Carol

The angel stopped and looked through Holy Mary's window:
Around the window are many flowers, and Holy Mary, without a care,
sits at the loom and embroiders.
The angel stopped and said, "Pochwalony. Welcome, beautiful Lady.
I came from a high place and I have big news for you.
You, Lady, will have a Son.
By God's grace, you are to be Queen of the Polish crown."
Jan Lechon, Koleda

The angel's greeting reflects an old Polish custom. Instead of saying "Hello" or "Good Morning," Poles greet each other with, "Niech bedzie pochwalony Jezus Chrystus" or "May Jesus Christ be praised." Sometimes a shortened version, "Pochwalony" or "Praised," is used. This custom is a testament to the centrality of Jesus Christ in the daily lives of Poles.

The artist places Mary in a typical Polish domestic setting. Lacy white curtains, common in Polish homes, hang at the window. Simple hollyhock and morning glories grow in abundance around the house. A dog and two cats add to the domesticity of the scene. The young Madonna with braids is dressed in the Polish style of fitted dark vest, white blouse, and multiple strands of beads. She embroiders a white eagle, emblem of Poland, on a red cloth. Immediately below the window are white lilies, a sign of the Annunciation. Nearby, the angel holds a crown in one hand, while a dove, symbol of the Holy Sprit, rests on the other hand.