This set of three essays is meant for the broader public and was prepared during a Humboldt Research Fellowship at the University of Regensburg. Those who prefer academic prose are advised to consult the scholarly article: “Medieval Liturgy and the Making of Poland. A Study in Early Medieval Political Identification (c. 960s–c.1030s)”. I share in…
Mieszko was not the first in the Vistula basin to attempt something memorable. Long before him, in the Lesser Poland region, around Kraków, something big was about to happen… by Paweł Figurski We start our journey in Mazovia, particularly in Płońsk, about 40 miles from the current Polish capital of Warsaw, to encounter only…
US President Ronald Reagan declared 30 January 1982 to be Solidarity Day. This was both a gesture of support for the citizens of the People’s Republic of Poland and one of opposition to martial law in Poland. However, the White House did not intend limit itself to symbolic gestures. by Tomasz Kozłowski In late…
Three Kings Day, commonly known as the Epiphany, is one of the oldest Christian holidays. Celebrated on 6 January, it symbolizes the revelation of God in the form of Christ born in Bethlehem. In current times, a holy mass is celebrated in churches on this day, and colorful processions featuring the Three Magi wind through…
He was quick-tempered, stubborn and uncompromising. An outstanding preacher who spoke about faith when others were fearful. Years later, the Vatican recognized that in the history of the Church “there had not been a second such cruel case of martyrdom.”. by Jan Hlebowicz Although the Chmielnicki Uprising had ended three years earlier, the Zaporozhian…
On 13 November 1939, the Union of Armed Struggle, or ZWZ [Związek Walki Zbrojnej] was established at the newly established seat of the Polish government-in-exile in Paris. The Union was the first underground army in what would soon be occupied Europe. The task of the Union was to fight the two occupying forces. When thinking…
