Last modified: 2009-10-09 by jarig bakker
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![[Osuchowa villageflag]](../images/p/pl-ma_oc.gif)
image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 14 Sep 2009
ceremonial flag, adopted 9 Aug 2009
Mazowieckie Voivodship - Ostrów Mazowiecka County - Ostrów Mazowiecka
Commune
Osuchowa is the oldest community of the White Forest (Puszcza Biała)
in the Region of Kurpie.
It is divided into two villages:
Stara Osuchowa contains the districts of Lipniki and Zastruze
Nowa Osuchowa made up of the districts: Wilkowa, Kapkas, Podborze,
Kobusówka, Kat and Gosciniec.
All is surrounded by the mighty White Forest (Puszcza Biała)
The oldest mention comes from 1203 making the villages over 800 years
old.
Nowa Osuchowa had the population of 459 (in 2007) and Stara Osuchowa
- 168 inhabitants.
Nowa Osuchowa is a destination of Marian pilgrimages due to the apparition
of Virgin Mary which occurred there in 1910.
It also has an old saloon - "Gosciniec Osuchowski" where one can eat
well and wash the meal with fine beer (Heineken included) but only in the
summer season. The rest of the year it is closed.
It just indicates that the villages are surely quiet ones - not much
hustle and other commotions.
On August 9, 2009, the citizens of both villages gathered after the
Mass at the Parish Church and voted for the best design of the Arms and
flag proposed by the
local artist - Robert Szydlik, who donated the designs, without compensation,
to the people of the village.
Mr.Szydlik is also an author of the Arms of the communes of Rząśnik,
Zabrodzie and Łąck,
among others.
The winning design was approved by the Heraldic Commission in Warsaw.
The Arms feature:
1. A lily - most often used Marian symbol. This particular lily differs
slightly from other lilies in the Polish heraldry, as it is taken from
the cloak of Virgin Mary as pictured on the famous image of Her in the
Jasna Góra (Bright Mount) Monastery in Czestochowa - Poland's holiest religious
site.
In Her apparition in 1910, Virgin Mary supposedly said She is coming
from Czestochowa.
2. Handle of the bishop's pastoral (=crozier) - symbolizing past ownership of the villages by the Bishops of Plock.
3. Mark of the bee-keepers - as honey makes an important part
of the local economy.
Additionally that symbol recalls the Cross of St.Peter - upside down,
just as the one on which St.Peter was crucified.
It also forms the monogram "P" corresponding to the names St.Peter
and St.Paul, both patrons of the Osuchowa Parish.
The Mark of the bee-keepers corresponds to the traditions of honey
making industry of White Forest (Puszcza Biała) and Osuchowa in
particular. It is based on the actual (and the oldest in the area) guild
mark of the master bee-keeper Jan Kulesza, who sealed his beehives with
it in the late 1600s and early 1700s.
4. the gold color of the bee-keepers' mark symbolizes the honey of the White Forest (Puszcza Biała).
5. the "River" ( a wavy ribbon) symbolizes the River Tuchelka and the apparition which happened on its shore.
6. the green color of the shield stands for the White Forest (Puszcza Biała) - main feature of the region.
The ratio of the Arms should be kept in range 11:10 (height to length)
but is not absolutely compulsory.
The colors (according to CMYK palette) are:
GREEN - C=100% M=0% Y=100 % K=0 %
YELLOW (GOLD) - C=0 % M=0% Y=100 % K=0 %
WHITE (SILVER) - C=0% M=0 % Y=0 % K=0 %
BLACK - C=0 % M=0 % Y=0 % K=100 %
The flag is a horizontal bicolor of white over green with the Arms placed
centrally on the white band.
A lot more at: <http://www.osuchowa.pl/index.html>
Chrystian Kretowicz, 14 Sep 2009
![[Osuchowa civic flag]](../images/p/pl-ma0oc.gif)
image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 14 Sep 2009
![[Osuchowa coat of arms]](../images/p/pl-ma}oc.gif)
image by Chrystian Kretowicz, 14 Sep 2009