Strategies of Adapting to the COVID-19 Pandemic among Contemporary Pagan Groups in Kraków, Poland

Abstract

In the following article, I study strategies of adapting to the pandemic-induced restrictions among four different Pagan groups that operate in the city of Kraków––three represent the Slavic Native Faith movement and one modern Druidry. My conclusions are drawn from ongoing field research among contemporary Pagans of Kraków. The ritual modifications developed by the researched groups can be divided into three strategies: first, adjusting to the restrictions during actual rituals onsite; second, relocating rituals to the online sphere; and third, refraining from official public rituals, with secret small rituals instead. The first strategy seems to be crucial for my respondents, as they perceived only the rituals onsite to have “energy,” essential to the quality of the ceremony. The two other strategies were considered as a half measure.