Easter basket

For Christians God’s Resurrection is holiday from holiday, solemnity from solemnity». So everyone who believes in God try to visit church in Easter night. It resounds angel’s news about Chrisi’s Resurrection.Spring air is filled with paska (baked sweet bread with raisins). Sanctifying Easter basket is one of the traditions Easter night. It isn’t only national custom. Every product has own meaning and in any way connects earthy and supernatural.

Why Christians sanctify food ?

The custom of sanctifying food at Easter appeared in orthodox church in ХIV century For a long time bought to church only sheep baked from dough. In time Easter basket fills with another product. The tradition has got cultural wealth. After long Lent, Church blessses chrisristians for enjoying of all gifts of nature.Also don’t restrict yourself to food .

What should you put into the Easter basket

Most of hostesses try to put Into the basket as much as different products. According to the orthodox tradition here should be only those products which people didn’t eat during Lent. First of all symbol of life eggs– pysanky (painted eggs) or krashanka and paska from short- crust pastry. Also put into basket cheesy baked pudding, sausage, and leaf lard.

Paska is bread of evelasting life, sign of God’s kingdom. It’s also symbol of Chris who voluntarily suffered for saving mankind. According tradition it’s necessary to prepare paska as many as member’s family but only one big, common should carry to church.

Easter eggs. It’s separate page culture of our people making pysanky and krashanky. The egg from part of Easter meal became creator of art. Contest of krashanka goes back deep into centuries. When Maria Magdalena got known about Chris‘s Resurrection she hurried up to inform this news for imperator. The Saint according to tradition gave it by imperator. He replyed: «Sooner egg became red than dead is risen». Suddenly egg became red

Meat products such as ham, sausage and leaf lard dont have any spiritual mening . It’ s only symbol rich meal and joy for ma who restricted yourself during long Lent.

Another product . Also put into basket horse-radish and salt. Horse-radish is symbol endurance and power. Salt is sign of fullness on the table. It adds taste to food and is symbol connection between God and his people. Expect of above-mentioned products millet and poppy – seeds might be in the Easter basket.

Which products you shouldn’t carry to the church

It shouldn’t carry for sanctifying fruits and vegetables. It’s special time for it in church tradition. It shouldn’t put horilka (national alcohol drink ). It sholdn‘t carry a lot of paska and eggs. For religious considerations sanctified products don’t throw away. They should be eaten or be shared with poor people. In most of eparchies aren’t allowed to carry Easter basket with meat products to the church. It isnt forbidden because sanctifying is making outside.

How decorate Easter basket

In most regions of Ukraine Easter basket decorates with greneery as symbol of immortality. Trusted candle into the paska is obligatory atribute. It is switched on during liturgyЇ. It’s the purest victim for God. The wax from Easter candle it was supposed medicinal against all illnesses.

Basket is covered by embroidered towel. Symbols of it is variety - this is God’s tablecloth, cloth of Saint Maria and sign of hospitability. Any events In our ancestors’ life didn’t complete without towel.

The food from Eater basket which is sanctified during liturgy is eaten for soul’s salvation for corporal and spiritual health and for well- being in house. It’s possible to feel miraculous strength of Easter meal when meal was sanctified by pray of.