The Polish community in Uzbekistan dates to 19th-century Russian Empire exiles and the wartime Anders' Army evacuees. The Polish cemetery in Samarkand is one of the most moving sites of Polish diaspora memory in Central Asia.
Burial on day 3, with a requiem mass. Days 9 and 40 each have their own mass. The central memorial day is November 1 — All Souls' (Wszystkich Świętych) — when families bring many votive candles (znicze) and white chrysanthemums; by dusk the Polish section becomes a sea of small lights.
On the grave: white chrysanthemums, votive candle lanterns, a simple wooden or granite cross. Care of the plot from the diaspora is usually 3–4 visits a year — November 1, the anniversary, and the deceased's name day or birthday.
We sync the visit schedule to the Catholic calendar — 9, 40, the anniversary, and the November 1 cluster — and we light votive candles and bring white chrysanthemums on the right dates.
Frequently asked questions
From 3–5 per family plot up to several dozen for a fuller display. Our standard November 1 package is 8 znicze plus a white chrysanthemum arrangement; extendable on request.
The main one is the Polish cemetery in Samarkand. Tashkent has Catholic sections in several city cemeteries; smaller plots exist in Andijan and Fergana.