SAINT GEORGE DAY - 23rd APRIL

Saint George Day, La Diada de Sant Jordi, also known as el dia de la rosa (The Day of the Rose) or el dia del llibre (The Day of the Book) is a Catalan holiday held on 23 April, with similarities to Valentine's Day and some unique twists that reflect the antiquity of the celebrations. The main event is the exchange of gifts between sweethearts, loved ones and respected ones. Historically, men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion—"a rose for love and a book forever." In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also customary. Roses have been associated with this day since medieval times, but the giving of books is a more recent tradition originating in 1923, when a bookseller started to promote the holiday as a way to commemorate the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April 1616. Barcelona is the publishing capital of both Catalan and Spanish languages and the combination of love and literacy was quickly adopted.

In Barcelona's most visited street, La Rambla, and all over Catalonia, thousands of stands of roses and makeshift bookstalls are hastily set up for the occasion. By the end of the day, some four million roses and 800,000 books will have been purchased. Most women will carry a rose in hand, and half of the total yearly book sales in Catalonia take place on this occasion.

Catalonia exported its tradition of the book and the rose to the rest of the world. In 1995, the UNESCO adopted 23 April as World Book and Copyright Day.

EASTER WISHES

The students from Gimnazjum in Juszczyna made Easter cards and wrote wishes for their friends. We sent the cards by post.

Easter in Juszczyna

Easter is the oldest and most important Christian holiday commemorating the death on the cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is preceded by forty days of Lent.

Shrove Tuesday is the last day before the period of fasting which starts on Ash Wednesday. That day is a very solemn day when ash is sprinkled on the heads of members of the congregation.

The Sunday before Easter is called Palm Sunday. On this day churchgoers take to their churches small “palms” made of olive brunches, spring flowers and catkins and they are blessed by priests. Later they are put in the houses to protect them from disasters. The week before Easter is called Holy Week.

On Saturday before Easter, Polish families from Juszczyna prepare decorated baskets with different food included boiled and painted eggs(pisanki),sausages, bread, salt, pepper, horseradish and baked cakes in a shape of lambs and go to church, where the food is blessed by their priests too.

Easter Sunday is the first day of Easter. People in Poland celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. The special Mass is celebrated in the early morning in each Catholic church.

After returning home, the whole family have the solemn Easter breakfast, which begins with saying wishes and sharing Easter eggs. On the tables there are eggs, Easter cakes(poppy seed and pound cakes),bread, salt, tea and the rest of food, which was blessed in the church on Saturday.

On the traditional Easter table cannot be missed such dishes as:Easter soup, white sausage, ham,stuffed eggs, beetroots,Easter cakes and a cheese cake.

Tables are decorated with bouquets of catkins and first spring flowers. Easter Monday (the second day of Easter holidays) is called “ śmigus-dyngus” because according to Polish tradition, the water should be poured on other people, even strangers.

It is believed that the young girls should get wet on that day as it can give them a good fortune. Easter time gives families opportunities to gather together , have long conversations and visit relatives and friends. The holiday gives a hope that something good will happen to each of us.

Some of the information above was given by Marzena S.

English courses

In March 2011 some students from Gimnazjum in Juszczyna started English conversational course preparing them for the meeting with Spanish friends.

Some teachers from our school are attending English course too. The aim of it is to improve their English and help them communicate more effectively with Spanish teachers.