The First Sowing (1896) Piotr Stachiewicz
The blessing of candles was not the only tradition associated with the celebration of Hromnice (Candlemas, Feb. 2). Wells and springs were also blessed , ensuring enough water and moisture for the entire year.
It was also a solemn holiday for the people . Any rejoicing, dancing and celebrations were forbidden. No joking or other fun was allowed. But a lot of noise and clatter was allowed. Whether you had an axe, hammer or broom in your hand, you had to bang it hard. Only in this way could you drive away evil spirits and other spirits of darkness.
On this day, housewives were not allowed to sew anything . It was believed that the tip of a needle could bring storms and lightning in the future. It was also important to pull out the plow after winter and plow the first furrow , to let the soil know that it should prepare for spring, because winter was slowly ending. For a better harvest, pieces of bread and cheese were put in the furrow.
Pieces of bread and cheese were then placed in the furrow to make the earth more fertile.
Pictured: An old custom that still exists in many areas of Poland consists in lighting thunder candles or gromnice (in Czechia called hromničky) during the sowing period in order to propitiate a good harvest.