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Did you know that The cult of St. Barbara Saint Barbara, as the patron of good death, was worshipped above all by those who were most vulnerable to sudden and unexpected death: miners, steel workers, sailors, fishermen, soldiers, stone-cutters, and prisoners. Today, Saint Barbara is primarily considered to be the most important patron of miners. However, in Wieliczka, the miners used to pray primarily to St. Kinga, St. Anthony, and St. Clement. |
Did you know that Feretron Feretron (a procession float) derives from the Greek pheretron, meaning “litter” (in Latin feretrum — litter, bier, stretcher). It is an object akin to a stretcher, often with additional rods, formerly used in ancient Greece to carry the statues of deities. Feretron is a term applied to a special type of paintings or sculptures depicting the images of saints, set on special platform, which were once used in processions during ecclesiastical ceremonies and also as a portable altar during pilgrimages. |
Did you know that Merciful Kannon With the first wave of Buddhism that swept the entire archipelago, a Hindu bodhisattva arrived in Japan: Avalokiteshvara. In India, he was considered the spiritual son of Buddha Amitabha (in Japanese – Amida), and also the “ocean of compassion” as well as the embodiment of Mahayana virtues. |
Did you know that Baptismal fonts in Poland Baptismal fonts belonged to the most important elements of church accessories. That is why their history dates back to the beginning of Christianity on Polish land. The oldest Romanesque fonts survived in the greatest numbers within the territory of the former State of the Teutonic Order as well as in Silesia as those lands were... |
Did you know that Meaning of the etrog tin There are special, richly decorated containers used to carry the etrog to a synagogue on the holiday of Sukkot. The etrog tin is usually in the shape of a fruit – as in the case of the one in the collection from the Museum in Chrzanów – or a bowl. It can be made of silver, sometimes it is also gilded inside. Poorer Jews used wooden boxes for carrying the citrus fruit. Also, silver sugar bowls could serve as containers for the etrog. |
Did you know that “Next year in Jerusalem” It is impossible to understand the customs, not only the religious ones, in Jewish culture, without turning back to the earliest history of the Jewish nation and ancient Israel. Many of those customs symbolically refer to the rituals performed in the Temple of Jerusalem; however, they follow them to a far more modest extent. |
Did you know that “(...) and you will write them upon the gates and upon the front door of your house” According to the Jewish religious law, immediately after moving into a new house or flat (in the case of a rented one – no later than within 29 days) on the right side of the entrance door (at 2/3 of the doorway height) a mezuzah should be placed, with a slight tilt left towards the interior of the apartment, and nailed solidly in place... |
Did you know that Reliquary – the receptacle for holiness The cult of saints caused reliquaries to be treated in a special way in the Middle Ages. They served as housing for objects of worship – the remains of saints and martyrs or objects which had come into contact with holiness, which is why considerable attention was paid to their construction using precious metals and beautifully decoration. They were often inlaid with expensive stones. |
Did you know that The wonderworking Images of the Holy Virgin In many Polish Catholic homes, an image depicting the Holy Mary still occupies the most honourable place in the house. The belief in the miraculous power of a Marian image has survived to this day in many communities, especially rural ones. People pray to Mary every day, but also in times of danger, asking for support and protection... |
Did you know that As a sign of modesty According to a Jewish tradition, married women, but also divorcees and widows, should, as a sign of modesty (cnius), cover their hair in public places. This prescription is imposed in various forms. In orthodox environments, women still shave their heads and cover them with headscarves, called tichel, although according to Halakha (religious law) it is not necessary. |
Did you know that “Our Lady of Sorrows” from Biecz in a broader context Our Lady of Sorrows presented in the collection of Małopolska’s Virtual Museums is an example of a 15th-century religious sculpture from the Małopolska region... |
Did you know that In Veit Stoss’s Gethsemane The depiction of Christ in Gethsemane appeared three times in the works currently attributed to Veit Stoss. The theme itself is one of the scenes in the iconography of the Passion. It was widely used in the 2nd half of the 15th century in the art of South Germany. This event was described in the gospels of St. Matthew, St. Mark, and St. Luke. Christ is shown praying in Gethsemane (the olive garden) at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, accompanied by three sleeping apostles: St. John, St. Peter, and St. James. |
Did you know that Nativity scene – satirical scene The Nativity scene, which, over time, started to adopt the form of a theatrical show, was accompanied by dialogues and singing. It was expanded by proscenium. People hidden under its floor animated the dolls, which bowed their heads to the Infant Jesus. The use of this quasi-theatrical formula during the holiday celebration was supposed to enrich the message, which, from the form of simply reading the text of the Holy Bible — most often during the liturgy — was transformed into presenting the events from the life of Christ before the audience of his followers. However, the Christmas pageant gradually started to laicize: there were more people taking part in the drama, and many scenes of secular nature were introduced. On the basis of the religious content, entertaining episodes (comedy). |
Did you know that A few words about the chasuble The chasuble is a basic element of the liturgical attire used by the clergy during the celebration of the liturgy. It is the outer garment, put on the alb (or surplice/rochet depending on the church rites) and the stole. The priest is obliged to wear a chasuble during the Holy Mass, of which he is the minister, although there are exceptions to this rule at present. Its name comes from the Latin word ornatus, which simply means: dress, attire. Although the function and general shape of the chasuble has not changed over centuries of Christianity, it has undergone a kind of formal and symbolic evolution, before finally adopting its current appearance. |
Did you know that From dailiness to ceremonial – about the origin of liturgical vestments The priest of every religion — as a person worthy of leading worship practices and mediating in the contact between people and God (gods) — was an ennobled figure in society. Therefore, priests — as a social class — were distinguished from the common folk by special attire, appropriate to their dignity and the activities represented by them. The current form of the elements of the liturgical vestments for the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church, traces its origin back to the beginnings of Christianity. The followers of Christ, due to the dangers of persecution and the poverty of the early church, did not use any official attire accompanying the practice of worship. During prayer, the men had their heads uncovered and the women were veiled. Initially, people celebrating the liturgy did not use special vestments. They used the clothes which were worn by the Romans at that time. |
Did you know that Purim One of the customs associated with the holiday Purim is sending each other gifts (mishloach manot), for which at least two portions of different delicacies are to be made. They may not require any additional treatment from the recipient; they must be suitable for immediate consumption. |
Did you know that In the footsteps of the work of the author of “Our Lady of Myślenice” The author of “Our Lady of Myślenice” is Sebastian Stolarski (1798-1875), a painter known in the region, whose works can be found not only in the “Greek House”, but also during a walk around Myślenice and by visiting nearby churches. His works can be found in the parish church and on Stradom in Myślenice, as well as in churches in Wiśniowa, Zakliczyn, Trzebunia, and Skomielna Biała.... |
Did you know that How thee Torah scroll is made How thee Torah scroll is made? |
Did you know that History of enshrining relics The history of medieval reliquaries begins with the 62nd decree of the Fourth Council of the Lateran in 1215 where the issue of enshrining holy relics was raised. They were supposed to be enshrined and presented only in protective reliquaries. It was the reason why reliquaries took various forms throughout the centuries... |
Did you know that Different forms of besamin boxes Besamin boxes — also known as censers or scent boxes—can take on various forms; the most common ones, however, are tower-shaped besamin boxes, like the ones belonging to the collection of the Historical Museum of the City of Kraków and the Irena and Mieczysław Mazaraki Museum in Chrzanów presented on our website... |