By Dan Sullivan
Catholic Herald

Family marks Lent, Easter with Polish traditions

SUPERIOR -- The seasons of Lent and Easter are important to all Christians.

Polish people are noted among the ethnic groups who hold these times in reverence.

Although Adam Strugala, diocesan building and grounds supervisor/engineer, and his wife, Halina, left Poland 24 years ago, they still hold fast to many Polish Lenten and Easter customs and traditions.

Before heading into a time of Lenten fasting, most Americans celebrate one last time on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, commonly called "Fat Tuesday." The day is often spotlighted with the celebration of Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Polish people traditionally begin their celebration ahead of this, on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday, with Tlusty Czwartek or Fat Thursday. On this day they commonly eat the Polish donut (paczki) and a coffee cake (babka).

"We don't worry about a diet on that day and eat anything that is real fatty and high in cholesterol," he said. "It's just like a carnival, we just party."

The day before Ash Wednesday in Poland is known as Herring Day or Sledziowka. "On that day you party as much as you can and eat lots of herring," Strugala said. "We dance, but don't have a parade, like in New Orleans, because it's too cold in Poland. Then the carnival is over."

During the Lenten season in Poland festivities are centered around a church service called Gorzkie Zale or Lenten Lamentations. This ancient Polish custom was started in the 1700s and is marked on a weekly basis during Lent. Services are often conducted with words and chants that retrace the passion and crucifixion of Christ. "It's all about offering yourself to God," Strugala said. "It involves praying and reflecting on Christianity."

Like in America, during Lent Poles observe a time of fast and abstinence -- this includes not eating meat on Friday. "You're supposed to sacrifice," Strugala said.

Another treasured custom of the Polish people is Swieconka or the blessing of Easter food, done on Holy Saturday. Included in the basket of food brought to church is a stick of butter, carved in the shape of a lamb. "You don't have to be a professional to do the carving, but it is done to remind us of the sacrifice of Christ," he said.

The basket also includes a babka that is topped with a cross or fish, symbolic of Jesus, who is seen as the bread of life. As a symbol of the passion of Christ, chrzan (horseradish) is among the contents. Jajka (eggs) are also put in basket. Colorful decorated eggs (pisanki) often include various symbols to recall Christ's life and resurrection. For meat eaters, a kielbasa (sausage) is used to remind a person of God's generosity. As a symbol of great joy and abundance, a szynka (ham) is included. Some Poles also place a lamb in their basket as a reminder to Christians that the risen Christ is the Lamb of God. Bacon is added to show the overabundance of God's mercy and generosity.

"You also include salt as a reminder that people are the flavor of the earth," Strugala said. "A candle, to symbolize that Christ is the light of the world, is added. In the part of Poland that I come from we would include pussy willows to symbolize the birth of new life."

The basket is then covered with a linen cloth and receives a special blessing.

"Our tradition was to take the basket to church for the blessing," Strugala said. "I remember it because I was the youngest one in the family and always had to carry the basket."

The blessed food in the basket is not to be eaten until Easter morning. At this time the head of the home traditionally shares the blessed eggs with those gathered.

Among her favorite items in the basket, Halina Strugala recalls the colorful Easter eggs from her youth. The couple have a display of the ornate eggs in their home.

"Growing up my neighbor was an ethnic artist, " she said. "Before the basket blessing, my mother would boil eggs and we would bring them to our neighbor for her to paint. It was so exciting for me as a little girl to watch this neighbor."

Besides food, recalling his youth, Adam Strugala said in Poland it was common to always wear your best clothes to Mass every Sunday, but dress for Easter Mass was extra special. "We usually got new clothes for Easter," he said. "Spring was coming so you got new shoes, pants and a shirt. It was the celebration of the beginning of the new season."

It is customary in Poland to observe Easter with two days. "Easter Sunday is usually spent celebrating with family and eating lots of baked goods and meat," Adam Strugala said. Easter Monday or Dyngus Smigus is the official end to the Easter season. On this day young people in Poland go from house to house singing ethnic songs and playfully performing pranks -- including splashing one anther with water.

The Strugalas have passed these Polish traditions on to their two grown daughters, Margaret and Isabella. "We have tried to keep the Polish traditions alive from the time they were little girls," Halina Strugala said.

The Strugalas are members of St. Mary Star of the Sea Parish in Duluth, Minn.

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© Superior Catholic Herald, 2004