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.

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.

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. 

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...

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...

Our Lady of Sorrows presented in the collection of Małopolska’s Virtual Museums is an example of a 15^th-century religious sculpture from the Małopolska region...

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).

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.

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....

The history of medieval reliquaries begins with the 62^nd 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...