All Souls' Night in Poland

All over Poland this week, and especially at the weekend, whole families have been toiling in Catholic cemeteries, scrubbing headstones, planting flowers, and making everything tidy and ready for All Souls'.

Every shop and supermarket sells cheap, beautifully-coloured glass lamps, lit by a candle, to be placed on family graves.

As I drove home in the dark tonight, in village after village, the graveyards were twinkling with brightly coloured lights.

A couple of years ago, when I asked a matura (like 'A' level) class where they had been on All Souls' night, they told me "The Cemetery. At midnight."

"Why?" I asked, fearing halloweenism.

Pityingly, those teenagers smiled at me. "To pray and sing hymns, of course. Are you really a Catholic, or only in Poland?"

Tonight, I have been to Benediction (packed), Mass (packed) and left my lamps burning.



Psalm 130



Out of the depths I cry to Thee, O Lord, Lord, hear my voice! O let Thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplication.

If Thou, O Lord, shouldst mark our guilt, Lord, who would endure it? But with Thee is found forgiveness: for this we revere Thee.

My soul is waiting for the Lord, I count on His word. My soul is longing for the Lord more than watchman for daybreak. Let the watchman count on daybreak and Israel on the Lord.

Because with the Lord there is mercy and fullness of redemption; Israel indeed He will redeem from all its iniquity.

Eternal rest give unto them, O Lord,
And let perpetual light shine on them

May they rest in peace.

Amen.

May the souls of the faithful departed, throught the Mercy of God, rest in peace + Amen.