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After
40 days of Lent, Wielki Post, a period of contemplation of the agony,
crucifixion, and death of Jesus Christ, Easter celebrates Christ's resurrection
from the tomb. Easter is a festive holiday. The exact translation of the Polish
word for Easter, Wielkanoc, is Great Night. Easter celebrates Christ's victory
over sin.
The
three days prior to Easter are the Triduum. Holy Thursday, Wielki Czwartek,
recalls the Last Supper and the institution of the sacrament of Holy Orders.
Good Friday, Wielki Piatek, is the day of Christ's crucifixion and death. Good
Friday is a day of fast and abstinence from eating meat. On Holy Saturday,
Wielka Sobota, no religious services are held. Jesus lies in the tomb. Holy
Saturday is the traditional day for the ritual blessing of Easter food.
Swieconka
is the Polish word for the blessing of food on Holy Saturday. Swiecona, although
similar in spelling, means something different. Swiecona is the Easter
breakfast. The Polish Cultural Association--later renamed Polish American
Association of Harrisburg--combines the celebration of these Easter customs at
its annual celebration. The blessing of the food always precedes the meal. The
blessing has been conducted over the years by reverends Paul Shuda, Walter
Sempko, Matthias Siedlicki, and Hubert Kealey.
During
its first 20 years the association usually held this event one or two Sundays
before Easter on Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday. The buffet is decorated with
pussy willows and garlands of green leaves. The centerpiece is the Paschal Lamb
made of butter or cake. The lamb is depicted with the flag which signifies
Jesus's victory over death. The blood of the lamb saved the Israelites in the
Old Testament. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is the Paschal sacrifice.
Swieconka
1978, 1979, and 1980 were held at the United Republic Life Insurance Building.
Rose Bobroski, Marcella Wall, Helen Wachter, and Irene Petrina organized the
1978 dinner held Sunday, March 19.
Rose Bobroski chaired Swieconka 1979 held April 8. President Eugene Urbanski
offered welcome. Next came the sharing of the Easter eggs.
Father
Paul Shuda blessed the food at Swieconka 1980 held Sunday, March 30 at the
United Republic Life Insurance Building at 2:00 p.m. The committee was Henia
Kania, Lorraine Buchinski, Irene Petrina, Helen Wachter, and Marcella Wall. The
menu included kielbasa (sausage), sauerkraut with mushrooms (kapusta z grzybami),
cauliflower (kalafior), potato salad and cole slaw, pickled beets (_wikla), and
dumplings (pierogi). Szynka (ham) symbolizes the freedom of New Life from
Jesus's resurrection and victory over sin. Kielbasa (sausage) is a Slavic
enhancement.
Swieconka
1981 dinner was held Sunday, April 12 at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Church
located at North Third and Woodbine streets, about 500 meters from the
Governor's Residence at North Second and Maclay streets along the Susquehanna
River. Mary Jane Przybyla and Theresa Malesic were in charge. Although Mary Jane
Przybyla was not of Polish ancestry, her marriage to Bill Przybyla, born in
Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, paved the way for her introduction to Polish customs.
President
Josephine "Jo" Blake in newsletter number 46 dated April 29, 1981
praised the work of Mary Jane Przybyla in organizing the dinner. President Blake
noted that, although she and Paula Barski had each cooked a pot of barszcz, the
supply was quickly consumed. Of the 100 in attendance, the guests exceeded the
members.
Father
Hubert Kealy permitted the use of Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Church hall for
the Easter dinner on March 27, 1983 during the presidency of Ron Skubecz. Jo
Blake was the chair with help from Marcella Wall, Irene Petrina, Helen Wachter,
Donna Strzelecka, Bozena Laszczak, Marie Dudzinska, Johanna Petrilak, Mary Jane
Przybyla, Theresa Malesic, and Lorraine Buchinski. Monsignor Matthias Siedlicki
drove from Kulpmont the following year on Sunday, April 15, 1984 to celebrate
Mass and bless the food at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Church. Helen Wachter
and Theresa Malesic organized Swieconka 1984.
Mary
Jane Przybyla coordinated Swieconka 1985 on the Sunday after Easter, April 14 at
Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Church. Carl Judy's article in Pennsylvania
Beacon, Wednesday, April 17, 1985 included four photos. An Easter egg hunt
for children followed the dinner in 1983, 1984, and 1985. Swieconka 1990 on
Sunday, April 22 was held at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Church.
Swieconka
1992 on Sunday, May 3 was again held at Our Lady of Blessed Sacrament Church
hall. Father Walter Sempko blessed the food. The volunteers included Paula and
Stanley Barski, Ernie and Jo Blake, Helen Wachter, Irene Petrina, Lorraine
Buchinski, Mary Jo Duszak, John Garcy, Jim Zawacki, Suzanne Simoni, and Cathy
Winieski. Jim Zawacki prepared home-made horseradish made from beets. Since May
3 is the anniversary of the Polish Constitution, known as "Trzeciego Maja,"
Mary Ann Zoll presented a brief speech on the Constitution's significance in
Polish history. "Sto lat" (Happy Birthday) was sung for Suzanne
Simoni's daughter, Heather.
Swieconka
1993 on Sunday, April 18 was held at Knights of Columbus in Middletown.
Attendance was 25. Swieconka 1995 was held Sunday, April 23 at Our Lady of
Blessed Sacrament Church. Among those in attendance were Tom and Basia Duszak,
Hilda Klosowski, Al and Ingrid Kwiatek, Mike and Anna Barta, Lorraine Buchinski
and her granddaughter Alexis, Tony Miscavige, Ron Skubecz, Mirek Chmielewski,
Tadeusz Jagiello, Stanley Barski, and Helen Walczak.
Bogumila
"Bo" Mangam was the featured speaker on the topic of Lent and Easter
customs at the dinner meeting held at Capital Blue Cross on March 27, 1996.
Swi_conka 1996 was held Palm Sunday, March 31 at 2:00 p.m. at the Knights of
Columbus Hall on Route 230 in Middletown.
Johanna
Petrilak coordinated the dinner. The use of the hall was arranged with the
cooperation of Arthur Wrzesniewski. The menu featured ham, kiebasa, sauerkraut
with mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes, stewed fruit, pickled beets, pierogi, and
Easter eggs.
The
Wednesday, April 3, 1996 edition of the Harrisburg Patriot News discussed
the Easter memories of members Halina Wyczalkowski, Helen Wachter, Bo Mangam,
and Wanda Arecki.
On
Palm Sunday, March 23, Swieconka 1997 was held at the home of member Joanna
Kmieciak because the hall reservation had been cancelled at the last minute.
At
the association's monthly meeting held on Tuesday, March 10, 1998 at Harrisburg
Area Community College, Agata Czopek-Knight discussed pisanki. Five weeks later,
the April 18, 1998 issue of the Harrisburg Sunday Patriot News discussed
Agata's Easter experiences.
Agata
Czopek returned for an encore appearance at the membership meeting held at
Harrisburg Area Community College in spring 2000. The Easter egg is a symbol of
the risen Christ. Colored eggs in the Polish tradition are called by a variety
of names. Malowanki have colorful designs painted on top. Kraszonki are single
color eggs made from dye. The dyes were made from roots and herbs in centuries
past. Pisanki are batik eggs on which wax is applied in patterns with a stylus.
Oklejanki and nalepianki are eggs with the shell decorated with colored paper or
straw.
Thirty-five
members attended Swieconka 2001 held at the Hampden Township Hall in
Mechanicsburg. Swieconka 2002 was held on Palm Sunday, March 24 in St. Leo Hall
after Mass in English and Polish in St. Catherine Laboure Parish. The Mass,
which began at 2:00 p.m., was concelebrated by Father Walter Sempko and visiting
Franciscan Father Winicjusz. The Swieconka lasted from 3:00-5:00 p.m. Attendance
at Mass was 125, but only 100 stayed for the Swieconka. Pat Kee prepared baskets
for the children.
Roman
Nishchuk, Polish-Ukrainian pysanky artist from Baltimore, was the guest at
Swieconka 2003 on Saturday, April 12. Norman and Pat Kee prepared baskets for
the children. The kitchen and set-up crew included Mary Modica and her family,
Joe Boshinski, and Meredith Hill Poole.
(revised
January 20, 2004)
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