Easter 2007: Gdynia, Poland
 Two
participants describe the 2007 Easter celebrations at the
Stella Maris Centre in Gdynia
Adam Stróżyk, Chief Engineer tells us:
"At Easter, the oldest and most important Christian
festival, all Christian denominations celebrate the
resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every year at Gdynia’s Stella
Maris Club, there is a gathering of seafarers and
communities who depend on the sea. This year, as usual,
there were many participants. For seafarers far from their
native shores, the Stella Maris Club is a special place. The
Easter gathering gives them a taste of home and reminds us
all that we are one family united by the sea.
The period between the Passover and the glory of the
Resurrection is a time of strength and renewal for all of
us. We seafarers have a huge respect for the power of nature
which causes cataclysmic events. We understand how little we
can do alone and so we take any opportunity we can to be
together.
 This
year’s Easter gathering included seafarers whose ships were
moored in the port of Gdynia together with representatives
of maritime organisations such as the Captains of the Ocean
Going Navigation Association and the Marine Chief Engineers
Association with their families and friends. The whole event
was under the care and protection of Fr Edward Pracz who is
the director and co-ordinator of AOS in Poland. Fr Edward is
also organising the forthcoming AOS world congress, moving
the spirit of solidarity among People of the Sea."
Janusz Kubański, driver in Stella Maris, Gdynia reports:
"Seafarers from the merchant ships moored in Gdynia were
invited to an Easter gathering. This has been a tradition
for years. Everyone is welcome at the table regardless of
religion, beliefs or nationality. Greeks, Filipinos and
Russians were present this year as Catholic and Orthodox
celebrations co-incided.
Fr Edward Pracz opens the celebration with a prayer. Then
an Easter egg is shared among everyone and Easter wishes
exchanged. There is plenty of food including different types
of eggs, cakes, fruit, wine and juice. Pride of place on the
table is given to the Easter lamb.
 A
queue forms for the phone booths. Today everyone wants to
hear the voice of a loved one, if only for a moment. We try
to control our emotions with a friendly smile. A senior
seafarer from Warsaw shows us a video of his 11 year old
daughter. He lets us know how important it is to him to have
these few moments of relaxation and celebration.
This is true for everyone. During this special Easter
period we do our best to help seafarers to relax and forget,
if only for one night, the routines of everyday life. We see
them after telephone conversations with loved ones,
discreetly wiping the tears from their eyes, smiling and
relaxed as they forget about the hard life that they endure
onboard ship.
It does not require much to help to relieve the stress,
tension and tiredness of a seafarer: engaging him in calm
conversation, taking an interest, listening to him, asking
about his family – in short, acknowledging his humanity.
Nor do we forget the Liturgy of the Word. This year
Catholic seafarers from the Philippines took an active part.
In our service, we try to include their longing for home,
the sense of separation and the everyday problems of life
onboard ship.
The seafarers especially love Father Edward whose
characteristics are joie de vivre, openness and a sincere
interest in the seafarers’ lives. Fr Edward did everything
he could this Easter to reduce the loneliness of seafarers
and make them feel happy."
During the celebrations, seafarers exchanged stories of
Easter customs in their home countries. Here is a selection.
“We start celebrating on Holy Thursday, working at that
time is a sin and on Easter Sunday we sit down to a
ceremonial dinner.”
Gonzales Raymond, electrician on the ship Sea Prince
“We bless our harvests. I live in the countryside and we
have different traditions than in the city.”
Alvarez Cezar Jr., seafarer on the ship German
“Holidays on the ship are lonely and empty. I’m happy
that I can spend them on the mainland right here in Gdynia.
You’re joyful, open and friendly.”
Emanuel Doloranez, warehouse worker
“We go to the Orthodox Church to celebrate the
Resurrection just before midnight.”
Anton Ivanov from the ship BP Polar
“We have a tradition of visiting the graves of our
parents on the second day of holidays.”
Dimitri Alekseev, senior mechanic from the ship Wilson Riga
“I cannot imagine Easter without cooking the Easter lamb.
It is a tradition in every Greek home.”
Konstantinos Spirelos, Captain of the Sea Prince
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