KrakowInformer.com

August 15th

August 15^th is a public holiday in Poland, and a very popular one to make a long weekend out of – and you can't blame the Polish, as the summer can be a beauty in the country. What should a regular Krakow visitor expect? Certainly increased traffic (which makes Cracow unbearable) – but also military parades and various events in the Krakow churches. Read below to see why.

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

August 15^th is the day of the feast of The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (Wniebowziecie Najswietszej Maryi Panny) in the Roman Catholic church, recognizing the belief that the mother of Jesus Christ was taken to heaven, soul and body alike. Since Mary was very important for pope John Paul II, the festivities are especially intense in Krakow, as well as the town of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, both often visited by the late pope. In Poland, this feast is also known as the Matki Boskiej Zielnej (St. Mary of the Herbs), corresponding with the belief that St. Mary is the patron of soil and all that grows from it.

The Day of the Polish Army

August 15^th is also the Day of the Polish Army (Dzien Wojska Polskiego), celebrated on this day since 1992. The date commemorates the Battle of Warsaw of 1920, the turning point of the Polish-Soviet War. The battle is also called the “Cud nad Wisla” (The Miracle on the Bank of Vistula), as the Polish were outnumbered and managed to win only thanks to a clever maneuver – and, as some say, thanks to Mother Mary herself. The Polish army was lead by Jozef Pilsudski, the famous Polish independence fighter, to whom one of the Krakow Mounds is dedicated. Until recently, it was a relatively quiet day, with putting flowers on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and masses in the Army churches. From 2007 on, however, a great parade of the Polish Army is organized in Warsaw on August 15^th, and the flying F 16s can be heard from far away.