The massive gathering was held for the 10th time by the local chapter of Catholic charity Caritas Polska.
As in previous years, the event at the Poznań International Fair grounds began with the singing of Christmas carols and the sharing of opłatek, or the traditional Christmas wafer, Poland’s PAP news agency reported.
Christmas wafer. Photo: PAP/Paweł Jaskółka
At the end those in attendance received small gifts from the organisers.
Poznań Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki said during the event that underprivileged people struggling with life’s problems often “have the privilege of being closer to the Savior” than "those with many possessions.”
“Poverty makes man more open to God,” he said.
Poznań Mayor Jacek Jaśkowiak said that the Christmas Eve party held in his city was the largest gathering of its kind that day nationwide.
Caritas’ Fr. Łukasz Łukasik said that many local restaurateurs and about 1,000 volunteers, among them American soldiers stationed in the area, helped to make the huge charity event possible.
Nearly 400 kilogrammes of carp, 400 kg of sauerkraut with mushrooms, 450 kg of potatoes, and almost 500 litres of borscht were used to prepare meals for people in need this year, the PAP news agency reported.
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Source: PAP