castle grounds on Wawel hill

I went to the post office on the castle grounds yesterday,
it is quiet there this time of year.
There is a small music shop there and the sound
of classical music made the scene even more calm.
The stacks of reeds are covers to protect the plants
from the cold temperatures.

The Cathedral

on the Wawel Castle grounds

Wawel Hill on the Vistula River

Easter Morning

We woke up at 4:30 am in order to walk over to Kazimierz and attend the service at Corpus Christi church, Bozego Ciala. After a few days of winter precipitation, the clear moonlit sky was our first Easter blessing.

We arrived early enough that we could get seated near the back. We figured we wouldn't last the entire service, as it could be four hours. And, since we wouldn't understand exactly what was being said. It was fascinating to watch the nuns and parishioners enter the church. I'll try to describe it to you. I didn't take any photos, but was about to bust at the seams to do so! It was beautiful. So reverent, despite being a huge church, with so many people arriving, you literally could hear a pin drop. In the darkened Gothic church, the ladies, were busy placing the floats in the aisles. While way in the front I could see that many clergy were gathering in groups. The altar boys and several other children's groups, holding banners, all in formation. The floats were beautiful, figures of Jesus surrounded by flowers and covered with a canopy.

The ladies, and they weren't the young women of the congregation, hoisted the platforms up onto their shoulders, and the singing began. A very solemn tune, not familiar, words that floated by in the same unrecognizable way I've gotten used to.
And then, in the refrain of the hymn, that one word. The one word that united 3 Amerykanskis with the hundreds of Polskis in the church - "Alleluia"! Many times we have felt like outsiders in the last six months of living here, obviously. But shortly after 6 am, in a Catholic church in Eastern Europe I felt like I belonged. In a very foreign city, in the midst of a very unfamiliar denomination, hearing undecipherable words, we were a part of a congregation of worshipers on the most significant day of our Christian calendar. The atmosphere was stoic, but at the same time I was overwhelmed with that familiar 'peace that passes understanding'. We could say, and mean "Alleluia", right along with our Polish neighbors. Our second blessing of the day.

The congregation rose and we joined them in a procession around the outside of the church. This as I understand it, is to symbolize the search for the dead body of Christ. Once back inside the lights went on. Again symbolizing the light Christ brings to the world. The old church was illuminated and alive in the glint of the gilded niches and statues. Our spots in the back pews were now filled, and we found ourselves standing along the walls. At that point we slipped out a door, and headed back to Old Town and our friend's apartment for breakfast. (He said he was relieved that I hadn't whipped out my camera inside the church! He thinks I take too many photos!) I can think back on several meaningful worship experiences in my life. Brought up baptist, some revolve around revivals, some are the quiet, very private moments with God. And now, the memory of this Easter service, might conjure up that wonderful 'at home' feeling you have when you know you are loved. God lives here too, and we were just with some members of the family, giving thanks for our salvation. Our most important blessing of the day. "Alleluia"

Our First Visitor

While in Germany on business, Keith's brother John was able to fly in for the weekend. It was good to have family to share Krakow with, and to have someone to talk to in English! We took a trip out to Oswiecim to see the memorial at Auschwitz-Birkenau. It's difficult to say that it was the "highlight", but it is important to see, having traveled this far already.

We came across a tour guide, Marta, who helped make the trip quite pleasant. She drove us to the camps and answered all of our questions. When we asked her to give us tour of Krakow, she giggled and said since we lived here now, we had to discover the city for ourselves! Nice way of getting "the brush off"! She's right and we did head out the next day, on our own, in the snow! This place has been invaded and occupied so many times through the centuries, it's hard to keep track of it's history. We toured the castle cathedral and St. Mary's, even though the english audio would not be available until "next week". Having a description would have been nice, but we still marveled at the artistry.

The video below has John and Keith by the Ladislaus IV Bastion with the monument of Tadeusz Kosciuszko, listening to the Sigismund Bell. (John, we did a little research and found out that the guy on the horse was a Polish general who offered his services to the colonists in the American Revolution and among other things "fought with distinction under Gen. Nate Greene in the Carolina's campaign", Lad and Sig were Polish kings) In the next video we were watching the military enter the cathedral for the Independence Day Celebration.

John's visit was short and the weather left a little to be desired, but we enjoyed our time together and look forward to having more guests.