Kaziuk 2020
On March 8, 27 Kaziuk Wileński, a pilgrimage fair that took place in Vilnius for four hundred years, took place in Poznań’s Old Market Square. Celebrations in honor of St. Kazimierz organized by the Vilnius Land Lovers Society. Despite event is well known to Poznań residents it is a typical Lithuanian festival. Because it is in Lithuania Saint Name’s Day Kazimierz, the prince of the Jagiellon dynasty, has been celebrated with a sumptuous fair since Pope Clement VII proclaimed him a saint, that is over 400 years ago. The beginning of the fair itself, however, is associated with the solemn relocation of the saint’s relics to the Vilnius cathedral in 1636. Since then, the anniversaries of relic relocation are celebrated every year.
Today, the festival is a three-day fair that takes place in various places of the city with artistic performances. Kaziuki is celebrated not only in Vilnius, but also in other cities in Lithuania, as well as in Grodno, Belarus, for example. Currently, fairs are also organized in many Polish cities, e.g. in Poznań, Września, Szczecin and Białystok.
In Poznań, the celebration of Kaziuki Wileński began with a mass. in the parish church. After the bugle call in Vilnius and Poznań, and goats, there followed the march of the Jagiellonians and numerous bands gathered on the stage. Among the artists, the large audience gathered on the Old Market album could watch the Swarzędz Flage Orchestra, Song and Dance Ensemble from Lithuania “Zgoda”, Children’s Folklore Group “Cepelia-Poznań”, as well as the Folklore Group “Wielkopolanie”. Dancers and musicians of “Wielkopolanie” operating within the structures of the Provincial Public Library and the Center for Culture Animation in Poznań presented not only the folklore of their region but also dances from the song from the vicinity of Spisz, Eastern Cracow, Rzeszów and Łowicz region.
During his presentations at the hands of the President of the Vilnius and Vilnius Region Ryszard Liminowicz, who emphasized many years of cooperation with “Wielkopolanie”, Poznań artists received a huge loaf of Lithuanian bread. As every year, the Society also presented its “Cranberry 2020” award, which this year was honored by Edyta Maksymowicz, journalist of TVP Wilno and the portal wilnoteka.lt.
The fair has permanently entered the landscape of the city of Poznań and every year attracts crowds of residents and guests. At the Kaziuk fair you can buy Vilnius specialties such as cepelins or Vilnius bread, beautiful palm trees, casemate hearts, handicrafts and much more.
