Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, struck a surprisingly conciliatory tone during talks in Warsaw, but reiterated the Kremlin’s opposition to plans for a US missile defence system on Polish soil.
The visit, the first to an EU member state by a senior Russian official since Russia’s war with Georgia in August, comes on top of growing tension over Warsaw’s deal with Washington for 10 interceptor missiles in the north of the country. “We don’t see any threat from Poland,” Lavrov told reporters after meeting with his Polish counterpart, Radoslaw Sikorski.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk delivered a shock pledge this week that the country would adopt the euro by the end of 2011, sending the zloty soaring against the euro and opening the door to what may be a major political and diplomatic battle.
“Our goal is 2011 – it’s a goal of our government,” Tusk said during opening remarks at the Economic Forum in Krynica. “It’s a difficult task, but it’s possible,” he added. Polish governments have over the past few years avoided a clear declaration on the date of the adoption of the euro, even though a pledge to adopt the single currency is included in Poland’s treaty of accession to the European Union.
26 września 2008@polishnewsMożliwość komentowania Polish traditions at your next family wedding. została wyłączona
By Robert Strybel From time to time I receive inquiries from all over North America about Polish wedding traditions. They come not only from Polish Americans wishing to satisfy their ethnic curiosity, but also from couples who would like to incorporate certain elements of their Polish heritage in the scenario of their big day. The complete Polish country wedding of yesterday would be difficult to revive in today’s America, since it comprised elaborate match-making customs, dowries, hope chests and other antiquated practices. Occasionally, however, mock Polish weddings are staged here and there across Polonia as pageants in order to re-enact all the quaint old traditions.
At a Polish wedding, the bride’s father does not give his daughter away at church — she’s not a piece of property!
What is important is the parental blessing which takes place at the home of the bride prior to the church ceremony. The bridegroom goes to the bride’s home to take her to church, but first her parents bestow their blessing on the bride and groom – to – be. A crucifix, a lighted candle, a bowl of holy water and a sprinkler (if the regular Polish brush-type sprinkler is not available, this can be a leafy tree branch) should be prepared. Flowers in a vase are always a nice touch. Either kneelers or fancy cushions are provided for the bride and groom to kneel on. They hold hands as they kneel in front of their parents. Traditionally the mother of the bride gives the blessing. Here is one of many possible blessings:
“Niech Pan Bóg wszechmog1cy obdarzy Was zdrowiem, szczesciem i wzajemna miloscia na Waszej nowej, wspólnej drodze zycia i niech Was poblogoslawi licznym, zdrowym potomstwem — owocem Waszej miloci. I ja Was blogoslawie: W imie Ojca i Syna i Ducha Swietego. Amen.”
(Translation: May God Almighty grant you health, happiness and mutual love on your new road through life together and may He bless you with numerous, healthy children — the fruit of your love. And I also bless you: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.) The mother then sprinkles the bride and groom – to – be with Holy Water, whereupon they make the Sign of the Cross. She then gives them the crucifix to kiss. The father of the bride may utter a blessing of his own or simply sprinkle the couple with Holy Water. The bridegroom’s parents may also impart their blessing. Others, for instance grandparents, or godparents may also bless the couple.
After the blessing, the bride and groom thank, hug and kiss their parents and the wedding party prepares to leave for church. (The wedding party usually comprises the parents, bridesmaids and groomsmen, the young couple’s siblings, possibly also grandparents, godparents or other close relatives or friends of the family.
As the bridal party leaves, musicians (perhaps only a single accordionist) plays ‘Serdeczna Matko’.
The betrothed enter the church together as fiancés and leave it as man and wife. Hymns played and/or sung during the ceremony traditionally include ‘Veni Creator’ and Gounod’s ‘Ave Maria’. Mendelssohn’s ‘Wedding March’ is usually played as the recessional hymn when the bride and groom walk down the aisle to the back of the church after the ceremony as man and wife.
A highly symbolic Polish touch during the marriage ceremony is the priest’s blessing. The bride and groom’s entwined hands are wrapped with the priest’s stole as a sign of permanent unity in the eyes of God and the Holy MotherChurch, whereupon the priest bestows his blessing and sprinkles the couple with Holy Water.
Ceremonia, która zamierzam opisac miala miejsce przeszlo 60 lat temu, czyli wiecej niz kopa lat wstecz. Pomimo, ze mieszkam w Meksyku od 54 lat, uroczystosc, jaka miala miejsce przeszlo pól wieku temu, stoi mi w pamieci i przed oczyma tak, jakby to wszystko odbylo sie zaledwie wczoraj.
Wszystko koncentruje sie wokól daty (11 listopada 1938 r.) i miejsca wydarzenia, jakim byla ujezdzalnia I-go Pulku Szwolezerów na ulicy Szwolezerów w Warszawie. A co wlasciwie takiego specjalnego mialo tam miejsce? W skali swiatowej czy historii Polski to wlasciwie nic specjalnego ani godnego uwagi nie zaszlo. Lecz… wlasnie chodzi o te “lecz…” Wracam wiec pamiecia wstecz, o te kilkadziesiat lat, pokrytych juz kurzem historii i jednej z najkrwawszych, i najburzliwszych epok ludzkosci.
Aleksander Wietrzyk Part I, II, III, IV, V Lata dzieciństwa
Niewiele wiemy na temat dziecinstwa Marii Kazimiery. Wiadomo tylko, ze miala liczne rodzenstwo: dwóch braci i cztery siostry. Dwie z nich wstapily do klasztoru, a pozostale wraz z bracmi trafily za siostra do kraju nad Wisla.
Ojciec przyszlej królowej, markiz d’Arquien, sluzyl w tym czasie u ksiecia Orleanskiego Gastona, brata Ludwika XII,I jako kapitan gwardii szwajcarskiej, a jego malzonka pelnila funkcje ochmistrzyni ksiezniczki newerskiej Marii Gonzagi. Markiz d’Arquien w mlodosci hulaka, pijak i kobieciarz, na starosc byl juz tylko podupadlym arystokrata, szukajacym szczescia na dworach magnackich. W podeszlym wieku przybyl do Polski i zmarl przezywszy ponad sto lat. […]
26 września 2008@polishnewsMożliwość komentowania Obchody 400. rocznicy przybycia pierwszych Polaków do Ameryki została wyłączona
Komunikat Konsulatu Generalnego Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej w Chicago w związku z obchodami 400. rocznicy przybycia pierwszych Polaków do Ameryki oraz 90. rocznicy odzyskania przez Polskę niepodległości.
Uprzejmie informujemy, iż w ramach chicagowskich obchodów 400-lecia obecności Polaków w Ameryce oraz 90. rocznicy odzyskania przez Polskę niepodległości, w sobotę 4 października 2008 roku, w Rosemont Theatre (5400 N. River Road, Rosemont) odbędą się dwa wielkie, multimedialne spektakle „Pieśni Wolności – Songs of Freedom”, które przygotowane zostały przez The Paderewski Symphony Orchestra of Chicago (PaSO), we współpracy z Konsulatem Generalnym RP w Chicago.
26 września 2008@polishnewsMożliwość komentowania Rep. Lipinski hails passage of landmark bill to help fund Metra and Amtrak improvements and increase safety została wyłączona
[Washington, DC] Today Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3), northern Illinois’ only member of the powerful House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, helped pass H.R. 2095, the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The landmark legislation is the first major update to federal laws on rail safety and Amtrak for over a decade. It includes a number of new grant programs requested by Congressman Lipinski that could benefit Illinois.
24 września 2008@polishnewsMożliwość komentowania Learn to count in Polish listen and learn pronunciation. została wyłączona
Do you travel for fun or business? Or are you planning to? Depending on what language or languages you can speak or make yourself understood in, if you travel far enough, sooner or later you will arrive in a strange land where they speak a different language than you. So when you go into a store or a restaurant, you spend a great deal of time trying to puzzle things out. Does the word look like an English word? If so, maybe it has a related meaning. Is there a picture right beside the word or phrase? If so, how is it referring to the picture?
How bright is the person you are trying to communicate with? Do they understand your hand gestures, and vice versa?
By Prof. Dr. Zdzislaw P. Wesolowski – Colonel, South Carolina State Guard (Reserve) The Abbey at Monte Cassino is one of the most famous abbeys in Europe. It was founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia in 529 AD on the former site of the temple of Apollo. It is located 75 miles southeast of Rome. The abbey stands at an altitude of 1,700 feet, overlooking the town of Cassino and the surrounding countryside. The abbey’s original buildings were destroyed by the Lombards in 580 AD and rebuilt in 720 AD. Monte Cassino was again destroyed in 883 by the Saracens and restored in mid 900. In 1349, it was damaged by an earthquake. It was rebuilt again in 1600 only to be sacked by French troops who invaded the Kingdom of Naples. It was again rebuilt and would remain in beautiful condition until 1944.
Aleksander Wietrzyk Part I, II, III, IV, V Tr. Anna Witowska – Ritter Childhood years
Maria Kazimiera is undoubtedly one of the most famous Polish royal figures. She is known to the general public as ‘Queen Marysienka’ and featured in many historical publications. Some of them present her in a rather superficial way as a wife of famous King and Commander-in-Chief Jan III Sobieski. In that light, Marysienka often appears as a woman who made good use of her beauty, and was attached to her husband, but never honestly loved him. Historians have accused her (often wrongly) of excessive ambition, narrow-mindedness, despotism and more concern for trivia than important matters. Her fame outlived her due to famous “erotic” letters that her royal husband wrote to her. The Queen also left a legacy of extensive correspondence. Only recently have some historians started to express opinions that this beautiful woman had a good heart and amazing intellect.
