Traditional easter basket

Traditional Easter Basket
Epiphany of the Lord Byzantine Catholic
Church Slavic Festival Presentation 2013
1

Background of the
Traditional Easter
Basket
• Pre-Christianity: Spring was eagerly awaited, greeted and
celebrated when it arrived. Various rituals were performed
because Spring in an agrarian society was the most important
season of the year. Rituals included: songs, group dances, the
baking of special breads, burning of fires, coloring eggs,
decorating pysanky and dousing with water.
• With the introduction of Christianity to Ukraine( 988 A.D.) and
other regions, the Church adopted many of these annual rituals
into the Christian holidays.
2

Background of the Traditional Easter Basket
(continued)
• The lively, beautiful and colorful
traditions, whether religious or
cultural, have been passed down
from generation to generation.
• Together, young and old
experience these joyous times,
sharing that which once
celebrated by their forefathers.
One of these cherished
experiences is the Traditional
Blessing of the Easter Basket.
3

Background of the
Traditional Easter
Basket (continued)
• The Easter Basket of special foods is arranged usually on Easter Sunday
and taken to church. A special blessing ceremony with prayers and
sprinkling with Holy Water is performed usually by the parish priest after
the Liturgy.
• In years past, what went into a food basket depended on the region one
is from, the family's preferences and even financial means.
• A special blessing ceremony with prayers and sprinkling with Holy Water
is performed usually by the parish priest after the Liturgy.
4

Background of the Traditional Easter Basket
(continued)
• This blessed food
prepared days before and
packaged usually on
Easter morning is not be
consumed until after the
Resurrection Liturgy on
Easter Sunday.
• The food in the basket
should be the only food
being consumed at the
family Easter Brunch,
which breaks The Great
Lent fasting.
5

The Traditional Easter Basket Presentation
This presentation shares
what most Slovaks,
Ukrainians and Russians put
in their baskets. Many
recipes are cross-cultural
since Slovak, Ukrainian,
Carpatho-Rusyn and Russian
cuisine has been influenced
by neighboring Poland,
Austria, the Czech Republic,
and Hungary.
6

What’s Included in the Traditional
Easter Basket
7
Contents of Basket

First, the Basket.
• The straw or wicker basket does not
have to be elaborate. You will be filling
it with traditional food.
8

Next, the Food Contents of the
• Pascha or Paska
• Butter
• Meat: Ham, Bacon, Lamb or Veal
• Sausage or kolbasi
• Horseradish mixed with beets
• Salt
• Colored Hardboiled Eggs
• Egg Cheese, Siretz or Hrudka
9

Pascha or Paska
• The Easter Bread, Pascha or paska is a sweet, round loaf of yeast
bread made of white flour, eggs, milk, raisins based with a golden
crust decorated with a symbol indicative of Christ. Sometimes a
cross of dough is placed on top encircled by a plait giving it a
crowned effect. It is symbolic of our Christ himself who is our true
bread.
• The antiquity of the paska as a ritual bread is evidenced by the
decorations which adorned the bread. In ancient times, the top of
the paska was covered with symbolic signs made of dough such as a
cross, solar signs, rosettes, leaves, pine cones even birds and bees.
The majority of these decorations were remnants of an ancient
pagan religion tied to the cult of the sun and bread.
10

Colored Hardboiled Eggs
• Eggs symbolize the emergence of new life. The eggs are colored
because of a tradition that says that Mary, the Mother of Jesus
wanted to take something to Pilate so he would not let Jesus be
crucified but all she had were some eggs. When Mary wept
when she saw Jesus was condemned, her tears dyed to eggs
into many different colors. The eggs are a sign of joy, reminding
Mary that her Son lives forever.
• Many eggs are brightly colored and decorated with symbols and
markings made with beeswax. These eggs are called pysanky
11

Butter or Maslo
• This favorite dairy product is
shaped into a figure of a
lamb or small cross. The
butter represents the Lamb
of God who was offered on
the altar of the Cross for the
life of the world.
• The butter reminds us of the
goodness of Christ that we
should have toward all
things.
12

Horseradish(Chrin or Khrin)
• Horseradish mixed with grated red beets is
symbolic of the Passion of Christ still in our
minds but sweetened with some sugar
because of the Resurrection. A bitter-sweet
red colored mixture reminds us of the
sufferings of Christ.
13

Meats
• Sausage(Kolbasi/Kovbasa): A spicy, garlicy
sausage of pork products indicative of God’s
favor and generosity.
• Ham(Sunka), Lamb (Jahňacie/Baranyna) or
Veal: Symbolic of the great joy and abundance
of Easter. The meat is fully cooked prior to
being placed in the basket.
• Bacon (Slanina or Bekon): A piece of uncooked
bacon cured with spices. Symbolic of the
overabundance of God’s mercy to us.
14

Meats (continued)
• The meat products in the basket symbolize the
sacrificial animals of the Old Testament; the true
sacrifice of our Savior, who became for us “ a
Lamb of God, taking away the sins of the world”.
• Meat products also symbolize the fatten calf. The
calf was prepared for the Prodigal Son
(representing fallen mankind) on his return to his
Heavenly Father.
• At Easter, we celebrate the return to God and our
joyous participation in the blessings of our Savior.
15

Salt or Sol
• Salt is a condiment necessary for flavor
reminding the Christian of his duty to others.
• Salt symbolizes the Truth of the message of
Christ. The teachings of Christ preserves our
eternal life.
16

Cheese (Hrudka or Sirets)
• This is a custard-type cheese shaped into a
ball having a rather bland but sweet taste
indicative of the moderation that
Christians should have in all things.
• This cheese and all the dairy products
remind us of the peace and prosperity of
the Messianic age. Metaphorically, the
milk and honey in the Bible signify wealth,
especially spiritual.
• Also, creamed cheese is placed in a small
dish and both are decorated with symbols
our of cloves or pepper balls.
17

Also in and on the
• Besides the special foods, the Easter Basket is also
decorated with greenery and flowers.
• If the origin of the family is from a wine growing area, a
sweet wine may be also included in the basket.
• Each wicker basket is covered with a linen cover usually
embroidered with a picture of the Risen Christ or symbol
with the words “Christ is Risen.” Many covers also include
a Easter motif of pussy willows and pysanky
• Each basket should have a blessed candle in it to be lighted
at the Blessing.
• Note that in some places a large Easter Bread is made and
brought separately in a large linen cloth.
18

Enjoy Your Easter Basket
• Preparing the traditional
Easter Basket is a
spiritually pleasure that
family and friends enjoy.
• And how sweet it is…
nothing tastes better than
the food in your basket
fasted from these foods
during the Great Fast,
especially Holy Week.
19

20
Christ Is Risen!
Indeed He is Risen!

• SOURCES for the Information Contained in this Presentation. The majority of the information in this
presentation is courtesy of Eastern Catholic Life and Epiphany of the Lord.
– Kraynyak, Basil. “How to Put Together a Traditional Easter Basket.” Eastern Catholic Life, Sunday,
April 15, 2001, p.9.
– “How to Prepare An Easter Basket,” Epiphany of the Lord, 2013.
– “Ukrainian Easter”, UkeMonde, http://www.ukemonde.com/easter/index.html, March 10, 2012.
– Ukrainian Traditions, BRAMA- Gateway Ukraine, http://www.brama.com/art/easter.html, 2013.
– Rolek, Barbara. “Traditional Slovak-Ukrainian-Russian Easter Basket for Blessing, Slovak-
Ukrainian-Russian Easter Breakfast.” About.com Guide,
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/slovakeastertraditions/tp/Traditional-Slovak-Ukrainian-
Rusyn-Easter-Basket-For-Blessing.htm.
• PHOTOS
– Epiphany Photos (Slide 6, 8, 10,11, 18 and 19) by Frank Kotula. Epiphany of the Lord Byzantine Catholic Church
website, http://epiphanyofourlord.org/photosvideo.html.
– Easter Basket (Slide 7) Eastern Catholic Life Traditional Easter Basket, Sunday, April 15, 2001, p.9.
– Food Products (Slide 12 and 14), Rolek, Barbara. “Traditional Slovak-Ukrainian-Russian Easter Basket for Blessing,
Slovak-Ukrainian-Russian Easter Breakfast.” About.com Guide,
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/slovakeastertraditions/tp/Traditional-Slovak-Ukrainian-Rusyn-Easter-
Basket-For-Blessing.htm.
– Linen Cloth (Slide 20) image from yevshan.com largest online Ukrainian store.
– Sirets Photo from allrecipes.com, (Slide 17), http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sirecz-easter-cheese/detail.aspx
– Kolbasi picture (Slide from 14) http://meatclub.in/projects/kielbasa.
– Horseradish (Slide 13 ) from food.com.
– Personal Photos (Slide 1, 2, 4, 5 and 18) taken by Terry Matlaga Bell.
21
ENDNOTES

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