Easter Basket Blessing in Tomaszowice, Poland 1937. A Photo Essay.

On March 27, 1937, two years before the outbreak of World War II, the priest and church warden from the nearby parish of Modlice arrived to the village of Tomaszowice via horse and carriage to bless the baskets of the faithful. 

It was the custom in those times that if a village did not have its own church, the blessing would take place at a local roadside shrine or that of the wealthiest homeowner.  The agreed upon meeting place in Tomaszowice was the manor house.  In 1830, Tadeusz Konopka bought Tomaszowice for his son Roman and erected a new manor house, with its distinctive front columns which can be seen in the photos. The house still exists today (see very last photo). This photo taken some time after World War II.

 I suspect the priest honored the owners of the manor by blessing their food first before venturing out to those that gathered in front of the steps and around the manor. The last pre-war owner of the manor was a Ludwik Bogusz but I was unable to ascertain if that is him in the photo.  I also could not establish the name of the priest or church warden but fortunately for us, an unknown photographer captured the images on that day, now preserved in the National Digital Archives in Warsaw.

Close up of the food to be blessed.

Bundled up in shawls and scarves the women and children of Tomaszowice wait patiently.

At long last, the priest, assisted by the church warden, blesses their food

The huge wheels of bread with interesting designs stamped on the top were typical of the size baked in those times but it was also the single most important item to be blessed on Holy Saturday, symbolizing the body of Christ and the Eucharist. Next in importance were eggs. No less important was the little girls basket! What a cutie!

In exchange for making the trip to their community, it was customary to contribute something  for the priest to enjoy at his own Easter morning swięconka, i.e., Easter breakfast. Women offered what they could out of their baskets, i.e. a few eggs, some sausage, a bit of cheese.

​Returning home with blessed baskets.  Once arriving at home it was an old custom in the countryside was to walk around the house three times, clockwise, with the blessed food, which was supposed to drive away evil spirits from the household.

The manor house and buildings still stand today renovated into a popular hotel, restaurant and banquet hall. 

Sources: Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich, Tom XII 1880–1902 (Geographical Dictionary of the Kingdom of Poland and other Slavic countries, Volume XII 1880–1902)

Read more about Poland, its customs and traditions in: Polish Customs, Traditions and Folklore. Hippocrene Books, Inc. 2024