The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed feast day was first established in 998 by St Odillon, the abbot of the monastery of Cluny. The new catholic holiday aimed to counterbalance the pagan customs popular throughout Europe to commemorate the dead. 

On that day the clergy and the faithful remember the dead who are penitent for their sins in purgatory, that is, those who cannot yet enter heaven for certain offences.

Contrary to All Saints’ Day, it is the most common observation devoted strictly to your family members and all the people you want to pray for after their death. November 1st is mostly dedicated to those who are celebrated as the Saints of the Catholic Church. 

All Souls’ Day has become firmly established in Polish culture. The national bard of Romanticism, Adam Mickiewicz, contributed to the preservation of Zaduszki by describing the rituals associated with it in his famous work Dziady. 

With pagan origins, the custom of Dziady was observed in eastern Poland, Lithuania, Prussia and the Baltics. The ritual was still celebrated in some regions of the country at the beginning of the 20th century. It was believed that on the night of 1 to 2 November, souls from the beyond visited the mortal world in large numbers.

To ease the ancestors in their journey, large bonfires were lit at crossroads and fields. It was believed that the All Souls’ fire would warm the wandering spirits. There was a widespread belief in the cleansing power of such a fire, which is why it was always placed under brushwood gathered on the graves of people who had died a sudden death, especially suicides.

The wood for these fires was collected throughout the year. Anyone passing by the crossroads or the grave would add a branch. The bonfire was also supposed to ward off demons and attract good spirits. In the next centuries, the bonfires would be replaced by symbolic candles left on graves.

Interestingly, for the first two days of November, housework including cooking was strictly prohibited. It was thought that by doing these things, one could easily injure the spirit, which, if angered, could bring misfortune to the household.

Unlike All Saints’ Day, the family would not travel to visit the graves. Even leaving the house was avoided. The presence of mysterious visitors was expected at any time during the day.

After nightfall, the ritual of Dziady began. Its name comes from the Slavic word for ancestors. At first, deceased family members were called by name. It was believed that those hungry for hospitality and closeness would surely come to visit their relatives through doors and windows. 

Occasionally, a wandering grandfather-beggar knocked on the door, asking for food. Such visitors were never refused hospitality. It was common to regard beggars as mysterious people of unknown origin who, because of their old age, had time for contemplation and were about to meet God.

It was often believed that the family was visited by their dead members, who had just taken the person of wandering beggars. During the feast, the beggars would share stories and life experiences. Sometimes they would lead a singing celebration at the table. 

Adam Mickiewicz’s Dziady song translation:

 This is where the guzzler told the youth

To stand in the middle of the road:

There on a hill, the village lies,

And there is a grave in an oak tree.

Between the cradle and the graves

Our young age in the middle stands;

Amidst weddings and mourning

Let us stand in the middle, my brothers! 

It is not fair to return to the village,

It is not fair to run in their footsteps.

Here we will celebrate the feast

And cut the night short with songs.

Today Dziady and other old Slavic and Baltic rituals associated with summoning the spirits of the dead are a thing of the past. The All Souls’ Day remains a day of reflection, prayer and visiting the graves of deceased loved ones.

Source: Polskie Radio, Wolne Lektury

Photo:@kruszynski80

Tomasz Modrzejewski