Posted on 10/22/2004 4:47:58 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
The small Karnes County town of Panna Maria is expected to triple in population Sunday as it celebrates its 150th anniversary with a reception featuring former Poland President and Nobel Peace Prize winner Lech Walesa as a guest speaker.
Walesa, founder of the Solidarity movement in Poland that led the country out of communism, asked to visit Panna Maria when he was invited to attend the annual convention of the Polish American Congress in Texas this year, said Loretta Niestroy of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
"He's never been to Panna Maria," Niestroy said. "He has been to San Antonio, but he didn't get to come here. He wanted to come to Panna Maria so badly."
Panna Maria, 55 miles southeast of San Antonio in central Karnes County, is revered among Poles because it's the oldest permanent Polish settlement in the United States and home to the nation's oldest Polish church.
Niestroy said that because of Walesa's request, about 150 members of the Polish American Congress will car pool and take buses from Houston to Panna Maria on Sunday.
The Polish American Congress will end their annual convention in Panna Maria with speeches from Walesa and a handful of other dignitaries, including Poland Ambassador Przemyslaw Grudzinski and consul officials from Los Angeles and Houston.
Niestroy said 375 tickets to the luncheon have been sold — about three times the number of people who are members of the parish.
She said the number of tickets that could be sold were limited to the amount of people who could be served at the community hall near the church.
She said all businesses in the town are expected to close for Sunday's event.
"Everything is set, as set as can be," Niestroy said, adding the town has successfully hosted prominent Polish visitors in the past.
In 1998, Polish Prime Minister Jerzy Buzek visited Panna Maria, where he attended Mass and planted a tree in his honor.
"When we were struggling for freedom and dignity, we felt the spiritual support from the Polish living in America," Buzek said at that time through a translator.
Walesa, the mustachioed electrician from Gdansk, is credited with triggering an end to the Cold War in Eastern Europe when communism lost its grip on Poland.
He was awarded the Nobel Peace Price in 1983 and was the first democratically elected president of Poland in 1990. Walesa failed to win re-election in 1995 amid continuing economic difficulties in his country.
Panna Maria, meaning "Virgin Mary" in Polish, has been celebrating its 150th anniversary throughout the year. Other events that have taken place since January include the renaming of street signs after their original Polish landowners, a countywide parade and the repair of the church's ancient bells as part of $600,000 worth of renovations.
Niestroy said the final celebration of Panna Maria's 150th anniversary is scheduled for Dec. 11 with a citywide barbecue.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- jzarazua@express-news.net
What's a Polish taco?
Texas Polish Ping!
Taco Pollacko
bump!
Triple the population? who are they kidding? The writer obviously hasn't been there. The 'town' consists of a beautiful church and a polka dance hall across the street a few years ago although the parish in the farmland surrounding the church may have fifty people.
Went to a Polish wedding there and danced my butt off at the polka hall. It was built so the floorboards actually have some give in them and help give a little spring to your step. The bride wore a traditional costume and went around gathering bucks for kisses or shots of whiskey. What a wonderful time with some great folks.
Durn, so close, yet so far.
Thanks PE. Bump
I haven't been to Panna Maria in at least 10 years. It's a nice place, a lot of history. It'd be worth the trip.
How the original settlers got to Panna Maria is the most interesting part of this town.
Now you're making me hungry!
http://nowinskipirogies.com/our_pirogies.htm
Panna Maria is about an hour from me here in Seguin
We're having a revival at church Sunday so I guess I'll miss out too bad.
I live in TX, and have been to Poland, but never to Panna Maria, even though I've always "meant to".
I loved Poland, and the Polish people are gracious, and welcoming.
CK Browars' in Krakow-good food & beer
BUMPSKI
Polish-Texan Bump. Dzien dobry y'all!
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