. This custom was the occasion for making funny
tricks. The youth were running in a city with rattles,
making noise and scaring passers-by. Since then the
custom of bestowing kids with rattles in Holy Week has
survived.
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Holy Saturday
On the day of traditional silence there are no masses
dispatched. The main altar stays bare. All day there
last the adoration of Christ's laid down to the
grave . As the old Polish custom is at the symbolic tomb
of Saviour there are guards - servers, boy-scouts, in
villages sometimes also firemen in ceremonial uniforms .
 On
great Saturday morning we carry eggs and bread to
bless (after some time we added lamb, butter,
meat, cake). The food is called blessed Easter
food (swieconka)and it is
intended for the Easter table - it's the end of Lent.
On Saturday evening in front of churches there is the
ceremony of blessing fire and water - it begins the
Paschal Eve. From sacrificed fire we light a big candle
so-called Paschal which symbolises Christ, who is the
light of the world. Priests bless water meant for the
sacrament of baptism, etc.
An egg
rules on the Easter table; it is the emblem of life and
revival. The tradition of Easter
eggs and sharing the blessed eggs dates back
to the far past. The red Easter eggs have apparently a
magic power as they can drive off bad charms, and
they are the symbol of heart and love.
Herring hanging
In a
spectacular way people parted with herrings - the next
sign of Lent. With great happiness and satisfaction they
'hang the herring', which was hammering the fish to a
tree. In this way the herring
 was
punished for 'expelling' meat from the menu for six
Sundays.
 The
last two days were the time of Easter arrangements. On
these days people made the 'funeral of zur' - Polish
soup eaten for the whole Lent. So when the time of
happiness and fun came along then pots of the soup were
poured on the ground.
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