Viewfinder: Coal Miners Gather in Poland

Author:: Pacific Standard Staff
Publish date:: Dec 5, 2018

Coal miners from Poland's Pniowek coal mine carry a painting of Saint Barbara on Barbórka, their annual day of tribute to Barbara, from the mine to their local church on December 4th, 2018, in Pawlowice, near Wodzislaw Slaski, Poland. Barbara is the patron saint of coal miners, and every December 4th, miners across Poland celebrate her with a march, a religious mass, and a festive gathering. Coal provides about 80 percent of Poland's electricity. The mines, many of them in the region of Silesia in southern Poland, employ tens of thousands of workers. Meanwhile, the United Nations' COP 24 climate conference is taking place in nearby Katowice. — Coal miners from Poland's Pniowek coal mine carry a painting of Saint Barbara on Barbórka, their annual day of tribute to Barbara, from the mine to their local church on December 4th, 2018, in Pawlowice, near Wodzislaw Slaski, Poland. Barbara is the patron saint of coal miners, and every December 4th, miners across Poland celebrate her with a march, a religious mass, and a festive gathering. Coal provides about 80 percent of Poland's electricity. The mines, many of them in the region of Silesia in southern Poland, employ tens of thousands of workers. Meanwhile, the United Nations' COP 24 climate conference is taking place in nearby Katowice.
(Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Viewfinder is Pacific Standard's daily photo feature, showcasing one image from the news.

Police officers look on as Greenpeace activists hang from ropes after unfurling a banner outside the German embassy in a protest against coal on October 8th, 2018, in London, England. The stunt by the environmental campaign group came on the day that a report was released by the United Nations' top climate science panel calling for accelerated action to tackle climate change.

Police officers look on as Greenpeace activists hang from ropes after unfurling a banner outside the German embassy in a protest against coal on October 8th, 2018, in London, England.

A pilgrim arrives on his knees at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City during the annual celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, on December 12th, 2018. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims make the trip to the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe each year for the feast day.

A pilgrim arrives on his knees at the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City during the annual celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe, Mexico's patron saint, on December 12th, 2018.

Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal (right) and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier light Europe's largest menorah during a public lighting ceremony on the first night of Hanukkah, on December 2nd, 2018, in Berlin, Germany.

Rabbi Yehuda Teichtal (right) and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier light Europe's largest menorah during a public ceremony on the first night of Hanukkah, on December 2nd, 2018, in Berlin, Germany.

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Shoppers purchase sweets from a stall at the Manchester Christmas Market, which is spread across the city center in Manchester, northern England, on November 9th, 2018.

Shoppers purchase sweets from a stall at the Manchester Christmas Market on November 9th, 2018.

Revelers parade through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex, southern England, on November 5th, 2018, during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations. Thousands of people attended the annual parade through the narrow streets until the evening came to an end with the burning of an effigy or "guy," usually representing Guy Fawkes, who died in 1605 after an unsuccessful attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

Revelers parade through the streets of Lewes in East Sussex, southern England, on November 5th, 2018, during traditional Bonfire Night celebrations.