Latest news with #DyngusDay
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
What do State Department cuts mean for religious freedom?
This article was first published in the State of Faith newsletter. Sign up to receive the newsletter in your inbox each Monday night. Cuts are coming to the U.S. State Department. The Trump administration confirmed last week that it will downsize and reorganize the federal agency in hopes of reducing what it describes as inefficiency and bloat. The announcement sparked concern among some religious freedom experts, who feared the State Department's Office of International Religious Freedom was on the chopping block. The office, which is led by the U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom, tracks faith-related violence around the world and recommends sanctions on countries that discourage religious diversity or otherwise harm people of faith. The office has helped the U.S. establish a reputation as the world's foremost religious freedom champion, but that doesn't mean it enjoys universal support. When I profiled then-U.S. ambassador-at-large Sam Brownback in 2019, several sources said they were frustrated with how the office functioned and how little its research seemed to matter in the grand scheme of the State Department. 'People who work as our foreign service officers around the world are as intelligent a group of people as you'll find in any U.S. government agency,' one former ambassador told me. 'But it is surprising how often there is a comparative lack of understanding of the important role that religion and religious practices play in the lives of people around the world.' In a statement on upcoming changes, a spokesperson for the State Department said the reorganization will help the Office of International Religious Freedom have a bigger voice in the government's human rights work. The office is expected to be part of the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor moving forward. 'This will help ensure that the promotion of religious freedom and the effort to counter antisemitism remain at the center of our human rights diplomacy, not separate,' a State Department spokesperson told the National Catholic Register. Key moments from Pope Francis' funeral Deion and Shedeur Sanders praised God amid NFL draft stress Doctor describes Pope Francis' final moments — and the prayer that followed his death What the Supreme Court said Tuesday about LGBTQ rights, public schools and a children's book on same-sex marriage Dyngus Day is a Polish holiday that marks the end of Lent, the somber religious season that stretches from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It developed out of pagan cleansing rituals that marked the start of spring, as well as Catholic traditions tied to Easter, according to The Washington Post. On Dyngus Day in Poland, revelers go to Easter Monday Mass — and then start chasing one another with water and tree branches. 'They came to my house once, and my dad opened the door, and they literally flooded the house,' said Agnieszka Zagórska, who grew up in Poland, to The Washington Post. 'When I grew up, it was a nightmare. Going to church, it was crazy.' Polish-Americans in Buffalo, New York, have embraced Dyngus Day in recent years. The city hosts a Dyngus Day parade, which features water gun fights and people dressed as pierogis and other famous Polish treats. 'Dyngus Day is something to laugh about — its participants don't take themselves too seriously while swatting pussy willows or shooting Super Soakers — but it is steeped in Polish traditions," per The Washington Post. Although I followed Pope Francis' papacy pretty closely, I know next to nothing about the cardinals in line to be the next pope. I enjoyed digging into Religion News Service's guide to the 'likely contenders,' which separates notable candidates into conservative, moderate and progressive camps. Americans are going through something of a friendship crisis right now, but it likely has more to do with the quality of their friendships than the quantity, according to The Atlantic. Writer Faith Hill argues that the crisis will be solved when people put more time into the relationships they already have, rather than going to an endless series of new events. 'Instead of seeking more and more people, hoping for a spark, maybe you're better off working on the friendships that you already have—you know, the ones you're neglecting while playing badminton with strangers," she says. Did my Q&A with one of this season's teams convince anyone to start watching 'The Amazing Race'? Last week's episode put religion in the spotlight again with a cross-finding mission and Bible translation challenge in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
ANNA Shelter looking for new home for 15 abandoned cats
Fifteen cats were rescued on the side of the road this weekend, and now a local animal shelter is looking to give those cats a home. On Saturday, the ANNA Shelter received a call from state police after finding a crate full of 15 cats on the side of the road. Bishop Lawrence Persico speaks on passing of Pope Francis The shelter's director said the cats were shivering, covered in their own feces and urine, and soaked after being left out in the rain. The ANNA Shelter team got right to work washing, feeding and caring for the abandoned cats, and now the shelter is looking for families to adopt. Nostrovia! Erie's Polish community celebrates Dyngus Day 'Adopting is the biggest thing because the more we get out, the more we can take in, and it just seems to never end. We've had people come in today bringing us cat food, cat litter, and certainly that helps. We already had close to 200 cats in the building,' said Ruth Thompson, ANNA Shelter director. For more information on how to donate or adopt from the ANNA Shelter, Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Nostrovia! Erie's Polish community celebrates Dyngus Day
Easter may be over, but Erie's Polish community continued the celebration for one more day. Dyngus Day is always the Monday after Easter, and on Monday, the Erie community took the day to celebrate their Polish heritage. Bishop Lawrence Persico speaks on passing of Pope Francis Dyngus Day draws tens of thousands to the streets of Buffalo, New York, every year. And on Monday, Erie's Polish community gathered for a celebration of their own. The holiday has been celebrated in Poland for hundreds of years, but Polish-Americans have since taken it under their wing. 'It has kind of a two-fold to it. It's the celebration of Lent being over and the fasting being done, celebrating that, and it's also a big holiday in poland where the boys kind of chase the girls and they take the pussy willows and swat at the back of their legs to kind of tease them a little bit,' said Maria Wawrzyniak, secretary of Polish Falcons Nest 610 The Polish Falcons Club on East 3rd Street held its 28th annual Dyngus Day celebration on Monday, with hundreds of people showing up in red shirts to celebrate their Polish heritage. Community gathers to dedicate street to late Erie leader Those celebrating ate traditional Polish cuisine, caught up with old friends, and danced the polka as a live band kept the energy going. The good people here at the Polish Falcons Club gave us a little free sample to try; we got pierogies, some Polish sausage, that authentic Polish cuisine, but if you were looking for something to drink instead, this wasn't the only place around town that's celebrating Dyngus Day. Nostrovia Brewing on East Lake Road opened its doors early in the week to celebrate Dyngus Day, and the owner said the weather has held up for a successful holiday. 'It's been fantastic. The tables have been filling up, people have been celebrating, and a lot of cabbage rolls and a lot of kielbasa, a lot of good times, great music in the background.' 'We probably increased our food demand by about 6 to 10 times on a day like today,' said Jeff Lukasik, owner & brewer at Nostrovia Brewing Company. Lukasik said they're also releasing a new beer with the holiday called the 'Polonia Pale,' which is made from hops straight from Poland. And like it said in the brewery's name, those celebrating raised their glasses with a loud 'nostrovia,' which means 'cheers and to your health' in Polish. Erie Events 'Community Report' highlights event successes in 2024 Next up, the Polish community will be getting ready for their Polish Zabawa Festival coming up in August. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Forbes
21-04-2025
- General
- Forbes
What Is Dyngus Day—And Why Do Polish Americans Celebrate It?
It's common to think of pre-Lenten festivities such as Mardi Gras and Carnival but Polish Americans mark the end of Lent with some community fun right after Easter Sunday. This public celebration known as Dyngus Day, which is also known by the name, Śmigus-dyngus, falls on Easter Monday. For 2025, its calendar date is April 21. This Polish American tradition not only involves people affectionately spraying others, as an act of cleansing or purification, but the day involves another interesting practice. It involves the tapping of people with pussy willow branches, reflecting a practice traditionally used in Poland that uses this plant in place of palms on Palm Sunday. Unique customs aside, parades and public parties bring out both those of Polish and non-Polish heritage to celebrate. Where is Dyngus Day celebrated in the U.S.? Dyngus Day in the United States occurs across various parts of the United States. Here are some of them. Touted as 'Dyngus Day Capital of the World,' Buffalo's Polish history dates back to the 1860s and originated from this Western New York city quickly growing amid industrialization. Recruiters were in Poland looking for workers to fill roles in the community and, from there, several areas sprung up in Buffalo that were almost exclusively Polish – like the East Side, where most Dyngus Day Celebrations happen today,' explained Andy Golebiowski, host of the Polish American Radio Program in Buffalo. Dyngus Day is big in Buffalo According to Golebiowski, thousands of Polish people made their way to Buffalo where they started to form social groups, such as theatrical and literary circles, to maintain their culture. In 1873, they founded the parish St. Stanislaus, which is still standing and the oldest Polish Roman Catholic church in Buffalo. 'They kept their cultural traditions alive,' said Golebiowski. Eventually, as Buffalo grew, most moved to the outer suburbs or other neighborhoods, but their influence carried on. In Buffalo, Golebiowski said that Dyngus Day celebrations were happening as early as the 1900s when choir societies and church societies threw parties to mark the holiday. Overtime, these celebrations eventually died down, but they reemerged in the 1960s when Buffalo's Chopin Singing Society began hosting Dyngus Day parties to raise funds for the choir. Surrounding bars and churches, like St. Stanislaus, started hosting corresponding celebrations. 'When the society moved to the suburbs of Buffalo, the city's bars carried on the tradition, throwing parties with imported Polish beer and free buffets,' said Golebiowski. 'This is when Dyngus Day, as it is celebrated now in Buffalo, really started to emerge.' In the 1990s, Polish Buffalonians began to move away, but it was made certain that Buffalo's Dyngus Day festivities remain. That same decade, a Dyngus Day party was spearheaded on Buffalo's East Side that continues to this day. 'Every year, the celebration is still so packed that I can't even get in!' exclaimed Golebiowski, who helped to restart this tradition. Dyngus Day is commemorated in Buffalo in many ways, including an annual parade in the city's Old Polonia district that's organized by the Dyngus Day Buffalo. According to the group's website, the parade evolved from featuring a group of pickup trucks and a single band performing from a trailer to floats, fire truckers and festive marchers. Golebiowski, a Buffalo native whose parents emigrated over from Poland after World War II, cites that as many as 25 percent of people in Buffalo have Polish heritage. 'But as the neighborhood has changed, and residents from other cultures have moved in, it's not just the Polish community that celebrates,' he said. 'You'll see other kids and parents from all different communities carrying pussy willows, picking-up candy from the parade, and joining in on the fun.' Dyngus Day in Cleveland Joining Buffalo in a celebration of Dyngus Day is fellow Rust Belt city, Cleveland. 2025 will mark the 15 th year of this Ohio city's celebration. 'What started as a grassroots celebration has grown into a full-blown festival in the heart of the Gordon Square Arts District,' stated Adam Roggenburk, Dyngus Day event producer and president of Heritage Productions. 'It's a day of joy, tradition and community.' The event's festivities encompass traditional polka music and dancing, a pierogi eating contest, the crowning of Miss Dyngus Day, a street festival, an all-day performance by polka personality, DJ Kishka. According to Roggenburk, Cleveland has deep Polish roots, and its neighborhoods such as Slavic Village have long been cultural hubs. 'Dyngus Day is a direct reflection of that heritage and it's a way for us to honor and celebrate the past while creating something vibrant and fun that brings everyone together, no matter their background,' he said. For Cleveland's Dyngus Day celebration at Gordon Square, there is an admission ticket price of $14 that provides access to all offerings. Local bars and restaurants will also hold their respective festivities. A complete event schedule and additional information is available through this website. 'Dyngus Day captures that perfectly – the energy is really incredible!' said Roggenburk. 'We shut down streets, we dance in the middle of the day, we eat pierogies. There's something very Cleveland about taking a traditional holiday and turning it into the most spirited polka party you've ever seen.' Other Dyngus Day commemorations across the United States stretch across Indiana, within South Bend and Michiana; Chicago and Pittsburgh, with this Pennsylvania city having a fundraising race.
Forbes
20-04-2025
- General
- Forbes
What Is Dyngus Day–And Here's Why Polish Americans Celebrate It
It's common to think of pre-Lenten festivities such as Mardi Gras and Carnival but Polish Americans mark the end of Lent with community fun right after Easter Sunday. This public celebration known as Dyngus Day, which is also known by the name, Śmigus-dyngus, falls on Easter Monday. For 2025, its calendar date is April 21. This Polish American tradition not only involves people affectionately spraying others, as an act of cleansing or purification, but the day involves another interesting practice. It involves the tapping of people with pussy willow branches, reflecting a practice traditionally used in Poland that uses this plant in place of palms on Palm Sunday. Unique customs aside, parades and public parties bring out both those of Polish and non-Polish heritage to celebrate. Dyngus Day in the United States occurs across various parts of the United States. Here are some of them. Touted as 'Dyngus Day Capital of the World,' Buffalo's Polish history dates back to the 1860s and originated from this Western New York city quickly growing amid industrialization. Recruiters were in Poland looking for workers to fill roles in the community and, from there, several areas sprung up in Buffalo that were almost exclusively Polish – like the East Side, where most Dyngus Day Celebrations happen today,' explained Andy Golebiowski, host of the Polish American Radio Program in Buffalo. According to Golebiowski, thousands of Polish people made their way to Buffalo where they started to form social groups, such as theatrical and literary circles, to maintain their culture. In 1873, they founded the parish St. Stanislaus, which is still standing and the oldest Polish Roman Catholic church in Buffalo. 'They kept their cultural traditions alive,' said Golebiowski. Eventually, as Buffalo grew, most moved to the outer suburbs or other neighborhoods, but their influence carried on. In Buffalo, Golebiowski said that Dyngus Day celebrations were happening as early as the 1900s when choir societies and church societies threw parties to mark the holiday. Overtime, these celebrations eventually died down, but they reemerged in the 1960s when Buffalo's Chopin Singing Society began hosting Dyngus Day parties to raise funds for the choir. Surrounding bars and churches, like St. Stanislaus, started hosting corresponding celebrations. 'When the society moved to the suburbs of Buffalo, the city's bars carried on the tradition, throwing parties with imported Polish beer and free buffets,' said Golebiowski. 'This is when Dyngus Day, as it is celebrated now in Buffalo, really started to emerge.' In the 1990s, Polish Buffalonians began to move away, but it was made certain that Buffalo's Dyngus Day festivities remain. That same decade, a Dyngus Day party was spearheaded on Buffalo's East Side that continues to this day. 'Every year, the celebration is still so packed that I can't even get in!' exclaimed Golebiowski, who helped to restart this tradition. Dyngus Day is commemorated in Buffalo in many ways, including an annual parade in the city's Old Polonia district that's organized by the Dyngus Day Buffalo. According to the group's website, the parade evolved from featuring a group of pickup trucks and a single band performing from a trailer to floats, fire truckers and festive marchers. Golebiowski, a Buffalo native whose parents emigrated over from Poland after World War II, cites that as many as 25 percent of people in Buffalo have Polish heritage. 'But as the neighborhood has changed, and residents from other cultures have moved in, it's not just the Polish community that celebrates,' he said. 'You'll see other kids and parents from all different communities carrying pussy willows, picking-up candy from the parade, and joining in on the fun.' Joining Buffalo in a celebration of Dyngus Day is fellow Rust Belt city, Cleveland. 2025 will mark the 15th year of this Ohio city's celebration. 'What started as a grassroots celebration has grown into a full-blown festival in the heart of the Gordon Square Arts District,' stated Adam Roggenburk, Dyngus Day event producer and president of Heritage Productions. 'It's a day of joy, tradition and community.' The event's festivities encompass traditional polka music and dancing, a pierogi eating contest, the crowning of Miss Dyngus Day, a street festival, an all-day performance by polka personality, DJ Kishka. According to Roggenburk, Cleveland has deep Polish roots, and its neighborhoods such as Slavic Village have long been cultural hubs. 'Dyngus Day is a direct reflection of that heritage and it's a way for us to honor and celebrate the past while creating something vibrant and fun that brings everyone together, no matter their background,' he said. For Cleveland's Dyngus Day celebration at Gordon Square, there is an admission ticket price of $14 that provides access to all offerings. Local bars and restaurants will also hold their respective festivities. A complete event schedule and additional information is available through this website. 'Dyngus Day captures that perfectly – the energy is really incredible!' said Roggenburk. 'We shut down streets, we dance in the middle of the day, we eat pierogies. There's something very Cleveland about taking a traditional holiday and turning it into the most spirited polka party you've ever seen.' Other Dyngus Day commemorations across the United States stretch across Indiana, within South Bend and Michiana; Chicago and Pittsburgh, with this Pennsylvania city having a fundraising race.
