1 Important holidays and festivals in Poland

2 The first of January New Year’s Day New Year’s Day the day of Mary the Holy Mother of God – for Catholics the day of Mary the Holy Mother of God – for Catholics

3 The sixth of January The catholic holidays – free day, we recall the day when the three wise men came and saw the newly born Jesus for the first time

4 Shrove Thursday The last Thursday before LENT – Polish people usually eat sweets on this day, especially doughnuts Polish people usually eat sweets on this day, especially doughnuts

5 „OSTATKI” Last Tuesday before LENT – the last day of eating a lot – people eat more on this day because of LENT (when they try to eat less). Shrove Tuesday is sometimes called Pancake Day after the batter recipe traditionally the batter recipe traditionally eaten on this day. eaten on this day.

6 Ash Wednesday The first Wednesday of LENT– Polish people go to the church and they are given some ash on their heads. They eat only three times a day, one normal meal and two small ones. They eat no sweets and meat. They fast. They fast.

7 The Holy Week The last week before Easter. The most important days are Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It’s called Pascha Triduum. People pray in the church and take part in the celebration of the torment and death of Jesus.

8 Easter Easter Sunday and Monday. Christians celebrate the Ressurection of Jesus Christ. They go to the Church. This feast has its own symbols: palm tree – symbol of winning, palm tree – symbol of winning, eggs – symbol of new life (people eat them for breakfast on Easter Sunday and Monday) eggs – symbol of new life (people eat them for breakfast on Easter Sunday and Monday) Easter pastry (special Easter cake) with Easter decoration Easter pastry (special Easter cake) with Easter decoration

9 Pentecost (Zesłanie Ducha Świętego) Two days – feasts of Pentecost – 7 weeks after Easter

10 The first of May Day of work – free day – some people manifest on this day. This day is not as important as it was earlier in the communistic Poland.

11 The third of May National and catholic feast – the anniversary of the first democratic Constitution and the feast of Mary the Queen of Poland National and catholic feast – the anniversary of the first democratic Constitution and the feast of Mary the Queen of Poland

12 The 15th of August The anniversary of the battle near Warsaw against the Russian Army in 1920. It was called „the miracle on Wisla”

13 The first of November All Saints’ Day – people celebrate the fact, that we have so many saint people, we can pray to them. People take special care of the graves of their relatives on this day and the week after. They pray for them.

14 The eleventh of November Independance Day – free day, we celebrate the anniversary of getting back our freedom after 123 years of being a part of other countries.

15 Christmas The day of Birth of Jesus – important Catholic feast which I describe in the next presentation.

16 The sources of pictures 1 - http://www.radio90.pl/pomoz-nam-wybrac-najlepszy-kalendarz-na-2013-rok.html http://www.radio90.pl/pomoz-nam-wybrac-najlepszy-kalendarz-na-2013-rok.html 2 - http://wakai-team.cba.pl/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chinski-nowy-rok.jpg http://wakai-team.cba.pl/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Chinski-nowy-rok.jpg 3 - http://www.polskieradio.pl/8/433/Artykul/1344417,Trzej-Krolowie-opisani-na-nowo- http://www.polskieradio.pl/8/433/Artykul/1344417,Trzej-Krolowie-opisani-na-nowo- 4 – babeczka.zuzka.pl 5 - http://www.kartki.pl/pl/showCard/slodkie-ostatki-0 http://www.kartki.pl/pl/showCard/slodkie-ostatki-0 6 - http://mozecoswiecej.pl/nawracajcie-sie-i-wierzcie-w-ewangelie/ http://mozecoswiecej.pl/nawracajcie-sie-i-wierzcie-w-ewangelie/ 7 - http://adoremus.pl/index.php?page=triduum 8 - http://wilczkimorskie.blogspot.com/2013/03/wielkanoc-2013.html http://wilczkimorskie.blogspot.com/2013/03/wielkanoc-2013.html 9 - https://wwwpomysl.wordpress.com/tag/pocieszyciel/ https://wwwpomysl.wordpress.com/tag/pocieszyciel/ 10 - http://katowice.sld.org.pl/aktualnosci/6059-1_maja.html http://katowice.sld.org.pl/aktualnosci/6059-1_maja.html 11 - http://ejm2000.pinger.pl/m/12304772 http://ejm2000.pinger.pl/m/12304772 12 - http://s_oswiatowa_katowice2.w.interia.pl/15_08/15_08.html http://s_oswiatowa_katowice2.w.interia.pl/15_08/15_08.html 13 - http://kakolewo.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1020&Itemid=69 http://kakolewo.pl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1020&Itemid=69 14 - http://www.lo9gim17.pl/kronika-szkoy-2013-2014/1471-11-listopada-wito-niepodlegoci http://www.lo9gim17.pl/kronika-szkoy-2013-2014/1471-11-listopada-wito-niepodlegoci 15 – family pictures

17 Now the second one… Now the second one… Piotr Płonka