Polish Catholics on a missionary journey
Traditional dress for Polish Heritage Day, organised by the Polish British Integration Centre
Alamy, Helen Cowles
It’s early afternoon on Holy Saturday and the Polish Church of Our Lady of Czestochowa and St Casimir on Devonia Road in Islington, north London is filling up quickly. People of all ages, from five to 70-plus, walk in carrying decorated baskets and place them on a big table at the front of the room. ŚWieconka, the blessing of baskets containing the food for the first meal of Easter, is an enduring Polish tradition, representing hope for Christ’s resurrection, the breaking of the Lenten fast and new life.
Priests are expected to be open-minded, to assimilate with British culture and to be also able to speak English
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