The 18^th century, called the century of women, was the age of sophisticated social games. What item was better suited to flirting than an amusing, coquettish fan? Thus, a secret “language of fans” was created, one to be mastered by every young woman with ballroom ambitions.

Folk costumes in the area of Lemko culture survived far longer than in the neighbouring Carpathian Foothills. This was because of the slower rhythm of cultural changes in the mountainous areas inhabited by the Lemkos.

How many exotic lands should we visit to follow their trail throughout centuries of history? How much of human history is hidden inside this apparently completely innocuous and frivolous object?

The Orava shirt was tailored from light blue fabric. It narrows at the waist and is slightly widened at the bottom. The sleeve is raised high, narrowed from the elbow down with three pleated sections. Black ribbon applications are sewn into the edges at the front. The whole shirt is trimmed with a wide belt of black karakul sheep pelts. The back is fitted to the back line, slightly flared at the bottom.

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 legendary wings that stimulated the imagination of film-makers, painters and many others were characteristic decorations of the hussar armour.

The czuha played a special role in the outfit of the Lemkos: it symbolised wealth and prestige. The czuha was obligatorily worn to Orthodox church, on more important festivals — even in the summer, as well as for weddings (even if one had to borrow it). It was a kind of a voluminous coat made of brown domestic cloth, which for other Lemkos was indicative of its owner’s origin.

A kimono is one of the first things that comes to mind when we think of Japan. We always see those traditional dresses exquisitely decorated with painted or embroidered designs. Each of them is decorated with the most beautiful and elegant patterns. However, there are also everyday kimonos with repeating, small patterns of flowers, birds, fans and other motifs. They are made using stencils such as the Ise-katagami, which the Japanese have been creating for centuries.

Karol Wojtyła received the sacrament of Holy Orders from Cardinal Sapieha on 1 November 1946. On the next day he celebrated his first mass in St. Leonard’s Crypt at the Wawel Cathedral.
The decision about joining a seminary was made by Karol in 1942 (he entered the seminary in October; however, since babyhood everything suggested that this way would be chosen by him).

Badge (colloquially known as “korpusówka”) of the Podhale Rifles regiment was introduced in the second half of 1930s . It presents a swastika with shortened bent arms against the background of a stylised fir branch. Embossed from alpaca metal sheet. The swastika is an ancient Indo-European symbol of sun, fire...