Polish street performer on Palm Sunday

Poland has long been a predominantly Catholic country and many centuries-long religious traditions are still widely practiced today.

St. Mary’s Basilica, Krakow

Palm Sunday (Niedziela Palmowa) marks the beginning of Holy Week – the week leading up to Easter.

While traditionally the faithful hold blessed palm frawns (duh) during mass on Palm Sunday, the plants aren’t native to Poland and were impossible to get for decades.

Cathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus & Wenceslaus at Wawel Castle, Krakow

In leiu of palms, Poles adopted the tradition of holding blessed floral sticks comprised of dried wildflowers, grasses, pussy willow and birch branches, decorated with ribbon.

These days, congregations gather outside churches and cathedrals, palms and floral sticks in hand, before a marathon 2-3 hour mass.

Starting on Palm Sunday, families will collect the ingredients for their Easter feast and arrange them in a basket to be blessed by a priest on Holy Saturday; a tradition called Swieconka.

At Wawel Castle in Krakow, crowds of the faithful sing hymns and folk songs outside the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Stanislaus and Wenceslaus.