All Saint's Day

We see that it is getting close to our American Holiday of Thanksgiving. We've been here for 7 weeks. As I write that I had to keep checking the calendar, that is a very short time! But it seems longer, we have seen so much. Our apartment has that homey feel to it, and we are getting more settled. We're trying to stay informed of the customs here. And one of the latest traditions was All Saint's Day. It's the day to commemorate the saint's we have known and to spend time with family. The newspaper warns of heavy traffic, reminds people to drive safely, and to allow enough time to arrive at their destinations. Much like the state patrols warning for Thanksgiving travel. Here the destination is the family plot.

The week prior has graveyards buzzing with activity. I walked up to one of the cemeteries Cmetarz Salwatorski, and found folks mostly older women, tidying up the graves. There were overflowing dumpsters outside the fence which I thought looked out of place, but after walking around saw that everyone was coming into the cemetery with bags of candles, and flowers, and tools. Then, on their way out, depositing bags of dead leaves and old foliage they had cleaned from the sites. And I mean cleaned! Sweeping, weeding, washing and scraping. Even saw some men using squeegees on the newer shiny granite graves. Glass lanterns are placed with all kinds of flower arrangements. These will be lit on November 1 at dusk and allowed to burn through the night. I asked my language teacher about the customs, and found out that these graves sites are very deep and allow the burial of many people in the space that appears to be for one. It was very quiet and still for all the activity that was taking place.

This day precedes the All Soul's Day, and together they make for a four day weekend. Keith went on to work the 1st, and was the only one there. His office is in a mall, where, for this holiday, all the stores are closed, all of them. Only the emergency and transportation services are open for business. And the trams and buses change the routes to accommodate all the people headed to the cemeteries. I walked up to meet him and we joined the people headed to the Cmetarz Rakowicki. I guess this was the Church's way of taking over the pagan day of the dead, way back in the first century, by turning it into a day to remember the Saint's and those who have led holy lives. There are special masses, you can hear this on the video. Priests will read the names of the deceased, and prayers are lifted up. Keith's co-workers told him that parents expect their kids to make it home for this celebration, even more so than for Christmas or Easter! The whole town was very silent, and empty as I walked up to meet Keith. (Kind of thought the rapture had happened and I got left behind, but then I saw him waiting for me, I knew he wouldn't get left behind!)

Along with the families, we saw what must have been scouts, going into the cemetery, they would stand guard for the military graves. During the Communist period Poles weren't allowed to officially celebrate this day, and it seems to have helped cement it into their traditions. Keith and I walked through the graves in awe of the beauty and the respectful atmosphere. Again my camera skills leave a lot to be desired, but hope you can sense how beautiful this was. In honor of our loved ones we took a moment, to thank our Father. I remember as a little girl, being at our grandmother's parents' grave while she and Papaw gave it a spring cleaning. I guess our society is too spread out to make this a tradition. This might be something Keith and I will take back with us, although he reminds me that he'll be scattered out in the ocean. Well then I won't have to do much tidying up! We were going to the airport early the following morning, and saw lanterns still flickering in the smaller family cemeteries, out side of the city. I hope everyone made it home.