Poles traditionally visit family graves to lay flowers and light candles on All Saints' Day on November 1 and All Souls' Day on November 2.
Well-known faces including actors Maja Komorowska and Daniel Olbrychski have been out in force raising money at Powązki, the oldest cemetery in Warsaw, for the renovation of historic tombstones and chapels since the end of last week.
Komorowska has been taking part in the fundraiser for over 40 years.
Polish actor Daniel Olbrychski helping raise funds for the renovation of tombstones at Warsaw's historic Powązki Cemetery on All Saints' Day, Nov. 1, 2022. Photo: PAP/Tomasz Gzell
Marcin Święcicki, the chairman of the Social Committee for the Protection of the Old Powązki Cemetery, said he was hoping the fundraising effort this year would be supported by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and Warsaw City Hall.
"I hope we get this funding," Święcicki told public broadcaster Polish Radio’s IAR news agency.
Committee spokesman Jerzy Kisielewski told reporters that some of the tombstones at the Warsaw cemetery were the work of outstanding Polish sculptors.
"Many of these gravestones are real works of art," he said.
Fundraising drives have been held at the cemetery since 1974. Thanks to the money collected, hundreds of tombstones and chapels have been renovated so far, the IAR news agency has reported.
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Source: PAP, IAR