Pasterka

Pasterka () is a midnight mass celebrated by Catholics during Christmas between December 24 and 25 across Poland. A close translation of the name would be the "Shepherds' Mass" (literally: 'that which belongs to the shepherds' in Polish), in reference to the Biblical shepherds, who were visited by an angel and told of the birth of Christ. During the Pasterka Mass, Polish people sing traditional kolędy, Christmas carols (from the Roman calendae) in the spirit of joy.

==Celebrations== Although the Pasterka mass is closely associated with the specific time in Christian liturgy, it is not the actual hour of the night that predicates its meaning. According to the Polish ordinance of the Eucharist, the Pasterka is defined only by the type of prayer and biblical texts used during Christmas celebrations. It can be held more than once on December 24, in more than one location by the parish priest; at the church and at a nearby chapel. Often, there are two (or even three) Pasterkas celebrated next to each other – earlier ones for the families with children, then at 9 and 10 p.m. for the youth, and a final one at 12:00 midnight, for the adults.