The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-12-21
A POLISH CHRISTMAS.

LII pun l1IIlS II 1dllu, ludI u6NdSJdI-
ed land, once powerful and mighty as
nation, tradition is so strong that
the practices of centuries still linger;
and though the Pole may be wan
derer on the face of the earth, he
keeps up wherever it is possible the
national observances.
One memorable Christmas, spent as
a matter of fact, not in Poland, but
| with a Polish family in the southern
| part of Russia, was so essentially Pol
| ish in character, that it might we'll
| have been celebrated in the land Of
the Stanislaus' and Sobieski's, notwith-
standing the stringent rules regarding
religious practices which obtained in
the recent empire Of the Gar. The
Julian Calendar, however, obliged the
Pole exiled in Russia to continue his
! preparation for the advent of the In
FAINT King for days after his compatri-
OTIS in Galicia and Prussian Poland had
| rejoiced in His Nativity
The home of Mr.. and Mrs. --
| lay in the heart of the country, fifteen
miles distant from the nearest town
| For an hour or more, the Food Hos
| tess, as she was called, had been nois-
| lily greeting new arrivals, as maiden
| aunts, bachelor uncles and several
! childless married couples came to join
in the family gathering. 1t was dark
outside and bitterly cold, still six small
| faces pressed hard against the window
panes, and six pairs of eager little
| eyes watched anXiously for the appear
| ance of the first star, which, accord
| ing to tradition, was a signal for be-
ginning the family festivities Sud
denly tiny shimmering point of light
pierced the darkness of the heavens,
and the six children jumped from
| their perches and ran or rather tum-
| bled down stairs crying out: Jest!
| JEST" which means, There it is"
The elders were not so precipitate
but soon all were assembled in the
| dining room, which had been greatly
changed in appearance since the mid
| day meal.
| Unlike those who think to add to the
spirit of the season by the use of ever
green's and holly, the Pole seeks what
is most significant, and remembering
that straw served both as couch and
covering for the little King of Bethle-
| hem, he chooses it for the decoration
of his home. In each corner of the
room was large bundle of straw
while straw, too, covered the table,
|
After all had found their places, they
remained standing and a solemn
silence fell upon the elders, while
even the gay young people became
subdued. Somthing fraught with deep
meaning was to take place for this
ceremony is to the Pole one of the
most important and solemn of the
| year.
| At one end of the table stood a
plate of unleavened bread, made into
pure white hosts stamped with various
emblems, such as a cross, chalice,
or manger. Taking the largest in
her hand, the mother made the sign
of the cross over it and breaking it
| into two equal parts, offered one-half
to her husband Then to each one
present she offered host to be broken
and half shared in turn with another.
BY this custom, the disputes of the
year were happily settled, quarrels
ended, injuries atoned for and for
given. This practice, known as the
Polish Peace-Making, has come down
through long ages along with the deep
rooted spirit of Faith from which it is
drawn. There may be Poles who do
not forgive their enemies, but there is
no Pole who, having thus broken
bread, will later break faith The
peace-making ended, both master and
mistress went through like cere-
mony in the servants quarters, then
the remaining hosts were laid away
to be sent later to absent relatives,
and the family sat down to dinner.
Side by side with so much faith,
there was also remnant of supersti
ton. Each one about the table pro-
ceeded. to draw forth single straw
from under the cloth and forecast by
its length the probable duration of his
own life.
| The dishes chosen for the occasion
were prepared strictly according to
rule, Tradition has it that there