Post by Bonobo on Nov 6, 2010 22:29:49 GMT 1
Poland joins other Roman Catholic countries in celebration of All Saints Day, Monday.
"It's a good opportunity to reflect on the passing of time, of life and death,” Father Stanisław Szlassa told Polish Radio.
Families traditionally visit the graves of loved ones on what is a national holiday today to lay flowers and light candles.
A mass will be said by Warsaw Archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz this morning at the church of St. Charles Borromeo and afterwards a procession will lead the faithful to Powązki and Wolski cemeteries.
The day has added poignancy this year as Poland will be remembering the 96 who died in the Smolensk air disaster, including President Lech Kaczynski and Firest Lady Maria in April this year.
Christians have been honouring saints and martyrs on the Day of the Dead since the second century A.D.
In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Roman Catholic Church, the next day, All Souls' Day, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Catholics celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory or are in heaven (the 'church penitent' and the 'church triumphant', respectively), and the 'church militant' who are the living. Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways.
In Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Croatia, Austria, Romania, Moldova, Hungary and Catholic parts of Germany, the tradition is to light candles and visit the graves of deceased relatives.
"It's a good opportunity to reflect on the passing of time, of life and death,” Father Stanisław Szlassa told Polish Radio.
Families traditionally visit the graves of loved ones on what is a national holiday today to lay flowers and light candles.
A mass will be said by Warsaw Archbishop, Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz this morning at the church of St. Charles Borromeo and afterwards a procession will lead the faithful to Powązki and Wolski cemeteries.
The day has added poignancy this year as Poland will be remembering the 96 who died in the Smolensk air disaster, including President Lech Kaczynski and Firest Lady Maria in April this year.
Christians have been honouring saints and martyrs on the Day of the Dead since the second century A.D.
In Western Christian theology, the day commemorates all those who have attained the beatific vision in Heaven. It is a national holiday in many historically Catholic countries. In the Roman Catholic Church, the next day, All Souls' Day, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and reached heaven. Catholics celebrate All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day in the fundamental belief that there is a prayerful spiritual communion between those in the state of grace who have died and are either being purified in purgatory or are in heaven (the 'church penitent' and the 'church triumphant', respectively), and the 'church militant' who are the living. Other Christian traditions define, remember and respond to the saints in different ways.
In Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Croatia, Austria, Romania, Moldova, Hungary and Catholic parts of Germany, the tradition is to light candles and visit the graves of deceased relatives.
