Wincenty of Kielce’s Report on Pagan Practices

The Polish priest, Wincenty of Kielce (Wincenty z Kielczy) (circa 1200 – circa 1262) in his Legenda sancti Stanislai  (aka Vita minor) wrote in 1230-1257 that:

“even till this very day, during feasts thrown by Slavs, one encounters pagan songs, hand clapping and [pagan] greeting toasts.”

“…Longas consessiones ad mensam non in usu habebat, nocturnas autem potaciones, cum esset uir sobrius, quasi ueneni poculum abhorrebat. Has enim introduxit uetus error gentilis et abusio praue consuetudinis. Vnde in conviviis Slauorum adhuc cantilene gentilium, plausus manuum mosque salutancium servantur usque in diem hodiernum…” 

Interestingly, the Slavic term pląsać meant the same as to clap hands. The similarity with words like applause is striking.