1. EASTER IN POLAND

3. Easter is one of the most important festivals for Christian Orthodox people. The customs are very old and have been present in our culture for a long time. Holy Week lasts from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday.

4. PALM SUNDAY People go to the Orthodox Church with willow branches to bless them. The palms represent the palm branches that were scattered for the Jesus to greet him as he was arriving to Jerusalem.

7. Maundy Thursday Maundy Thursday is the beginning of Easter Triduum. It is the fifth day of Holy Week and it commemorates the Last Supper.

8. Good Friday During Good Friday people commemorate the crucifixion and death of Jesus. This day is very solemn and calm, it is characterized by the prayers and meditation. It is a day of fasting – we don't eat meat and very often people fast the whole day.

9. HOLY SATURDAY Blessing of the Easter baskets It is the last day to prepare for Easter. We go to the Orthodox Church with baskets full of food to bless it. It is one of the most important Easter traditions and usually all the families go together to the church.

10. http://www.tvn24.pl/wielka-sobota-u-prawoslawnych-i- grekokatolikow-wierni-swieca-pokarmy,532425,s.html Please, click on the link to see the short film

15. The foods in the baskets have a symbolic meaning: eggs - symbolize life and resurrection of Christ bread - symbol of Jesus salt - represents purification horseradish - symbolic of the bitter sacrifice of Christ ham - symbolic of great joy and abundance We eat the blessed food during the Easter breakfast.

16. EASTER Easter is celebrated on Sunday. It is a day of joy, because of Christ's Resurrection. All the families meet together for the Easter breakfast, which ends the Lent.

17. Easter breakfast

22. Easter Monday = Wet Monday = Śmigus Dyngus It is the last day of Easter celebration, however it is a day full of fun and... water ! Traditionally during that day boys and men were pouring water on girls and women. Nowadays, everybody is having fun and there are no rules on who is pouring the water on who. Our advice is not to leave the house that day, and if you do take at least a bottle of water, it may be useful.