Photo
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johnboy2410: 2 week on the road and I’m inspired by this stain...
2 week on the road and I’m inspired by this stain glass window from a church in #krakow
You notice I haven’t used my usual frame, I thought it might spoil.
#travel #Travelling #backpacker #backpacking #euro #europe #Poland #church #stainglass #god
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kamiljamroz: Taki mi kadr wpadł w oko #apocalypse #burning...
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Leon Wyczółkowski Chrystus Ukrzyżowany z Kościoła Mariackiego w...
Leon Wyczółkowski
Chrystus Ukrzyżowany z Kościoła Mariackiego w Krakowie
litografia
(via WYCZÓŁKOWSKI Leon - Chrystus Ukrzyżowany z Kościoła Mariackiego w Krakowie - Artinfo.pl)
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a-mon-ame: amkreuz
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dimaberkut: Good Friday #kraków #poland (в Kazimierz, Krakow,...
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ecotravelpl: Głowy do góry :) jest Wiosna! #wiosna #slonce...
Głowy do góry :) jest Wiosna!
#wiosna #slonce #niebo #pogoda #raj #drzewo #nowahuta #kwiat #kwitnacedrzewo #przyroda #krakow #polska
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xogerardine: #cracow #lazy #YUMMY #personal #landscape (w: Nad...
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wheredoyoutravel: Mind over Strength by araminda // via...
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dimaberkut: Good morning! #kraków #poland (в Rynek Główny,...
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"Rio, poniedziałek"
"Rio, poniedziałek" - Marcin Świetlicki
Mrowi deszcz
z zewnątrz, wewnątrz
- pomiędzy nami - mokra popielniczka
i kawa za ostatnie, i tak pożyczone
pieniądze.Ty - biała, a ja - czarny, ze zmęczenia piątkiem,
sobotą i niedzielą. Nie klei się nic.
Ten przypadkowy świadek nie doczeka pointy,
wypije kawę, pójdzie. Pozostawi nas
samych sobie, bezradnych.Przyłapałaś więc trupa
na istnieniu, co dalej? Nie pójdziemy przecież
do łóżka. Nie wypada aż tak
mocnych akcentów kłaść na koniec, mrowi
deszcz, dopij swoją kawę,odprowadzę cię trochę.
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creativemorningskrakow: Welcome to the CreativeMornings/Krakow...
Welcome to the CreativeMornings/Krakow city page! Check back here for upcoming events, new videos, and photos.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
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Benedyktyni i Kameduli by piotr.brydak on Flickr.
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Chrystus Zmartwychwstał Alleluja! - My Easter In Krakow
Chrystus Zmartwychwstał! Christ Is Risen!
Easter in Poland is probably one of the biggest holidays on the calendar. All the stores are closed and EVERYONE is off from work. The streets are dead because everyone is home with the family! The nation takes a moment to mark a moment in their faith. Their faith that is truly publicly displayed in their everyday life.From Holy Thursday to Easter Monday the entire country celebrates the last days and the gift of new life that Jesus has given to us all! But anyway here is just a little look at what I experienced in just a few short amazing days!
After my wonderful adventure in Krakow on Good Friday I found myself preparing for the Easter Holiday. I managed to find something appropriate and headed off to the local church for services. I took my camera and myself and walked through the doors. The service was scheduled for 9pm. It was 7pm… what was I doing at the church 2 hours ahead? To get a seat… Since the entire city loves to attend the Dominican Church - (The Church of the Holy Trinity) I quickly found myself in trouble as I looked up and down the aisle for a space and hopefully a chair to call my own. BUT I found one! YES! it was amazing I quickly walked to it. Sat down. and began to pray… 2 hours later the service began. The church was packed there was no room to move. Being the polish way of life, I gave up my seat for an older women. Another man saw me and in my broken polish to English translation he told me “You are young you stand… she is old she will sit” I agreed with the man and the small older woman thanked me. So there I was standing next to other polish people waiting for the service to begin.I was sitting in darkness and silence. You could only hear people moving around in their chairs and the small buzz from the choir. The church was completely black and for some reason it was very moving.
I heard a small prayer from the outside of the church and then the doors opened. Being an Eastern Catholic… I have never witnessed an Easter Vigil in the Roman Rite. It was a very moving experience. The Easter candle was brought in and many readings were being said. Sadly i tried to follow but I could not catch everything. We began to light the candles and thankfully the church supplied the candles. The Polish way is to bring your own. Many of the families brought their own candles. Even the older woman next to me had a huge candle. As my hand shook uncontrollably as I tried not to burn the gentleman who was in front of me, my candle was burning faster than the others around me. the wax was all over my hand and I had to give in and blow the candle out before it decided to burn me. As the readings continued. The choir began to sing so many beautiful songs. I have attached a link to my favorite.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clmeMbThS_c
The Polish language is beautiful in music! Every song sung at the mass was beautiful with the many sounds and the Alleluja! that followed every statement!
After the first readings the church joined in singing Glory to God! The organ was blasted and the lights were turned on! ALLELUJA!
The mass lasted about 4 hours. For some reason I was not tired and my feet were not in much pain as I thought they were going to be. However, I still had to fight my way to receive the Eucharist. At the end of the mass they processed the Holy Sacrament around the church and placed a statue of the Risen King on the Altar. It was beautiful! After the 4 hours the choir put on a concert of celebration where many of the songs were repeated. It was beautiful! I did not want to leave, but the young adult group was celebrating with “breakfast”
By the time we sat down to enjoy the meal it was about 2:00am… But I wasn’t looking at the time, I was enjoying the time with others. After the concert many of the polish students joined us in the celebration!
Fun Fact: the Easter greeting is Alleluja! Every time someone entered of left the room or left for the evening, many shouted out “Alleluja!” How appropriate for the day of Resurrection!
At the meal we discussed many traditions within our culture. I tried to explain that in my house we celebrate with many polish traditions. Others began to speak of how they crack the egg. Some with a game of “war” like in my family and others by smashing it on someones forehead. So what did we do? we smashed eggs on each others head shouting out “Alleluja!” It was wonderful. The “breakfast” was a mix of a late dinner mixed with traditional food and lots of sweets! Without a problem I ate way more than I should have… but we were celebrating! So I justified my actions.
After the meal I was on “kitchen duty” which meant I was basically in charge of washing the dishes… for some reason I find it to be the easy job so I quickly volunteered… everyone was shocked that I enjoyed this one… I told them I had no problem! I talked to some people and they were amazed like always how an american was in Poland… i guess this never happens…
By this time it was about 4:40am… and the sun was just about an hour away. So the announcement was made that we would be heading to Kopiec Krakusa, a small hill in the city, to witness the sunrise.
Walking to the Hill I had a discussion with one of our polish leaders explaining how important religion is in Poland. He told me how Between Good Friday and Easter Monday there should be no work but church and reflection on the holy day. In Poland everything is closed between Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. I tried to explain how in the USA that many never get off for the holy day and that Easter is just another day on the calendar. He was surprised and I tried to explain how everyone does not celebrate their faith and that many do not believe to.
By the end of the conversation we discussed some differences about culture. He told me that the polish opinion is that since people in the USA have the opportunity to have whatever they want because they live in a higher class of living compared to Poland… that they do not need their faith and church. With this statement I was shocked but could see the point he was making. I said that we must always try to bring our faith alive in our daily life. I told him I use Poland as an example, because I do not think I would be traveling to a hill to witness the sunrise with morning prayer. Something to try when I return home. :)
We arrived to the top of the hill and it was beautiful, we were about 10 minutes from the sun rise and our group began morning prayer (in polish) I had a book, so i tried to follow… but just like at the Easter Vigil as I tried to say one word… everyone else was already on another. So i tried to keep up with the crowed and joined in at any point I could. Then the sun rose and it was beautiful! A wonderful way to begin Easter Sunday and a clear gift of the resurrection.
Returning home and without any sleep I began to prepare my “traditional” Easter breakfast! I had most of the food options and celebrated with the friends who were still here in Krakow. It was simple but nice to not be alone on a very important holiday. After breakfast I found myself exhausted and found myself sleeping the rest of the afternoon until I had the chance to Skype home with my family. Since our house was hosting Easter Sunday I had the opportunity to see everyone! It was a true blessing. We talked, laughed, and loved each moment. While it was quiet holiday… I still found some excitement and peace.
This morning (Easter Monday) I found myself heading out on what could be the most beautiful day in Krakow this week. Aware of the tradition of Water Monday also known as “Smigus-Dyngus” Day where the tradition is to spray each other with water in celebration of the Risen King.. well some take this seriously with bucket… I was afraid but left my room aware that I might return home soaked… I set out to celebrate “Emaus” on the streets. In a small section of Krakow they celebrate “Emaus.” The tradition is taken from the Gospel Luke 24:13-35 where the apostles did not recognize the Risen Lord until he joined them for a meal. Well just like the apostles the streets are filled with people surrounding the local church. I walked up and down. spoke in polish and found a young child with a water gun and bucket filled with water. I quickly moved away from him… The streets are filled with balloons and sweets and other crazy childhood toys. It was a wonderful experience. Even if the sweets I chose were not the best…
I did believe the Easter weekend would be something different, but I did not believe it would be like this! I have been blessed to witness a different culture celebrate the victory over death. Just like the apostles were instructed to tell the world the good news. I feel that I have been blessed to see the world celebrate the faith in a whole new way!
For these days I love to be living in Poland.
Until more adventures on the streets of Krakow.
Na Razie!
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lunacylover: 5 most important mounds of Kraków,...
Kopiec Krakusa
Kopiec Wandy
Kopiec Esterki
Kopiec Kościuszki
Kopiec Piłsudskiego
5 most important mounds of Kraków, Poland:
1. Krakus Mound - Kopiec Krakusa (Kraka) [x] - assumed to be the resting place of the legendary founder of Kraków - prince Krakus (Krak), but the age and the original purpose of the mound remain a mystery. According to the 17th-century city plans and 19th-century iconographics, there were several smaller mounds existing around it, but they were being gradually pulled down and used as building material in order to create defensive structures during the past wars. Preliminary archaeological excavations were conducted in the 1930s, but concerned only some parts of the site and the top of the mound - around 4% of the site in total - and were never finished due to the lack of funds after the 2nd World War. The general site is dated to c. 2nd-1st century BC, although much older (neolithic) findings were unearthed around it as well. No specific place of burial was found yet. The main Krakus Mound was overbuilt to the modern size presumably between 8th-10th centuries CE. Remains of the oak roots found at the top of the mound determine that the object was a place of cult before the introduction of Christianity. [in Polish / po polsku: więcej o tych wykopaliskach i broszura z pierwszych lat badań (1934)]
2. Wanda Mound - Kopiec Wandy [x] - assumed to be the resting place of the legendary princess Wanda, daughter of Krakus. Nowadays, the top of the mound is decorated with a memorial, designed around 1890 by Jan Matejko (one of the most important Polish artists of that time). Archaeological excavations of the mound have never been performed, the official dating determine its creation to c. 7th-8th century CE, however the excavations performed in the mound’s surroundings revealed a great number of much older artifacts associated with the Trzciniec Culture.
3. Esterka Mound - Kopiec Esterki [x] - a relatively small mound which, according to a legend, was build (or more likely overbuilt) in the 14th century on the orders of King Casimir the Great for Esterka - his semi-legendary misstress. Another legend claims its older origins, dating back to the pre-Christian times: it might have been an ancient place of worship, part of a cult complex together with Krakus, Wanda and other (no longer existing) mounds. Last remains of this mound were destroyed in the 1940s in order to create barracks during the war, later the place was taken over by the communistic government to create a sports field next to the neighbouring palace (on the site of old palace gardens).
4. Kościuszko Mound - Kopiec Kościuszki [x] - one of the two Cracovian mounds created in order to honour the national heroes. Built between 1820-1823 for the memory of Tadeusz Kościuszko (hero of Poland, Lithuania and Belarus, who also gained fame during the American Revolution). Its location was chosen not far from a presumed (legendary) ancient mound.
5. Piłsudski Mound - Kopiec Piłsudskiego [x] - created between 1934-1937 for the memory of Józef Piłsudski (Polish-Lithuanian general and politician, first chief of the newly independent Poland established after the 1st World War). Built not far from the location of a presumed (legendary) ancient mound.
To read: “Issues concerning the existence and functions of the so-called great kurgans in Małopolska in early phases of the Early Middle Ages / Zagadnienie istnienia i funkcji tzw. wielkich kurhanów w Małopolsce w starszych fazach wczesnego średniowiecza”, Marek Florek in: Analecta Archaeologica Ressoviensia vol.III.
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viaroma: Oh Christ I’ve fallen in love with a Pole.
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Yard bike by bolandrotor on Flickr.
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Tenants by bolandrotor on Flickr.
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More Pages to Explore .....
