All Saints' Day in Gdańsk

If you hail from the decadent west, then October 31st is generally seen as a time for the kids to dress up in scary costumes and then pester the neighbours for free sweets. For those on the wrong side of 12, a novelty 'punch' may be thrown into the mix and you may find yourself waking up next to a witch (the warts may or may not be real). Halloween is a far cry from the traditions of  All Saints’ Day (PL: Dzień Wszystkich Świętych ) and  All Souls’ Day (PL: Dzień Zaduszny  or Dzień Wszystkich Zmarłych ).  Visitors moving about in the evening will discover a rather sombre atmosphere, sparkling with candles - a huge contrast to the costume parties and rollicking debauchery of Halloween! So what exactly is All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day?

In the Christian calendar, All Saints' Day   on November 1st is a day of dedicated prayer for the souls of saints and martyrs.  All Souls' Day on November 2nd is a day of general prayer for all other Christian souls:  family, friends and loved-ones. However, since November 1st is a public holiday, most people will focus their prayers and customs on All Saints' Day. In Poland and many other devout nations across Europe, the tradition is for families to visit the graves of the dearly-departed, light a candle, lay flowers or a wreath and say a prayer. The burning light of the candle flame is meant as comfort for souls languishing in the darkness of purgatory. Other practices around this calendar event (and arguably from a more pagan influence in Western Christianity) involve the charity of handing out small cakes and sweet-bread to the poor and young children as a 'soul-cleansing' measure. This would, of course, further increase your chances of getting into heaven!  Over the centuries, this has evolved into the corporate anomaly of Halloween as it is known in North-American society. But we digress... All Saints' Day in Poland is a very important holiday, so much so that only transport and emergency service staff are expected to work – don’t be surprised to find your favourite hostelry bolted shut for the night. However, if you want to experience genuine tradition, visit a nearby cemetery on the evening of November 1st. You may not think that lurking around a graveyard in the dark is the best way to spend an evening, but it’s incredibly beautiful to see the cemeteries lit up by candles all night long. While we could wax poetic about the unearthly glow of the immense candlelight, the murmur of prayer and psalms, the subtle smells of the incense, fresh flowers and burning wax, the shades of ravens in the trees, the wet grass and mists, and the surreal duality of the supernaturally charged, yet tranquil atmosphere, we’d prefer you just experience it for yourself. Remember to take a candle along with you!

Practical Info for All Saints' Day in Gdańsk

As one of Poland’s most important public holidays, only public transportation and emergency response employees are obliged to work on November 1st ; as such, you can expect restaurants, shops and bars to be bolted shut. Catholic cemeteries, by contrast, will be open until last guest, and we've listed those that are most worth visiting below, so that you too can join in this inspiring tradition.

 

Where to go to experience All Saints Day in Gdańsk?

Arguably the most picturesque cemetery in Gdańsk is in the leafy district of Oliwa. It's the city's third-largest cemetery, dating back to 1832. Amidst the trees and old tombstones from an era-passed, there is no better place in the city to experience the sombre atmosphere that a late afternoon walk through a graveyard lit by thousands upon thousands of flickering candles can create. Find this cemetery to the north of Oliwa Park.
 

CEMETERY OF THE LOST CEMETERIES
While it may sound like a title for another Indiana Jones sequel, the namesake of this cemetery is quite important. The site is dedicated to the citizens of Gdańsk who were once buried in one of the city’s 27 graveyards either destroyed during WWII or bulldozed on purpose after the end of the war. the new Cemetery of Lost Cemeteries was designed to resemble a temple. The main memorial is surrounded by broken gravestones representing all faiths, and includes a poem by the Jewish poet Masha Kaleko (1912-1975), whose poetry was burnt on the direct orders of Hitler in May 1933. A particularly moving site to visit during November 1st.  Find this cemetery between The Church Of Corpus Christi and Gdańsk Główny Bus Station.