News from Europe

Poland celebrates the anniversary of its baptism

The baptism of Prince Mieszko I in 996 opened up previously unknown possibilities for this Slavic country. The young Polish state joined a completely new world of both culture and civilisation. The act of baptism is considered to be the symbolic beginning of the State and the Polish Catholic Church.

 

The 14th of April 966 is considered to be the birthday of the Polish State, a moment when the process of Christianisation of Polish lands began.

With the arrival of the first missionaries, the process of taking over Western political and cultural patterns began. This included the political and administrative structure of the state, the legal system, customs, writing, and establishing Latin as the official language, etc. This process lasted for many years, and as a consequence led to Poland’s adaptation to Western models and patterns.

In 2019, the Polish parliament voted to name the 14th of April holiday as “Polish Baptism Day” (which is however not a day free from work). The Conservative Law and Justice ruling party was behind the initiative to make the 14th of April a special day. MP Jan Klawiter encouraged Poles to take out their national flags in an act of remembrance of this key moment in Polish history.

Source and image: pch24.pl

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