Masses were scheduled so that everyone could participate in the liturgy. Crowds of soldiers gathered in the chapels. Holy Saturday is the time for blessing food. Baskets are not readily available in Afghanistan. The soldiers brought painted eggs and various treats, including in fancifully decorated… helmets.
The soldiers took part not only in the holiday celebrations but also in the preparations themselves. At Warrior Base, together with chaplain Capt. Stanisław Denys, they prepared the Lord’s Tomb. It was similar in Ghazni.
The tables featured traditional dishes: sour rye soup with egg and sausage, roast pork loin, cold cuts, eggs in aspic, vegetable salad, herring, bigos and various kinds of cakes.
Not everyone, however, could afford a moment of rest. Patrols took place regularly, and live-fire training was conducted at the Four Corners and Ghazni bases.
Chaplains at the Polish bases encouraged the soldiers. “These holidays are a sign for all of us that anything is possible. Only faith is needed. If our lives ended on Earth and there were nothing afterward, we would already have to despair,” said chaplain Cmdr. Lt. Zbigniew Kłusek.
The holiday joy was overshadowed only by thoughts of the families left behind in the country. “On days like these, one feels the absence of family most strongly. You wonder what they are doing and how they are spending this special time,” the soldiers said.
Soldiers of the 23rd Silesian Artillery Brigade are also stationed at the Ghazni base in Afghanistan. The artillerymen from Bolesławiec form part of the Fire Support Group of the 6th rotation of the Polish Task Force. You can read more about this HERE.
(information Anna Pawlak/ii)
