Even though I’m a day late, I’m determined to post this today! I already missed S and T, in spite of having slub. szczesliwy and Sukiennice at the ready, and Theresa, of course! I can’t be everywhere! (a hard realisation for a lady like me to make)
St. Ursula, from Wikipedia
In Poland many girls names trace back to a saint, and Urszula is no exception. The photo shown above is actually of an Italian Catholic saint, who was instrumental in the setting up of the Ursulines. This is a religious order, founded in Brescia in 1535, and now a world wide organisation.
Urszula Maria Ledóchowska was a Polish religious sister who founded the Congregation of the Ursulines of the Agonising Heart of Jesus. Doesn’t sound much fun, does it? Born Julia Maria Ledóchowska on 17.4.65, she entered the novitiate of the Ursulines in Kraków. She received the name of Ursula at the end of her training, and went on to become Mother Superior. In Kraków she set up a home for female university students, then travelled abroad with the blessing of the Pope, fighting religious oppression. She was active in St. Petersburg, Russia, in Finland, Stockholm and in Denmark. In May 1939 she died in Rome, and was canonised by Pope John Paul II in May 2003.
Her feast day is May 29th, which may well be why my neice, Ula (short for Urszula), born May 28th, takes her name. You’ve seen Ula before. She’s the “lady of the cakes” who’s helping to run her Dad’s pieczywo de smakoszy (tasty cake shop) in Kraków.
Here she is with her lovely Mum, Marta, my Dad and more cake (of course!)
Sampling the wares!
There was another Urszula in the family, Dad’s older sister, whom I never met. Over the years I have seen an assortment of photos, but know little of her history, other than that she died early. Here she is, on her wedding day.
Ursula, with her husband, Ignacy
And that just leaves us with urodziny– birthdays! You can imagine how many cards I send to Poland every year, can’t you?
I’m sure Frizz won’t mind that I’m slightly out of sync on his series of A-Z’s. He’s a very forgiving chap, and the letter V which is next up doesn’t exist in Polish. (W is pronounced “v”) There is no timescale for Julie Dawn Fox’s Personal A-Z Challenge, which I’m sure you’ll agree is just as well. I’d be very happy if you could check out both, and maybe even join in?
restlessjo 
Visiting from the A-Z Challenge, just liked your FB page 🙂 Great to meet new bloggers! Roll on V 😛
Juls
http://julshiddengems.blogspot.ie/
LikeLike
Hi Juls 🙂 Lovely to meet you.
LikeLike
Ursual’s such a pretty name – my daughter’s got her Grandmother’s middle name – Amy 🙂
LikeLike
How is she? I’m going to Chatsworth House on Monday for a quick Christmas meetup with mine. Narnia theme going on so it should be lovely. 🙂
LikeLike
Ha, you can never be at a loss for an A-Z challenge with all those Polish relatives!!! Ula is gorgeous 🙂
LikeLike
I’m glad you posted, even if you were late. I’m much later reading it!
LikeLike
Thank goodness there’s someone even further behind than me 🙂 Thanks for finding time. It gets a little frenetic in the next few weeks!
LikeLike
Schöne Geschichte wünsche einen schönen Abend liebe Grüße von mir und Freundschaft.Gislinde
LikeLike
Danke, Gislinde 🙂 Schonen Abend!
LikeLike
u never know what ur going to learn when you read a post starting with u! love it~
LikeLike
U never do 🙂 I love text speak, Cindy.
LikeLike
Did not know that the letter V does not exist in the Polish language. Are there any others missing as well?
LikeLike
There are 32 letters in the Polish alphabet. My first A-Z post covered it https://restlessjo.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/a-is-for-alphabet-and-also-for-aunts/ 🙂
LikeLike
So worth being tardy 🙂 you and me both but reader was working so I got to see it 🙂 something to be thankful for 🙂
LikeLike
I only make it to the Reader every couple of days, Eunice. Just following comments and likes back keeps me busy most of the time. Not complaining 🙂
LikeLike
🙂 I hear you with almost 1000 followers when my computer slow all I can do is comment on a comment 🙂 I see more of yours on FB thankfully 🙂
LikeLike
Forgot to wish you Happy Thanksgiving for tomorrow! 🙂
LikeLike
the letter V which is next up doesn’t exist in Polish? I saw some Volkswagen there 🙂
LikeLike
I do love an early morning smile 🙂
Thanks, Frizz!
LikeLike
Lovely post, Jo! I found it particularly interesting because I attended Ursuline Academy for high school, which was named for St. Ursula and run by the Ursuline nuns.
LikeLike
Glad you liked it! It’s an expression I’d heard but didn’t really know what it meant, till I delved into Wikipedia for this post 🙂
LikeLike
Wonderful Us stories, Jo! Love the photo of your dad 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks, Amy. He gets in everywhere, doesn’t he? Especially where there’s Polish cake 🙂
LikeLike
Nice story Jo – awesome cake!
LikeLike
Oh, the calories, Andrew! I should have a big, fat family 🙂 (but don’t!)
LikeLike
I enjoy seeing photos of your father. He always looks so happy. 🙂 May I ask what kind of cake that is? It’s very festive looking, but I don’t see any chocolate.
LikeLike
That’s a good question, Jill! I don’t like jelly, personally, so I have never sampled this cake. The orange jelly-topped one that Marta has, I tried (but discreetly left the jelly to one side) but it was mostly cream with bits of jelly in. I prefer more cake mixture, but these were special occasion cakes. “Ciasto” is the word for cake. Any clearer? 🙂
LikeLike
I don’t care for jelly either, especially on a dessert! Yes, you were very clear, thanks! 🙂
LikeLike
Jo, my head is swimming with all these Ursalas, Ursalines, and Ulas, not to mention the urodziny! I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Us used in one place! Nice to see the photo of your dad, and that cake!
LikeLike
It was a little complicated, Cathy, and I gave you the short version! 🙂
LikeLike
The short version!? I wonder what the long version would have been. 🙂
LikeLike