Corpus Christi in Łowicz

Łowicz is a little town about an hours train ride from Warsaw. Despite the town's small size, it has a whopping big cathedral in the town square and is famous for the Corpus Christi procession, that takes place at this time every year. It is apparently the biggest such procession in Poland. It is also significant as the locals dress in traditional costume - with the ladies wearing brightly coloured dresses, and the men donning dazzlingly coloured trousers and flowery hats!

Ignoring the drizzly weather, the three of us caught a train to watch the parade. (It's so much fun lifting a heavily laden pram up 6 precarious steps onto a train!)

We arrived about an hour before things were due to start and so sat and enjoyed a pot of tea (milk for Audrey!) and two pieces of very scrummy cake, in cafe Bordo overlooking the main square.

The square was soon filled with the sound of worship coming from the cathedral which was being blasted out by strategically placed speakers positioned around the town - there was really no escaping it.

When we ventured back outside, the cathedral was full to the rafters. Hundreds of worshippers had gathered by the entrance to the cathedral, no doubt welcoming the fact that they could follow what was going on inside the building via the town's extensive sound system. We took our spot on a curb, and waited for the procession to emerge from the cathedral and walk past us. The air was heavy with the smell of incense.

After a while the procession emerged from the cathedral, and turned right - the opposite way to where we'd positioned ourselves. Fortunately after a circuitous route around the town (they visit 4 Alters) the procession arrived by where we were stood.

It was great to see the brightly coloured costumes, worn by people of all ages from tiny flower girls to wizened old men. People were playing instruments waving banners and carrying yet more public address speakers! The procession passed us at a very leisurely pace before arriving at the main square, where after a bit more singing/playing it dissolved. It was a really excellent sight, and the town, which is probably usually a sleepy back-water, was absolutely filled with people.

We headed back to Warsaw, purchasing a few Gwiozdy (paper cut outs), for which the town is also famous for(!) on our journey back to the station.

me, looking decidedly under-dressed