Saint Andrew Day Traditon and feast in Poland, weekly news form Poland

Saint Andrew's Day – tradition and feast
In Poland we celebrate Saint Andrew’s Day (called Andrzejki) on 30th November. It’s a date dedicated to saint patron of Scotland, Russia, Greece and Romania. Nowadays, it’s mainly a feast when we can party all night long before forthcoming Advent. Almost every popular club, restaurant or disco organise special events for that day. However, magic rituals and foretokens that take place on the night before the feast are something I associate with Saint Andrew’s Day most.
When I was younger my grandma always reminded me to put small pieces of paper with the names of some boys I liked written on them. First think I did in the morning of Saint Andrew’s Day was to take out one slip. It was so exciting to discover who would become my future husband - no matter every year it was a different name...
In the afternoon I used to meet with my best friends to make some more Saint Andrew’s day’s predictions. The clue ritual of the evening was to pour hot candle wax through a key into cold water. Originally, it was the way to discover future husband’s profession, but we made up our own stories connected with the shapes we received.
One of my favourite prediction, which is very popular in Poland, was to line up our shoes from one wall in the room to another. When all unmarried young women (we were about 15 years old then so obviously all of us could participate in that game) put their shoes in a line, the last shoe from a row went to the first position and so on. The girl that was the owner of the shoe that reached another wall, was predicted to get married as first from the group.
We treated Saint Andrew’s Day’s predictions as fun and entertainment. It was an annual tradition that we were looking for impatiently. Today it’s just a pleasant memory – the smell of the wax, the excitement to discover the name of future husband... Today I don’t make predictions any more but Saint Andrew’s Day is still important event for me. As most of the other grown-ups, I prefer to go to the parties.
Celebrating Saint Andrew’s Day in Poland has evaluated for years but it is still a popular feast. Younger people still make predictions although it is not so common as it used to be. Most of us prefer to go to the parties - there are many different types of events we can choose from. Some musician clubs invite popular bands to their locals, others organise dancing combined with foretokens. Maybe Saint Andrew’s Day isn’t as popular as Saint Patrick’s Day in Ireland, but I’m glad we have our own, local feast that is connected with Polish tradition and culture.

Weekly news review

Famous Polish professor dies in car accident
Krzysztof Michałek, 54-years old scientist, died on Monday 24th November in car accident near small town Wyszkowa (mazowieckie province). Rector’s Office in Pultusk Academy of Humanities informed media about that event.
Professor was a lecturer of that university and also University of Warsaw. He specialised in United States history of XIX and XX century. He was an author of numerous publications. Krzysztof Michałek sympathised with Barack Obama but it doesn’t change the fact that he did not understand decision to award him a Nobel Prize. Professor often performed in media as an experienced expert commenting facts about USA.

More and more Poles dies from A/H1N1
15 years old girl who was infected by A/H1N1 died in hospital in Suwalki. Other recent victims of that virus are: 27 years old priest from Gorzow and 57 years old woman from Olsztyn. Despite the fact that it was not proved what was the direct cause of those deaths, it is highly probable that they were induced by A/H1N1.
By now, about 680 cases of virus infections were recorded in Poland. Third week of November brought as much as 97 thousands of influenza’s cases and suspicions. That result does not look optimistic in comparison with last year number of circa 3 thousand people ill with a flu in the same period.

PO wants to set another bank holiday
Civil Platform (PO), the governing party in Poland, is going to appoint another bank holiday on Epiphany (6th January). At the beginning of December PO submits appropriate project in Polish parliament (Sejm). Donald Tusk’s party is also going to abolish legal rule from labour code that enables employees to have a day off for a holiday that falls on Saturday.
Next week party’s authorities are going to approve projects of changes. Jacek Krupa from Po estimates that those changes would not be enacted before 6th January 2010 so Epiphany can become bank holiday not before 2011.

Peja threatened with 3 years of imprisonment
Public prosecutor's office informed the subject of the charges levelled against popular Polish rap musician Peja (real name: Ryszard Andrzejewski). He is suspected of instigation to beating 15 years old boy. Musician may be sentence to 3 years of imprisonment.
“You know what to do with him. Everything at my expense” – those Peja’s words encouraged the crowd to beat the boy who showed him an obscene gesture. Rap musician pleaded guilty and express intention to being voluntary punished.

PEKAO S.A. president resigns
Former Prime Minister will head the bank, Pekao SA, to January 11, 2010. The Bank gave no reasons for his resignation from the President. Colleagues in the industry see Jan Krzysztof Bielecki again in politics.
Jan Krzysztof Bielecki's resignation from the post of President of Pekao SA is a surprise. Although several months bankers gossip that can lead to changes in the government bank, nobody was convinced that as soon Bielecki, decides to leave.

Reasons for leaving is not known.

Some financiers argue that the former prime minister wanted to return to politics, others that he had enough work in the corporation. - It is a pity, because it is a significant form of Polish financial world. Identifiable person, not only in our country - says the president of one of the banks.

Former President Walesa vs. present President

Precedent process of former President Lech Walesa against present president Lech Kaczynski has been postponed until 18 December.

The case was launched yesterday at the Warsaw court. Walesa demands that Lech Kaczyński dismissed the words that he has been an agent code-named Bolek SB (president said that in 2008, Polsat) while beeing the leader of SOLIDARNOSC. Walesa demands apology and 100 thousand. zł for charity purposes.

The layer of MR.Kaczynski wants to reject the claim: claims that the president is responsible only in front of the State Tribunal.