It is more than a hundred years old, five hundred and twelve pages, and a heavily faded cover. And, a beautiful story alongside John Paul II. "Canteens with notes. Let's all go to the stable" – this is the title of the songbook that accompanied Karol Wojtyła in Krakow and then John Paul II at the Vatican. It traveled with nuns, who also ensured that everyone who caroled with their Bishop and then with the Pope had this extraordinary teaching aid in hand. They reportedly had fifteen copies of the book; so that anyone could use it.
The authors of the songbook in a short introduction argue that it is the "largest and most complete" collection of Christmas carols, which was printed in Poland. There you can find texts and notes of almost all Christmas carols and pastors sung in Poland at the beginning of the 20th century. Could a lover of caroling like John Paul II please himself with another songbook? I think he could - laughs the Archbishop. Because the Holy Father just did not need any songbook. In my time, it was he who sang all the Christmas carols and pastors from memory. He had a great memory. That is a fact. However, years of practice have also done their thing. And, about the Canteens... he once mentioned himself, although he did not mention the name of the songbook. "How many Christmas carols have Polish generations written!” – said during one of the meetings with Poles. There are such old books with 500, 600 pages of Christmas carols, of which even a very professional caroler can sing only a part. Because they are Christmas carols from different eras, they are Christmas carols from different regions and again some enormous wealth; some enormous wealth of expression.
With the consent of Archbishop Mieczysław Mokrzycki – "A place for everyone"
Znak Publishing House, Kraków 2013
