Marilla Christmas

Dad (EJZ), Mom (CAMZ) and Rita Sonnelitter,
c1970.

John (JFZ) and Tye, age 3.

Archanioł Boży Gabryjel

Gabriel, Archangel of God is the first carol in the śpiewnik. Its place in the hymnal is a sign of its importance and popularity for the Season of Advent.

Verse 1 of 5 begins the narrative with an exciting opening.

Archanioł Boży Gabryjel,

Posłan do Panny Maryi.

          

               Archangel of God Gabriel,

               Envoy to Lady Mary.

Z majestatu Trójcy Świętej,

tak sprawował poselstwo k'niej:

               From the majesty of the Holy Trinity,

               Thus delivered the messenger, to her:

Zdrowaś Panno, łaskiś pełna,

Pan jest z Tobą, to rzecz pewna.

          

               Hail Lady, of Grace full,   (i.e., Hail Mary, full of Grace. . .)

               The Lord is with Thee, that thing is true (i.e., for sure!)

These Archangels are a big deal! They are the warriors who fought and defeated Lucifer himself, way back at the beginning. Yet we need not fear them; they're on our side. And so the hymn can be performed in a way that sounds like a comforting folksong:

Verse 2 describes her perfectly understandable reaction:

Panna się wielce zdumiała,
z poselstwa, które słyszała.

          The Lady was very surprised (astounded),

               By the message that she heard.

Pokorniuchno się skłoniła,
jako Panna świątobliwa;

       

               Meekly she bowed,

               Like a sainted Lady;

zasmuciła się z tej mowy,
nic nie rzekła Aniołowi.

        

               She was overcome by this message,

               She said nothing to the Angel.

Here it is again in another key, with a fire in the fireplace and snow falling outside.

Now that we are all steady, we can go on the the big news in Verse 3. This warrior angel has the wisdom to speak with kindness to a mortal woman.

Ale poseł z wysokości,
napełnion Boskiej mądrości,

      

               But the messenger from Above (from on high)

               Full of Divine wisdom,

 rzekł Jej: "Nie bój się, Maryja,
Najszczęśliwszaś Panno miła; -

  

               Said to her: "Do not fear, Mary,

               You are the happiest blessed Lady;

   nalazłaś łaskę u Pana,
oto poczniesz Jego Syna."

     

               You have found grace with the Lord,

               Here you will conceive His Son."

In Verse 4, Gabriel gives particulars.

Jezus nazwiesz imię Jego,
będzie Synem Najwyższego -

               "Jesus you will call the name of Him (i.e., You will call his name Jesus)

               He will be the Son of the Supreme Being - 

wielki z strony człowieczeństwa,
a niezmierny z strony Bóstwa.

               great on the part of humanity (i.e., great among men)

               and immense on the part of the Deity.

Wieczny Syn Ojca wiecznego,
Zbawiciel świata całego."

               Eternal Son of the Eternal Father,

               Savior of the whole world."

               

In Verse 5, we leave the narrative and sing as the Chorus, directly to God. Thus the volume is cranked up for the finale in which the faithful respond to the retelling of the story.

Bogu Ojcu Wszechmocnemu,
Synowi Jego miłemu

               To God the Father Almighty,

               To His Beloved Son

i Duchowi Najświętszemu,
Bogu w Trójcy jedynemu,

               And to the Most Holy Spirit,

               To the Triune God,  (three in one, literally)

dziękujemy w uniżności,
za ten cud Jego miłości.

               We give thanks in humility,

               For this miracle of His love.

Here is La Schola Cantorum performing Archanioł Boży Gabryjel in formal, majestic manner. Notice that the singers sing a verse, then repeat the last four lines of that verse. Up in the choir loft, serene above the rustling, coughing, and tintinabulation, they set the example of professional concentration.

May you all have a hopeful and meaningful Advent season. Pay your debts, forgive people, plan your better future behavior. I know I should. Obyś miał Błogosławiony Adwent!

Dzień Swiętego Mikołaja

The feast day of Saint Nicholas is  December 6, because Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, died on this day in AD 343.  During his lifetime he was beloved for his acts of charity  - in particular, for anonymous charity -  and to this day he is beloved  and imitated in it by Christians all over the world.

See Nicholas sneaking up to the window of the house to toss in pouches of coin, one for each of three distressed young women.  This 1425 painting by Gentile de Fabriano is in the Vatican.  The legend about this event is apparently typical of the kind of thing this man enjoyed doing.

The four weeks of Advent are sombre ones for children:  they mentally review their bad deeds of the past year, make resolutions, and review their catechism, all prior to Christmas Day. Saint Nicolas's feast day is a bit of a breather.  There are the coins in the shoes, and piernicki - gingerbread cookies.

Besides being the favorite of children, this Greek Bishop of ancient times, "Ἅγιος Νικόλαος," is patron saint of sailors.  That is why a ship is often depicted in the crook of his staff.

We've encountered the saint, in one of his many, many later manifestations, previously on Gene and Clara's.

Szczęśliwego Dzień Swiętego Mikołaja!

The War Was in Color

Zdrojewski Geneologic Detail - A Little Guide to Recent Comments by Elzbieta Nowak

The Eugeniusz photo post  has a comment of 02/28/17 by Elzbieta Nowak, correcting the spelling of "Eugeniusz."

The post "Poznań Zdrojewskis: From the Old Country, Part 3" features nieces and nephews Teresa, Zdziszek, Renia; Stawek; Pawełek; Marija; Alinka.  Pani Nowak has supplied in the comment translations of the inscriptions on the photos, as well as biographical details of individuals.

"European 'Official Papers'" includes the Abzugsattest of Ludwik and Wiktoria Zdrojewski as they left Lęg (Leng, Ling) in late C19.  Again Pani Nowak supplies biographical detail for them, for brother Franciszek, and their descendants.

"Uncle Joe, Aunt Julia, Joseph Jr." discusses them in America and includes a photo of Ludvik and Wiktoria.  Elzbieta Nowak's comment on this post concerns not them, but further data about Franciszek in Poland, his wife Helena, and their children Sabina and Edmund. And here is an interesting puzzle solved:

That comment begins with Poznań Zdrojewskis: Od Starego Kraju, część 8.

I had wondered if that was a book title, but now I believe it to be a reference to my own post!  Assuming typing error consisting of 8 for the correct 3,  that is simply a Polish translation of "Poznań Zdrojewskis: From the Old Country, Part 3".  This took me long enough to figure out, but heyhey, I think we have arrived safely in port at last.

We therefore have, thanks to Elzbieta Nowak, data on family from Ludwik and Wiktoria, on through Sabina and Edmund (of whom we heard the grownups speaking when we were children in the 1960s) and their children. Many thanks to Pani Nowak.

Richard Mazurowski

Richard Mazurowski (1925-2017) was son of Pearl Haremska Mazurowska, nephew of Clara Haremska Matynka, brother of Genevieve Mazurowska Stroinska, cousin of Clara Matynka Zdrojewska. He was Dad to Debbie, and he was Uncle Dick to Sharon and to Marty and me.

Below, we see him acting as groomsman in a wedding party sometime in the late 1940s or early 1950s. Richard (Ryszard) is third from the right. Sorry, I have no idea who the couple are. But first from the left is Clara Adamina Matynka, aka Mom.  Clara and Richard and Genevieve are first cousins; their mothers were sisters.

We can zoom in a little here, to the curly locks, 3-piece morning dress, and proper cravat.

Below we see another wedding party. The print is on deckle-edge paper. I like the ordinary houses with the Italian Renaissance-style campanile in the background. It houses the belfry of the parish church.

Genevieve and Edward Stroinski are the couple this time. Richard appears as Best Man. Isn't that Florence with him? I think it is. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Cabinetry and the making of fine furniture was Uncle Dick's profession. Below is a bookcase he designed, built, and installed for Gene and Clara. This is in the G&C house in Bowmansville, the year being between 1950 and 1956. Here in the Trove are at least three prints just of this bookcase. They were happy to have it; mayhap it was their Christmas gift to themselves.  See the bits of Christmas tree at the right of the photo?

1957 was the year of G&C moving into the Marilla house. Below is a scene at one of the early parties there. Proper parties always included 40 people or thereabouts, and went on in several rooms, including the finished part of the basement. Below we see, left to right, Casimir Zdrojewski, Adam Matynka, and Richard. The item of furniture in the background is a cobbler's bench done up by him.

The house on Poplar Street was similarly a noted party venue. Below we have New Year celebrations featuring dancing, lots of dancing, here with Florence and Richard.

Fourth of July featured culinary special ops, such as BBQ at the tent site in Marilla. Dick and Gene do not mess around.  I'm guessing 1960s here.

Below we see a very patient, as well as very stylish, Uncle Dick, in the dining room at another Marilla party, c1969.

(No snake is climbing up that wall. That is the stem of a split-leaved Philodendron, the leaves of which had, um, split the scene, for some reason.)

Left to right, below,  we have Clara Matynka, Uncle Dick, some idiot blowing out candles and looking like Oscar Wilde, Aunt Florence aka Auntie 'Lossie, Clara Zdrojewska aka Mom, and Uncle Eddie Stroinski. We also appear to have a fruit-Jello mold. 

But look at the wall behind Mom and Uncle Eddie. See those red-and-black encyclopedias? They are the same Compton's Encyclopedia, shelved on the same Uncle Dick bookcase, as in the Bowmansville photo above. When G&C worked on the design of the Marilla house, they stipulated a recessed niche in that wall, to accomodate that bookcase.

Below are Mom and Uncle Dick at a family event in 1971.

Uncle Dick set up his own furniture refinishing business, using his business name of Richard Mast, and went in with Uncle Eddie Jr. and Uncle Eddie Sr. Below we see him showing the latest progress on the revitalizing of the Zdrojewski grandfather clock, in the 1980s.

Uncle Dick was always at the wheel of  the station wagon when it was loaded up with "The Poplar Street Gang" and driven to Marilla for partying. He also had a motorboat for some time. I remember seeing it in the garage. If you send me any boating photos, or any photos at all of Dick and Florence, I will be delighted to put them up.