Poland’s “Baptism” and the City

'Polska' mural in the the Ukrainian Village in Lower East Manhattan

Walking through the Ukrainian Village in Lower Manhattan, I found my religious artifact in a place that, to my surprise, wasn’t so hidden. Coming from a Polish background, I was shocked to find a huge mural in New York City about ‘Polska,’ the Polish way to say Poland. Originally, I thought this visual was only a representation of Polish pride, however, the years under the fish-like ichthus symbol tell a whole other story. Because the ichthus symbol is known as the “fish of Jesus,” I knew it had to relate to Christianity. There was no better person to ask than my own Polish mother to help me interpret the years. It turned out that 966 A.D. marked the year of Christianization of Poland when the first ruler of the future country of Poland, Mieszko I, was baptized. In 2016, Poland celebrated 1,050 years of this moment.

Now, why would it be in New York City? Well, the Ukrainian Village is full of immigrants from Slavic European countries, including both Polish and Ukrainian. Even when they are so far away from their home country, Polish immigrants show pride in both their culture and religion in the form of mural through the size, height and content. Spread across the wall, ‘Polska’ can be seen by anyone with their eyes up. It took up more than half the wall! Although it stands alone, the mural reflects the strength of the Polish religion and country with its height. Raised above the masses of people who walk under it, the mural serves as a reminder that the Polish-American Christian community lives strong and well. The ichthus reflects the significance of Christianity in Poland and especially for Polish-Americans through its large size and place in the mural. For most Polish people, Poland’s Baptism is a key part of becoming the country it is today.

The materiality of the object as a mural has other implications about Polish Christianity in America. As opposed to graffiti, murals are approved by the property owner to be painted. Not only was it approved by the owner, but also most likely had to be agreed upon by the general Polish community. Community is a large part of the Christian religion and Polish culture. Murals last for long periods of time, sometimes forever, which can relate to this community. The Polish-Americans want to show that their community plans to stay in the heart of the Ukrainian Village for as long as possible just like the mural. The importance of community is also relevant to another Christian individual that lived in the East Village: Dorothy Day. Through her work, The Long Loneliness, Day wrote about her social activism in relation to her Catholic religion. For Day, loneliness is cured by love which comes from community. This can also be applied to Polish immigrants in America who came here alone with almost nothing. Together, these immigrants formed a support system for themselves through the Church.

As a person part of that community, I was shocked to see the mural of ‘Polska’ in the Big Apple. Although the visual was very large, the community, itself, is very small. It has been thousands of years since Poland was Christianized, however, the mural is a sign that the Polish people are still here, along with their religion. In fact, it is because of the Polish-American’s religion that they stay strong.