PREPARING AN EASTER BASKET

[Olga Drozd]

Preparing An Easter Basket

Start with a straw basket.  It doesn't have to be elaborate, or it could be one that will be used yearly and become an heirloom.  Then you want to fill it with the Traditional Foods, cover it with a white cloth (linen dish towel, lace, etc.) or maybe an embroidered one that has been in the family for years and bring it to the Church on Holy Saturday to be blessed.

Here are the ten foods that will go into your Easter basket and their meanings:

SVIACHENE - BLESSED

PASKA - CHRIST RISEN

Christ is the living bread.  He is the "New Passover." The word "paska" means "passover," for Christ by His Resurrection passed over from death to life, freeing us from the bondage of sin.

BABKA - BLESSED MOTHER

Christ's mother must be remembered in the Easter foods; she was intimately involved with the passion and death of her Son. At the cross, Jesus" words:  "Behold your mother," are understood to mean she was made the mother of the living, sharing in Christ's salvific victory as she shared in His suffering.

BEETS - STAIN OF SIN

The red stain of beets symbolizes the stain caused by sin, which is washed away by Christ's victory over sin.

CREAM CHEESE - PURITY AND GOODNESS

Again it is the colour rather than the food which is important. Cheese symbolizes by its whiteness the purity and goodness of the soul without sin (opposed to beet red) This symbol can be applied also to Christ, whose resurrection was prefigured at the transfiguration, when "His clothes became--white, like snow."

BUTTER - BURIAL OINTMENT

Butter is often shaped into a lamb or small cross for Easter, for it symbolized the body of Christ, which was anointed with spices and aloes for burial, and which Mary Magdalene had once anointed in Bethany.  

PYSANKY - RESURRECTION

Pysanky, multi-coloured Easter eggs with symbolic designs, symbolize Christ risen from the tomb, just as an egg can have new life come from it.  The egg shell signifies the tomb of Christ, the egg whites symbolize the white linen in which Christ's body (the egg yolk) was wrapped.

Some eggs are hard boiled and unshelled.  This represents the new life of the glorious Christ.  A boiled egg has its shell removed so that it can be properly blessed. These are offered by the head of the household to family members on Easter morning, as a sign that we are partakers of the new life of the Risen Jesus Christ.

HORSERADISH - SUFFERING

Horseradish represents to us the suffering caused by sin.  

SALT - GOD'S GRACE

As salt flavours our food, so does the grace of God in our lives. We must never omit God's grace from our lives, if we are to be the "salt of the earth".

MEAT - JOYFUL CELEBRATION

Various meats are included such as ham (shynka), sausage (kovbasa) and some bacon (solonyna).  They represent the richness of God's mercy, a true reason to celebrate.

VINEGAR - GALL

Before crucifying Christ, the soldiers offered Him wine mixed with gall, but Christ refused.  Vinegar reminds us, then, to remain steadfast always in our faith.

Finally, your Easter basket is finished with the addition of.

A CANDLE - LIGHT OF THE WORLD

The candle, traditionally made of beeswax, is placed in the basket and lit during the blessing celebration.  It is symbolic of Christ, "the Light of the World' Who brought to us the good news of New Life.

COVER - SHROUD

The embroidered cover reminds us of Christ's shroud (white linen) and of our Baptismal robe.  Being cleansed with the Baptismal waters, we celebrate the joy of New Life.

The Easter Dinner would include all of the above Blessed Foods, plus a selection of the following:

Holubtsi - Cabbage Rolls
Mashed potatoes - gravy
Varenyky - Pyrohy
Vegetables
Salads
Studenetz - Jellied Meat
Tortes or Cheesecakes
Beverages