So, today being October 1st, it is a national holiday in Poland.
All Saints’ Day is a Catholic festival that has been celebrated in Poland for many hundreds of years. It is a day when people all over Poland visit the graves of loved ones and to place candles and flowers there.
These candles are special because they can burn for many hours, sometimes for days. Cemeteries are lit by many hundreds of these candles and at night the cemeteries can often be seen glowing from long distances.
I visited the cemetery in the town where I am staying and it was beautifully lit up in the evening with thousands of candles and the sound of singing coming from the chapel.
There were also shops and lots of road-side stalls where people could buy special flowers (chrysanthemums) and also the candles, which are held in red or clear glass containers.
Many Polish people travel long distances to visit family graves.
The Polish name for All Saints’ Day is Wszystkich Świętych ("f-shist-kih sh-fyen-tih").
Location:ul. Główna, Gmina Szczawnica, Poland
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