Figure 1.--Poland is a largely Catholic country. First Communion is a very important event in the life of a Polish child. This photograph was probably tken in the 1970s. |
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Poland is a largely Catholic country. Few countries have such religious homigunity. The Church has played a major role in the country's history. During the five decades of Communist rule, the Church successfully resisted the Communists, the only national institution to do so. The Church was the principal naional institution during the 19th century when most of Poland was controlled by Orthodox Russia, Poland until World war II had a large Jewish minority which was largely destroyed by the NAZI Holocaust. Poland after World War I acquired a large area in the East with a more diverse ethnic and religious make up than largely Catholic central Poland. Much of what is now Beylorusia was between the Wars a part of Poland. This included Lithuanians, White Russians, Ukranians, and others. Thus the religious makeup of the country has been affected by the boundaries. After World War II the boundaries of Poland were essentialky shifted West and the Polish population to the east trnsported to the new boundaries given the country a much more purely Polish and Catholic make up.
Poland is a largely Catholic country. Few countries have such religious homigunity. The Catholic Church has played a major role in the country's history. Various religious minorities have also played a role in Polish history. The Slavs were pagans on the frointiers of Christian Europe. The Russians in the east were Chritinized by the Byantines and thus accepted the Eastern rites, Poles adhered to the Holy See and became Catholic, This occured at the time Poland emerged as a nation (10th century). Poland was led by a series of strong rulers who converted the nation to Christianity, establish a centralized state, and integrated Poland into Europe. The Polish Sejm (parliament) passed the Nihil novi act (1505). This effectively shifted legislative power from the Monarch to the Sejm. This was the beginning of "Nobility Commonwealth" under which Poland was ruled by the bobility throuh the Sejm. The Lublin Union established the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569). Poland-Lithuani was one of the most powerful states in Europe and an important cultural entity. Polish aristocratic demorcacy had by the 18th century declined into national anarchy. Squabling among nobels had undermined the Polish Commonwealth. It also exposed made the Commonwealth vulnerable to foreign intervention, especially by increasingly powerful Russia. The Congress of Vienna created the Kingdom of Poland as part of the reconstitution of Europe follosing the Napoleonic Wars (1815). As a result the Kingdom of Poland was often referred to as "Congress Poland". The territory of the Kingsom of Poland included a substantial area of what Prussia and Austria had annexed as a result of the Partitions. An independent Polish republic was founded at the end of World War I. Poland until World war II had a large Jewish minority which was largely destroyed by the NAZI Holocaust. Poland after World War I acquired a large area in the East with a more diverse ethnic and religious make up than largely Catholic central Poland. Much of what is now Beylorusia was between the Wars a part of Poland. This included Lithuanians, White Russians, Ukranians, and others. Thus the religious makeup of the country has been affected by the boundaries. NAZI Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland and partioned it (September 1939). Both the NAZIs and Soviets attempted to destroy Polish nationality. Both arrested and killed large numbers of individuals seen as part of the Polish inteligencia. The NAZI Holocaust succeeded in murdering about 90 perdent of Poland;s Jews. As part of the World War II peace s'ttlement, the Polish nation was shifted west. The Germans wre expelled from the west and the Ukranians forced to move east and settle in the Ukrania SSR of the Soviet Union and what is now the independent Ukraine. A small portion of Congress Poland becme part of the Soviet Union or what is now Belarus. The result to make Poland more uniformily Polish and Catholic. After World War II the boundaries of Poland were essentialky shifted West and the Polish population to the east transported to the new boundaries given the country a much more purely Polish and Catholic make up. During the five decades of Communist rule, the Church successfully resisted the Communists, the only national institution to do so.
The Slavs were pagans on the frointiers of Christian Europe. The Russians in the east were Chritinized by the Byantines and thus accepted the Eastern rites, Poles adhered to thevHoly See and became Catholic, This occured at the time Poland emerged as a nation (10th century). Poland was led by a series of strong rulers who converted the nation to Christianity, establish a centralized state, and integrated Poland into Europe. Mieszko I, duke of the Slavic tribe of Polans, was baptized (966). This is traditionally seen as the birth of the Polish nation. He founded the Piast dynasty. Mieszko officially accepted the authority of the Holy See (990).
Mieszko's son Bolesław the Brave expanded his father's territory, bulding a state comprising the core of the Polish nation. Located in central Europe, Poland was surounded by powerful enemies. The initial Polish state fragmented (13th centyry). Lithuanian Grand Duke Jogaila established the Jagiellon dynasty (1385–1569) and formed the Polish-Lithuanian Union. The union led to the establish mebnt of one of the largest European states. This led to the spread of Roman Catholicism deep into Eastern Europe, especially large areas of the the Ukraine. The Polish aristocracy resisted royal authority.
The Polish Sejm (parliament) passed the Nihil novi act (1505). This effectively shifted legislative power from the Monarch to the Sejm. This was the beginning of "Nobility Commonwealth" under which Poland was ruked by the bobility throuh the Sejm. The Lublin Union established the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569). Poland-Lithuani was one of the most powerful states in Europe and an important cultural entity. The important role of the nobility over time made it difficult to reach a consenus on important issues and mount effective military opeations as well as opened Poland up to foreign intervention.
Polish aristocratic demorcacy had by the 18th century declined into national anarchy. Squabling among nobels had undermined the Polish Commonwealth. It made the Commonwealth vulnerable to foreign intervention, especially by increasingly powerful Russia. Poland which has once been a major European power disappeared from the map of Europe as a result of three partitions at the hands of Russia, Prussia, and Austria. With the disappearance of the Polisg state, the Catholic Church became the principal naional institution during the 19th century when most of Poland was controlled by Orthodox Russia.
The Congress of Vienna created the Kingdom of Poland as part of the reconstitution of Europe follosing the Napoleonic Wars (1815). As a result the Kingdom of Poland was often referred to as "Congress Poland".
The territory of the Kingsom of Poland included a substantial area of what Prussia and Austria had annexed as a result of the Partitions. This included areas of historic Lithuania.
The Kingdom of Poland as initially constituted was in personal union with thev Russia Tsar. Poles desiring independence revolted against the Tsar. The Tsar supressed the rebellion and sharply reduced Polish autonomy. The great bulk of the population of the Polish Kingdom were both Polish speaking Roman Catholic.
There were, however, three important ethnic/religious minorities contituting over 20 percent of the population. Lithuanians who were Catholic lived in the region from Suwalki north. Ruthenians were importabt in te east and adhered to Byzantine Catholicism. There was also one of Europe's largest Jewish populaions. And there was amall German population. After the asssasination of Tsar Alexander II, his son reactonary son became Tsar Alexander III. He aopted policies including bloody pogroms against Jews and a Russificaion program aimed at other etnic groups in the Russian Empire. The Tsar abolished Byzantine Catholicism (the Uniate rite) (1875). Byzabntine Catholics were forced to accept Eastern Orthodoxy. Eventilly many converted to Roman Catholicism which essentially led to Polonization. Those who remained Orthodox mostly came to see themselves as Ukrainians. After World War, Congress Poland became the core of the new Polish Republic. A small area in the northernmost became part of Lithuania.
An independent Polish republic was founded at the end of World War I. Poland until World war II had a large Jewish minority which was largely destroyed by the NAZI Holocaust. Poland after World War I acquired a large area in the East with a more diverse ethnic and religious make up than largely Catholic central Poland. Much of what is now Beylorusia was between the Wars a part of Poland. This included Lithuanians, White Russians, Ukranians, and others. Thus the religious makeup of the country has been affected by the boundaries.
NAZI Germany and the Soviet Union invaded Poland and partioned it (September 1939). Both the NAZIs and Soviets attempted to destroy Polish nationality. Both arrested and killed large numbers of individuals seen as part of the Polish inteligencia. The NAZI Holocaust succeeded in murdering about 90 perdent of Poland;s Jews. As part of the World War II peace settlement, the Polish nation was shifted west. The Germans wre expelled from the west and the Ukranians forced to move east and settle in the Ukrania SSR of the Soviet Union and what is now the independent Ukraine. A small portion of Congress Poland becme part of the Soviet Union or what is now Belarus. The result to make Poland more uniformily Polish and Catholic.
After World War II the boundaries of Poland were essentialky shifted West and the Polish population to the east transported to the new boundaries given the country a much more purely Polish and Catholic make up. During the five decades of Communist rule, the Church successfully resisted the Communists, the only national institution to do so.
Poland is a predominately Christian country. The Roman Catholic Church is the predominant denomination, but there are other denominations. There was also an important Jewish minority which was murdered by the Germans during World War II as part of the Holocaust.
First Communion in Poland as perhaps the most Catholic country in Europe. as such the ceremony is watershed event in the life of Catholic children. We don't yet have much historical information on First Commoinion in Poland. The chidren seem to celebrate Firt Communion at about 7-9 years of age. We suspect that at one time that instruction was given in the schools, but this may have varied as Poland until 1918 was split among Austria, Prussia/Germany and Russia. Then durung World War II Poland was controlled by the NAZIs and Soviet. After World War II, the Communist Government launched upon an athiest campaign and prevented Church activities in the schools. We are not sure what has occurred in Polish schools since the fall of Communism. The Church's view is that First Communion aims primarily to prepare a child for religious experience, and everything ssociated with the event should enhance this experience rather than detract from it. Through these difficult times, First Communion has contunued to be important in Poland. Many believe that all the external aspects of the event have come to overshadow the religious essence of the occasion.
First Communion has become an expensive undertaking in Poland today. Parents buy expensive lace dresses for girls and velvet suits for boys. Other expenses include a lavish reception and party as well as contributions to churches and pruests for offuviating and flowers. Godparents are expected to come up with expensive gifts for the children. Often this attract's the children's focus to the detriment of the religious experiebnce. Entrepreneurs have persued financial opportunities. Many families purchase engraved invitations, specual hotograph albums, commemorative Bible editions. Stores hold First Communion fashion shows. Restaurants cater First Communion parties. First Communion has become an opportunity for people to show case their rising social status and affluence. Gifts in particular have become increasingly expensive. Lavish parties are also becoming increasingly common. One Polish ckeric writes, "Of course, this special moment in a child's life requires some celebration, but what is happening is a grave distortion. The entire cultural aspect of this event for the family tends in a dangerous direction and has little to do with the religious ceremony itself."
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