All Saint's Day (Wszystkich Świętych)

In a folk belief the winter solstice (at the turn of October and November) was the time when the forces of darkness and light can fight together. That’s why the boarderbetween deceased and alives world is so fine and the souls of our ancestors are able to come to visit their homes (according to a folk belief).In a year 835 the Catholic church decided that the 1th of November is a day dedicated to the souls of all the saints who are already in heaven, but in 998 the 2thof November was chosen as a day when people pray for all deceased , especially those in the purgatory. In Poland the 2th of November was a day to visit cemeteriesfor many many years. After the second World War (when in Poland we had only one free day in a week) 1th of November was called by communists Dzień Zmarłych (Dayof the Deceased) and that day was selected to visit cemeteries, to put candles on the graves and to meet with families.

Why candles and lights? In the church fire is a symbol of light, power, grace and a mediation with “the other world”. In Poland, Lithuania and Belarus was an old pagantradition celebrated in the XVI-XVII century called “Dziady” (“grandfathres”, (forefathers”). That time people were gathering near cemeteries, putting the lights towarm the souls which return to Earth. That night common people were organizing feasts with food and drinks to share with the descendent souls and were praying forthem or were saying some magic words to help the souls.Nowadays we put the lights on the cemeteries and we pray for all the souls.

Those 2 days are normally time for reflection and cemeteries look beautiful likebathed in light.