As we have approached the midpoint of Lent, many of us will begin to prepare for Easter. A Little Traditional Background: Blessing of the Easter Food Baskets on Holy Saturday or Easter morning is a tradition among Roman Catholic and Orthodox Christians of Eastern European, including Czechs, Croatians, Hungarians, Lithuanians, Poles, Russians, Rusyns, Slovaks, Slovenes and Ukrainians. Since Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians fast during Lent, not one morsel of this blessed food is eaten until after Divine Liturgy/Mass on Easter Sunday and, thus, becomes the traditional Easter breakfast. While tastes vary by region and family, the basket usually contains smoked meats, sausage, butter, cheese, bread, salt, cake and pysanky eggs. A candle is placed in the basket so it can be lit during the blessing. Some families tie a bow or ribbon around the handle of the basket. Finally, a richly embroidered cloth basket cover rests atop the food. Not one morsel of this food is eaten until after church services on Easter Sunday. As custom dictates, each member of the household must eat a sample of everything in the basket lest misfortune may befall them. Here are the staples of the traditional Eastern European Easter basket and each foods significance/symbolism: Butter (Maslo) - Butter is symbolic of the goodness of Christ, that we should emulate toward others. It can be shaped into a fancy lamb-shaped mold or simply packed into a glass container with cloves in the form of a cross studding the top. Bread (paska, babka, kolac) - The name paska came from the Jewish Passover feast known as pesach and from the Greek version of the word –- pascha. Paska is also the word for a round loaf of sweetened yeast bread / cake studded with orange and lemon peel and raisins. It is a symbol of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life. Paska bread usually features a dough braid around the perimeter, and a dough cross or other religious symbols on top. Sometimes a hole is left in the middle for a candle to be lighted at church during the blessing. Horseradish (chren, khren, khrin, hrin, chrzan) - Horseradish, especially mixed with grated beets, is symbolic of the Christs passion and blood he shed. The horseradish can be placed in a decorative bowl for inclusion in the basket. Hard Boiled Eggs (kraslica, krashanky, pysanky) - Hard-cooked eggs (dyed red or other deep vibrant colors) in the Orthodox Christian faith, and decorated elegantly using the wax-resist method are symbols of Easter, life, and prosperity, and Christs Resurrection from the tomb. Sausage (Klobasa, kolbasa, kovbasa, kielbassy) - Sausage, either fresh or smoked is symbolic of Gods favor and generosity. Ham or Lamb (jahňacie, vetchina, baranyna, shynka, šunka, szynka) - Ham is symbolic of great joy and abundance. Some prefer veal or lamb, which reminds Christians that the Risen Christ is the Lamb of God. Smoked Bacon (slanina, bekon, bochok, salo)- Bacon, with its great fattiness, is a symbol of the overabundance of Gods mercy and generosity. Salt (sil, sol) - Salt is a necessary element in physical life, it is symbolic of prosperity and justice and to remind us that people are the flavor of the earth. Cheese (ser, syr) - Cheese is symbolic of the moderation Christians should have at all times. Usually fresh dry curd or farmers cheese (not aged) is placed in the basket, but another type of cheese -- hrudka, also known as hrutka, sirok, cirecz, might be included. Candle (svitchka, swieczka) - A candle, which will be lighted in church at the blessing, represents Christ as the Light of the World. Easter Basket Cover - Traditions vary from family to family about what goes into the basket that is to be blessed on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday, but what seems to remain constant are the colorful ribbons and greenery, pussy willows or dried flowers attached to the basket as signs of joy and new life in the season of spring and in celebration of the Resurrection. The other must is the richly embroidered basket cover, that symbolizes Christs burial shroud, that goes over it. Its usually made of linen or other fine cloth that is embroidered with religious symbols related to the Resurrection and the celebration of Easter, and are passed down from generation to generation. A Ukrainian paska cover is similar to a rushnyk or embroidered towel except it has Easter/Christs Resurrection symbols on it. Khrystos Voskres!(Christ is Risen!), Voistyno Voskres!(He Is Truly Risen!)
Posted on: Sun, 23 Mar 2014 21:44:37 +0000
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