“Katarzynki” and “Andrzejki,” how foretelling used to be done in Polish traditional culture
November 30th is St. Andrew’s Day. The festivities held on this day, or its eve, are commonly referred to in Poland as “Andrzejki.” Celebrations of the holiday vary depending on the country. In Poland, “Andrzejki” is usually associated with matrimonial and future foretelling, while in Scotland, St. Andrew’s Day is a national holiday. Since the 14th century, St. Andrew has been the official patron saint of the country, which is reflected in their flag. It bears the symbolic X, referring to the form of the saint’s death on a cross of this particular shape.
The celebration of the eve of St. Andrew’s Day (on the night of November 29th and 30th), combined with foretelling and festivities, appeared in Europe in the 12th century and reached Poland in the 16th century. Today, on the occasion of St. Andrew’s Day, all sorts of meetings, festivities, and parties are held. If any foretelling is practiced, it is of a ludic and playful nature, and not much importance is attached to it. How and what foretelling was done in those days in traditional culture, as well as what foretelling is known to us today? Dr Małgorzata Michalska, assistant professor at the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, will answer these questions in conversation with Maria Kozan of the University of Wroclaw’s Communication Department.
Maria Kozan: What holidays fall at the end of November?
Dr Małgorzata Michalska: At this time, the Church’s liturgical year, with which the traditional ritual calendar was associated, ends, and Advent begins. Its beginning can be as early as November 27th or, at the latest, like this year, December 3rd, depending on how the calendar arranges the days of the week. It must include four Sundays preceding Christmas. Before the beginning of Advent falls St. Catherine Day (November 25th). However, St. Andrew’s Day (November 30th) can be celebrated before or after the start of Advent. In folk traditions, St. Catherine was said to close the pre-advent period, but St. Andrew was also said to close or open Advent. Related to this are various proverbs, such as „Święta Katarzyna adwent zawiązuje, a św. Andrzej poprawuje,” (“Saint Catherine ties advent, and Saint Andrew corrects”) or „Święta Katarzyna klucze pogubiła, święty Andrzej znalazł, zatrzasnął je zaraz” (“St. Catherine’s keys are lost, St. Andrew’s found, slam shut them right back”). On the eve of both days, matrimonial foretelling was practiced. On the occasion of St. Catherine’s Day, boys would foretell their fates; these were known as “katarzynki,” while on the occasion of St. Andrew’s Day, girls would foretell their fates; these were known as “andrzejki.”
MK: Since you mentioned St. Catherine’s Day, let’s begin with that day, according to the calendar’s order. Please, tell us how boys would foretell their fates.
MM: Boys’ foretelling was less popular than girls’ foretelling, and there were fewer of them. They were in no hurry to change their marital status. Nowadays, few people remember St. Catherine‘s Day anymore, although the name Catherine is very popular today. In folk traditions proverbs such as „Na świętej Katarzyny są pod poduszką dziewczyny” (“On St. Catherine’s Eve girls are under the pillows”) and „Na świętą Katarzynę bierz swoją pod pierzynę” (“On St. Catherine’s Eve take your Catherine under the eiderdown.”) were functioning. They were linked to one of the prophecies. Boys used to write the names of their future brides on pieces of paper, which they put under the pillows, and depending on which paper a boy took out in the morning, it was the name of the future fiancée. Similarly, girls used to fortune-tell on “Andrzejki,” except that they wrote down men’s names.
Sometimes, to dream of a future wife, boys would put a part of the girl’s clothes under the pillow. Most often, it was a stolen slip, and additionally, to be sure, during the evening washing, they would wipe their faces on her apron, which had been taken off the rope. Thanks to these measures, they were able to see the face of their future chosen one in their dreams.
An important prediction was the interpretation of dreams from November 24th to 25th, as illustrated by the proverb: „W wigilię świętego Andrzeja spełniona moja nadzieja, bodajże się to sprawdziło, co mi się ongi śniło” (“On St. Andrew’s Eve my hope is fulfilled, perhaps it may come true, what I dreamed on that day”). If a boy dreamt of a white hen, it meant that he would soon meet a beautiful maiden; a black one omened a widow. A hen with chickens — a widow with children; an owl — a woman who was wise but not of a great disposition and not very handsome, while a gray horse meant that he would be left alone for the rest of his life.
MK: How did the girls foretell their fates on the eve of St. Andrew’s Day?
MM: Before I get into foretelling, I think it’s worth mentioning the etymology of the name Andrew. It derives from the Greek language and means “strong man.” So it’s hardly surprising that girls picked him as their patron. In Christian traditions, St. Andrew is one of the twelve apostles, patron of marriages, people in love, and couples who want to become parents.
Girls who planned or wanted to get married soon used various measures to find out when it would happen and who their future spouse would be. It was illustrated by the proverb: Na świętego Andrzeja dziewkom z wróżby nadzieja” (“On St. Andrew’s Eve from the prophecy hope for maidens”). The number of prophecies was enormous, so it is impossible to talk about each one of them. I will mention only some.
A very popular method of foretelling was putting various symbolic objects under a small mug and plate. These included a ring, a rosary, a sprig of myrtle, money, a piece of bread, and a bit of dirt. Depending on which mug or plate a girl picked up and what she saw under it, it meant what she would become in the future. A ring foretold imminent marriage, a rosary the religious way, a sprig of myrtle spinsterhood, money riches, bread hunger, while dirt contact with death.
On that day in the morning, girls usually went to the well for fresh water and, when leaning into it, believed they would see the face of their future spouse in the water’s reflection.
The girls also lined up their shoes one behind the other, from the wall of the room to its threshold. Whose shoe went over the threshold would be the first to marry. Shoes were also thrown behind oneself towards the door. If it fell with the tip up, it meant an imminent wedding, whereas if with the sole, the girl had to wait a little longer.
Among the prophecies, we can also mention the peeling of the apple. A person was to do it in a way to form the longest peel possible, and after, it was thrown behind one’s back. It was believed that if the peel created the shape of a letter, it would be the first letter of the future husband’s name.
The girls, as well as the boys on Catharine’s Day, would break a cherry branch, which they would then put into the water. If the branch bloomed by Christmas, it meant that soon, they both would marry.
MK: Were there prophecies that were practiced only in certain parts of Poland?
MM: Most of the prophecies were known and practiced all around Poland. Some of them were specific to a region, for example, pouring water into a bowl and putting two nutshells with small candles inside them to float. They gave them male and female names. If they touched while floating, that meant these two people would become a couple. In the Silesia region, an additional shell was added, representing a priest. For the prediction to be successful, this shell had to get close to the other two. Sometimes, two sewing needles or myrtle leaves, which should also meet, were put in the water.
In Kuyavia and Silesia, a prediction with a gander was a common practice. The girls were making a circle and let the gander with covered eyes inside. The first one that gander approached was to marry first.
MK: What role did Catharine and St. Andrew’s Day prophecies play?
MM: What a great role was attached to foretelling can be seen by the fact that if any girl had not married by the beginning of Advent, a proverb was referring to her situation: „Święta Katarzyna adwent zawiązała, dziewucha nieszczęśliwa, że się nie wydała” (“St. Catherine advent tied, wench unhappy that she did not marry”). Traditionally, in villages, weddings were organized in autumn after all the fieldwork was over. During Advent, it was forbidden. It was commonly said: „Święta Katarzyna adwent zawiązuje, sama hula, pije, a nam zakazuje” (“Saint Catherine’s advent ties, she herself ravels, drinks, but forbids us”) or „Święta Katarzyna śluby ucina” (“Saint Catherine’s, vows brakes off”).
MK: I have the impression that nowadays, it is not very common to practice foretelling on St. Andrew’s Day, especially on St. Catharine’s Day. But is there a prediction that we sometimes come back to?
MM: One of the most popular and most commonly practiced prophecies nowadays, and also in the past, was and is pouring wax through a keyhole into a pot of cold water. The resulting form is then illuminated so that it casts a shadow, and one tries to guess who or what it represents. Interestingly, lead and tin were used alongside wax in the Czech Republic, just like in Poland in past centuries. To this day, lead used for foretelling can be bought in Czech paper stores or bookstores.
Translated by Jakub Wolf (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
