A celebration of mining traditions: KGHM’s invitation to Barbórka 2025

This year’s celebration of St. Barbara's Day at KGHM will already begin on 28 November with an official ceremony, followed by a parade of Lis Major in the streets of Głogów, ending with the traditional jump over a hide. On 4 December this year, there will be director's reveilles and solemn masses for the intention of the miners and their families. KGHM cordially invites all the inhabitants of the Copper Belt to celebrate the Miners' Day together.

St. Barbara’s Day (Barbórka) and its accompanying customs are deeply rooted in KGHM’s mining tradition. This is a special time for both KGHM and the people of the Copper Belt. The traditional procession of Lis Major, the jump over a hide, and the ceremonies for the awarding of honorary swords and medals are a symbol of respect for the mining heritage of Lower Silesia. The celebrations, as every year, will also be accompanied by performances by the miners' orchestra.

Celebrating together

The official St. Barbara's Day celebrations will begin in Głogów on 28 November at 1:30 pm with an official ceremony, during which awards will be presented to the most deserving employees of KGHM. The distinguished miners will receive state and jubilee awards and honorary miners' swords - a symbol of the miner's honour, freedom and dignity. The ceremony will be graced by a performance by the Brass Band of the Polkowice-Sieroszowice Mining Facility, which is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. At 3.30 pm, the traditional Lis Major parade will begin, ending with a jump over a hide. Afterwards, the miners and invited guests will go to a traditional inn dinner (karczma), while the ladies will be entertained at a ladies' feast (comber), as they do every year.

On 4 December this year, St. Barbara's day will begin with the traditional miners' reveilles, which will resound from the early hours of the morning in the cities of the Copper Belt. At 9:00 am, a solemn Mass will be held in the Sanctuary of St. Maximilian in Lubin for the intention of the miners and their families. The Orthodox Mining Chaplain - Parish Priest of the Holy Trinity Orthodox Parish in Lubin also invites you to the Holy Divine Liturgy for miners and their families. At 1:00 pm, delegations from the Divisions and Head Office of KGHM will lay flowers at the Jan Wyżykowski monument in Lubin.

Mining traditions

St. Barbara’s Day celebrations are a moment to celebrate the mining traditions of the region and KGHM together. Their indispensable element is the spectacular parade of Lis Major, which culminates in the hide-jumping ceremony, the symbolic acceptance of the young workers into the mining community. St. Barbara’s day also means traditional miners' feasts, beer hall parties and ladies' get-togethers at ladies' feasts (comber).

When celebrating the Miners' Patron Saint's Day, it is also worth remembering the rich traditional symbolism associated with the mining community. The mining colours are black and green. The first is associated with the underground darkness and the second with the miner's longing for the green of forests and fields while working underground. The mining emblem is made up of a ‘perlik’ (hammer) and an ‘żelazko’ (short pickaxe), while miners’ weapons include an axe, an épée and a cutlass.

Central celebration of St. Barbara’s Day 2025

• Friday, 28 November

1:30 pm - St. Barbara’s official ceremony, awarding state decorations, jubilee distinctions and swords - City Cultural Centre in Głogów, 2 Konstytucji 3-go Maja Square

3:30 pm - Lis Major's parade and hide jumping ceremony (immediately after the official ceremony, the parade will set off from City Cultural Centre in Głogów towards the Market Square)

• Thursday, 4 December

6:00 am - Miner reveilles: Lubin, Polkowice, Głogów

8.30 am - Divine Liturgy service for the intention of miners and their families - Holy Trinity Orthodox Parish in Lubin, 13B 1 Maja Street

9:00 am - Solemn Holy Mass for the intention of miners and their families - Sanctuary of St. Maximilian Maria Kolbe in Lubin, 1 Św. Maximiliana Kolbego Square

1:00 p.m. - Ceremony at the Jan Wyżykowski monument in Lubin