PASCHA AND PYSANKY AND THE PASSION.
By Mykhayl Dzula
Note: this page on the celebration of this feast is not as much concerned with what as with how and why. Easter or rather Pascha (Paska, Paskha) is the chosen and holiest of days, the principle of Sabbaths and royalty of all holidays. This is the festive feast, the solemnity of solemnities from which Christ is forever blessed (Resurrection Matins Ode 8 adapted). Any and all work on that day is considered inappropriate. Taking this in to account all these Easter Sunday’s festive foods are expected to be precooked and served without heating. Please read on for the hows and whys.
PASCHA AND PYSANKY AND THE PASSION.
PASCHA BREAD-MACHINE
BABKA BREAD-MACHINE
BEFORE BREAD MACHINES
PASCHA CHEESE
BUTTER LAMB
BLESS FOOD BECAUSE
BLESSING OF FOODS
BLESSING OF BREAD
BLESSING MEAT
BLESSING OF CHEESE AND EGGS
HOLY SATURDAY
PASCHAL SUNDAY
KOSHER
FOLK LORE OF THE EGG
FOLK LORE OF THE TEARDROP
FOLK LORE OF THE PYSANKY
FOLKLORE OF THE BLUSHED AND BLOODSTAINED
SHROUDING
RESERVED SACRAMENTAL
HOLY GARBAGE
PACKING
SERVING
RECIPE EVOLUTION
ST JOHN IN A VERNACULAR
PASCHA AND PYSANKY AND THE PASSION.
RECIPE EVOLUTION
PASCHA (Easter) BREAD from the bread machine to the oven. As Europe’s largest all inclusive country the foods for Pascha (Easter) in Ukraine vary not only from region but family to family. Pascha is the holiest of days being the first of the new Sabbaths, so no work is acceptable. The only food staple across the land is not which foods but how. All foods are prepared ahead and served in an unheated fashion on this “Great-day”. The closest to an indispensable food item from the central European mountains crossing Ukraine’s steppes and from the marshes down river to the Black Sea coast is a dairy enriched bread, called the same as the feast itself; “pascha / Pascha” (AKA “paska, paskha”). Although the ingredient amounts may waver the indispensable part of the recipe is the fact that it can only be called pascha if shaped into a round loaf. If the pascha bread is to be taken by the church for the Paschal blessing it is likewise marked, topped with a dough cross decoration, reminiscent of a large prosphora communion bun.
The decrease of the temperature reflects the old hearth oven method in which the oven itself cooled during the process. The optional dusting of the pans is reminiscent of the Jewish burial preparations used for Jesus, as the raised bread itself is to symbolizes the risen Christ. The cutting of the first blessed loaf is cut in accordance of the prescription for preparing the bread which is cut for communion hosts at the beginning of the Divine Liturgy (Mass). Here is a 21st. century rendition of this ancestral Paschal staple.
EASTER P A S C H A B R E A D by Marijka
(using a bread machine)
in your bread machine insert, layer in this order
medium 1 1/2 lb. large 2 lb.
milk 1 cup 1 1/3 cups
butter 4 tablespoons 8 tablespoons
eggs 2 3
sugar 6 tablespoons 1/3 cup
salt 1 1/2 teaspoons 1 3/4 teaspoons
white bread flour 4 cups 6 cups
dry yeast 1 1/2 teaspoons 2 teaspoons
set for dough only, NOT TO BE BAKED IN THE BREAD MACHINE
preheat oven to 400 degrees
grease the inside of two baking pans, rectangular for ordinary times, round for Easter
for Easter pascha dust the round pan’s bottom with your favorite ground spices: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, etc.
At the prescribed time, retrieve dough from bread machine
if too soft work flour into dough by kneading
divide dough into six parts if you are making regular loaf breads
roll three sections into 18” snakes, braid then set into pan, repeat with second set.
Cover pans with a towel, set in a warm place until doubled in bulk
mix egg yoke and 1/3 of white with 1 teaspoon of water
with a brush or fingertips smear mixture thinly and evenly over top of bread.
Place in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes,
lower temperature to 350 degree for an additional 15 minutes,
brush with egg glaze mixture again
bake for an additional 15 minutes.
when golden brown (like a paper bag, not chocolate) take out of oven
overturn, retrieve from pan pat bottom to hear if hollow sounding, if not put back in oven without pan for an additional 5 minutes
OR
divide dough into three parts if you are making round decorated Easter pascha bread work a part by rolling under within your hands until it forms a smooth top, place into pan, repeat on second put third portion aside in a cool place, covered with a towel for later cover pans with a towel, set in a warm place until doubled in bulk, with toothpick break any surface air bubbles.
For Easter pascha take the third portion, work in more flour until not tacky
divide into four sections, roll into snakes on top of each loaf crisscross two rolls evenly, crossing in center, overhanging rim with scissors split roll ends up center to 1 or 1 1/2” beyond pan rim.
Swirl outwardly and upwardly into pinwheels on either side of crossbar.
Mix egg yoke and 1/3 of white with 1 teaspoon of water
with a brush or fingertips smear mixture thinly and evenly over top of bread.
With a length of aluminum foil 5” longer then pan circumference fold horizontal in thirds, wrap pan’s rim with bottom section of foil collar, fold ends together tightly, loosely tucking bottom under rim (the collar should extend about 3” above the pan).
Place in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes,
lower temperature to 350 degree for an additional 15 minutes.
Remove foil collars,
brush with egg glaze mixture again
bake for an additional 15 minutes.
When golden brown (like a paper bag, not chocolate) take out of oven
with a knife run along rim of pan to break seal the egg glaze may have made overturn, retrieve from pan.
Pat bottom to hear if hollow sounding, if not put back in oven without pan for an additional 5 minutes, when done set on rack or thick towel to cool.
If to go to the Easter Paschal Blessing wrap in a white cloth or bread case and take it to the priest for the blessing.
The precedeing 21st. century rendition of this ancestral staple now uses a loaf bread machine as an easy mix and need solution. This old world hearth crust was developed with modification by Marijka Borszcz Jula.
PASCHA BEFORE BREAD MACHINES
From Vysova (Wysowa) Lemkivchyna at the turn of the XX century Olena nee Badarak (Dzula) Jula brought her knowledge of baking pascha bread passing it onto her daughter Dorothy (Theodosia) Jula of Carnegie, PA. A recipe of measurements was recorded by neighbor Karen nee (Campbell) Williams (Shaffer) ca. 1965, nearly mirrored the Traditional Easter Paska on page 332 in Savella Stechishin’s TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN COOKERY of 1957. Through trial and error modification this Old World classic was transposed for a bread machine version by niece in law Marijka nee Borszcz Jula formally of Berea Ohio. Here is Ms. Stechishin, grandmother of jazz pianist John Stetch’s 1958 version.
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
1 package dry granular yeast
3 cups scalded milk, lukewarm
5 sups flour
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tablespoon salt
9 to 10 cups sifted flour
Dissolve sugar in lukewarm water, sprinkle yeast on top, let stand 10 minutes. Combine with lukewarm milk and 5 cups flour, beat until smooth. Cover let rise in a worm area until bubbly. Mix in beaten eggs, sugar, melted butter, salt. Stir in enough flour until it is neither too stiff nor too soft then kneed until it no longer sticks to your hand becoming satiny. Cover let rise in a worm place until doubled in bulk. Punch down letting it rise a second time. Divide and shape into greased round pans, decorate with dough cross. Cover and set aside in a worm place allowing to double its size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrease. Brush surface with an egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water. Bake 15 minutes then lower temperature to 350 for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Avoid scorching top, if needed cover loosely with aluminum foil. Remove, retrieve and rest on a cooling rack.
BABKA in a tin can by Marijka.
Ukrainian babka recipe modified for bread machine by Marijka Jula.
(Ukrainian sweet soufflé style bread, similar to but not a Russian kulich).
1 1/3 c milk
11 T. butter mix and warm until tepid or put into microwave for 2 minutes.
Put the following six ingredients in the bread machine.
4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1 c sugar
1/3 t. salt
zest 2/3 lemon
2 t. vanilla
Add the milk and butter
Add in this order:
6 c. flour
Put yeast on top of flour
3 1⁄2 t. dry yeast
Set bread machine on dough cycle (2 hours)
Spray 1 lb. coffee cans (height needed) with cooking spray and dust with plain fine bread crumbs.
Fill cans with dough to half full and let rise in warm place until dough rises to the top of the can.
Brush top gently with
egg yolk beaten with 2 T. water.
Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, lower temperature to 325 and bake 20 min. Lower temp again to 275 for 15 min.
When done jerk can up and down until bread moves, slide out putting on a rack to cool.
Simple powered sugar icing made with lemon juice can be poured over the top dome allowing to drizzle down the sides. Makes a good candle (taper) holder for your basket or table centerpiece. Cut horizontally in circle slices, stack with the top piece acting as a lid to deep slices from drying out.
Schedryk (Spring Solstes or Lady’s New Year) DOUGH BIRDS by Marijka
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Take ½ oz. of bread dough
3. Roll the dough into a long thin roll 6” long
4. Make a simple knot
5. Cut “tail” from end resting on table (or the end coming from the bottom
of the knot) using a sharp knife
6. At the top end pinch a “beak” between fingers
7. Let tray of birds rise for 20 minutes in a warm place
8. Brush birds lightly with egg yolk whipped with 2 tablespoons water
9. Bake for 20 minutes (ovens vary – with the first batch, bake for 15 minutes and check to adjust time if needed)
With the old hearth ovens one would make a sign of the cross with your hand in the oven space. This was done not only to sanctify the space but to test the temperature. If this action could not be completed the temperature was too hot and the dough would burn.
After cooling today, bag in plastic and refrigerate. Cut into half, place cut side down to deep from drying and cut into slices. If bread becomes dry by Easter Monday or so toast it and serve buttered.
SAINT YURY’S (Lviv) CHEESE PASCHA by Mykhayl
Customarily an Easter breakfast favorite that migrated westward across the Ukrainian Steppes to the seat of indigenous Ukrainian’s cultural center; Lviv. Originally a simple Rusyn recipe of honey sweetened curd cheese custard drained in a suspended cheese cloth went through a metamorphosis. Sugar was refined in Persia but took twelve hundred years before the Arabs brought it to Europe in the 8th century, never the less it was expensive and honey had given the Rusyn lands of current day Ukraine the nickname “the beehive”. At the hands of imported French chefs in the Muscovite court further refinements continued. This cross cultural pollination was common as seen with a Parisian fragrance Cuir de Russie inspired by “the scent of leather against whet silver birch bark” which dates to the end of the 19th century. Coco Chanel told HARPER’S BAZAAR that “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance”. Her 1922 release Chanel No. 22 is classified as a floral-aldehyde with notes of white flowers, its top note is aidehyde with middle notes including rose with CBase notes of vanilla, and incense. It has been called an old-fashioned floral with a hint of lilac. With the influx of Tsarist court immigrants on the Persian scene after the Bolshevik Revolution it became instantly popular. It is said Chanel 22 does not fight with a pungent atmosphere as incense at church.
The French chefs took the comon cheese curd custards and riced it and laced it with aromatic flavors molding it into an Egyption tomb pyramid shape regularly presented as a Easter breakfast centerpiece. Often it is surrounded by organic russet “blood stained” eggs boiled with dried onion skins for color. In Ukraine like a church belfries a cylindrical soufflé babka bread sits next to this cheese holding a lighted taper candle from the Resurrection Matins. The one is spread on the other symbolizing the cheese as the soul and the bread the body of the risen Christ with red eggsm as His blood.
Combine:
1/2 dozen eggs; 1 whole & 5 yokes
1⁄2 pound (2 sticks/4 oz) butter softened
1⁄2 cup (4 oz) honey
1 cup granuated sugar (do not substatute confectioner’s sugar)
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
1 cup (8 oz. package) cream cheese softened
2 pounds farmer’s cheese, (OR 40 oz dry cottage cheese softened, OR ricotta cheese put into tea towel and squeezed dry than riced through a ricer, colander, sieve or strainer)
Blend at room temperature (or beat in mixer) until smooth.
Heat in saucepan (double boiler preferable) constantly whisking until first bubble appears (180 degrees to cook eggs, do not allow to reach a rapid boil or scorch from the bottom). Remove from heat.
Wisk in:
1 cup finely chopped (if using a food processor sprinkle with a pinch of flour so you do not get a peanut butter consistency) blanched almonds, (OR walnuts, OR pistachios). Roasting the nuts will enhance their flavor.
1 teaspoon zest (surface color not white pulp) of lemon, (OR orange, OR lime). 1 (.32 oz.) package of vanilla sugar, (OR 1 teaspoon pure (good) vanilla).
Wooden pyramid mold with draining holes, (OR smooth plastic flower pot with bottom drain holes, OR a cheese cloth bag).
Cheesecloth
Pam cooking spray
Line wooden mold with dampened cheesecloth, if using a plastic mold or pot or even metal sieve spray sides with Pam Cooking Spray. If cheesecloth is used for a liner it too can be sprayed with Pam.
Ladle ingredients into mold so cheesecloth does not bubble away from sides of mold. Reserve 1 cup of mixture for later. Place mold on bowl or deep plate to catch bottom drainage and refrigerate at least 4 hours. After it cools, approximately an hour there will be a concave well formed on top. Pour remaining cup of mixture into well/hole, empty bottom runoff drippings from bowl receptacle then replace all in a cool place. Refrigerate. If using just a cheese cloth bag pour into one end, twisting excess cloth and hang from over counter cupboard held in place with a heavy can as it drains over bowl. When solidified keep refrigerated. Other food aromas can taint the cheese pascha’s subtle integrity.
Turn mold or pot upside-down on serving plate, set aside until cheese drops. OR remove bag by skinning bag inside out. To store soak cheesecloth in milk and cover pascha to retard drying and hardening. Keep refrigerated. If your transport and wait for the Pascal food blessing will not be timely you may wish to pack frozen.
Serve by ladling onto a slice of babka bread, pascha bread or pound cake (cheesecake spread). Spread, eat and enjoy.
BUTTER LAMB We can trace molded chocolate lambs to Germany and molded sugar lambs to Poland. The carved butter lambs as we known them are unknown in Europe. The oral history may have died out during the Soviet persecution, or it may have developed here. In the North Eastern US where they are commonplace there are no eye witnessed to this folk art earlier than the 1950’s. As this is when the Blue Bonnet brand of margarine was introduced to the US market in a four stick pound, soon to became a standard packaging for butter and margarines it is plausible. We may entertain carved butter lambs are a North American development in a brief thaw of North American Eastern Christian preservation. Colored crayons were being melted and applied with a straight pin stylus onto white egg shells in the dot and pull method back then. This multicolored waxed on white egg style disappeared within a revival for authenticity in the post-Vatican II 60’s, but the carved butter lambs persisted. The endurance may be because it really wasn’t an Old Country unalterable craft. The molded style lamb was a 1970’s Leemar merchandising promotion along with pysanky shrink egg-n-wraps.
¼ lb. stick of butter refrigerated
3 whole cloves
butter knife, fork
paper, pen, cellophane tape, toothpick and scissors
While at a cold consistency unwrap a 1/4 lb stick butter.
From one end cut 1/8” to ¼” thick pat, set aside.
From the two top corner edges cut triangle strips along entire stick length. Set aside. From an end view this should appear to be about 1/3 of a corner depth. Set aside.
From each end cut 1/3 strip off, discard. Remaining stick should have a “emerald” or “coffin” shape.
Cut “emeralds / coffin” stick in half.
Rotate left half up standing onto inside end, turn so “top” now faces you. Slide right half to meet the left upright half. Upright left stick meeting right reclining stick should make a “L” form.
On upright left half inset cloves at each front top corner making eyes, remaining clove inset in-between slightly lower for snout.
Take previously set aside pat and cut from opposite corners making two triangles. Set triangle at left top corner of upright behind right eye forming a concave crescent ear. Take other triangle and set at right top comer completing the set of ears.
With fork make short, quick swirls over body in a fleecing effect, avoiding face and ears. Fleece buildup can be applied from fork onto ear tips.
Taking one triangular strip cut in half, with one half wrap around base of left upright from left side back forward and around front corner going towards right making a front leg.
Remaining half strip put on right reclining side at the top back end, down right side to base curling forward and around front reclining corner to the left making tail and back leg.
Cut a pennant from paper, draw a cross in center, turn upside down.
Place toothpick in center of pennant, secure with tab of tape.
Inset toothpick into front center of lamb body with cross flag at top.
Can be slid into pound butter box for transportation or set on top of a bowl of butter. You may wish to freeze before transporting to the Pascal food blessing.
BLESS FOOD BECAUSE…
The blessing of Paschal foods among the descendants of the Slavic immigrants brought the appearance of the Easter basket as a custom to North America. Stemming from a central European Christian Tradition which is no older than a few hundred years old in its development. It really does not matter if the basket contains primarily confections, finger foods or comfort foods. Today the important thing is to bring your offerings for the joy of Easter by the church to be sanctified as your family Paschal observance. This being one of the treasurers our immigrant pioneers found solace in they could entrust to us as our legacy.
The return of the birds provided for a welcoming custom of hanging bird shaped breads in the trees. Talismanic decorated orbs of eggs and rounds of breads were presented for the first kiss by the sun as it woke on the Equinox morn. The sun may get the credit but it is the moon which determines the date of Pascha, originally entrusted to Alexandria to tabulate; the first Sunday after the primary full moon following the Vernal Equinox. This provided for a renewed scientific study in astrology. Today this jockeying of dates seams to have successfully stifled the commercial materialism of this festival at bay, unlike Christmas whose date is a perpetual predictable annual merchandising event.
In agrarian Europe the Solstes and spring was associated with many symbols of rebirth such as the egg. Although the egg was found in the Pyramids the Indo-Aryan peoples of Europe communed with the cosmos through their intimacy with the earth. Many customs went beyond food, as the fashioning of their music in song and dance spiriting their psyche. The dance of the sun across the heavens provided the bases of many of these motifs of spring, especially in the pageantry of these dances called “hiylky”. This meeting of winter and summer marked with the equalizing of dark to light is celebrated in tandem with the alpha and omega of the Incarnation; the solar Annunciation and lunar Resurrection. Both events was heralded by an angel and neither eliminates the other if coincide.
In the Slavic lands the worship of the sun-god “Dazhbo” organically refocused into the enlightenment of the Sun of God; Christ. Refugees from the Iconoclast persecution migrated north out of Byzantium. Pysanky and krysanky color decorated eggs along with tall cylindrical babka breads and round loaves of pascha bread were baptized for the celebration of the Resurrection. From THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE, Parma 1996 page 6 – 7 we find:
BLESSING OF THE ARTOS (archaic Greek for any yeast bread). Deacon: “Let us pray to the Lord”.
All: “Lord have mercy”.
Priest: “Almighty Lord and God, through Your servant Moses during the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and the liberation of Your people from the bitter bondage of Pharaoh, You commanded a Lamb to be slain, thereby foreshadowing the Lamb voluntarily slain for us on the cross – Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, the lamb who takes away the sin of the whole world. Humbly we ask You (+ hand) look upon this bread, bless and sanctify it (+ incense). For we, Your servants, offer it to You in memory of the glorious resurrection of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have been released from the age old enslavement of the enemy and the hitherto unbroken bonds of hell. Having attained to freedom and a transference from death to life, we bow before your majesty on this great day of Pascha, the most glorious day of salvation. Make all of us who offer, revere, and taste this bread, partakers of Your holy blessing. By your power cast away all pain and sickness from us and grant all of us good health. For You are the source from which all blessings flow, and You are the healer, and we give glory to You, the eternal Father, together with Your only-begotten Son, and Your most holy, gracious and life-giving Spirit, always now and for ever and ever”.
All: “Amen”.
Priest: “This artos (bread) is blessed and sanctified (+ water) by the sprinkling of this holy water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.
All: “Amen”.
The artos bread is often covered with an inverted, concaved plate upon which an icon of the resurrected Christ is depicted. Sometimes a carved stamp of such is imprinted onto a central loaf which is at times surrounded by prosphora buns before baking. After its blessing the artos bread it is housed on the tetropod (a central nave sacramental table) it is available to all for venerate, usually with a kiss. This artos is cut and distribution on St. Thomas Sunday (Sunday after Easter). It has become customary in the Americas on this Sunday or the next for the parish to come together for a communal meal sharing blessed foods, either parish provided or pot luck. Unlike on “Velikden” (Great-day or Easter) when all work is unacceptable, here the foods may be wormed. As a First Wave (immigrant) culinary influenc blessed foods became ingredients in other dishes. This groupe were known to pack a weeks worth of provisions in their Paschal baskets for the blessing. Often this eighth day “Sviachene” brunch follows the Sunday’s Divine Liturgy starting with the distribution of the artos bread. Family style plates of Paschal breakfast coldcuts; hardboiled eggs, ham, garlic sausage and horseradish relish customarely follow. Lunch is next offered with a dinner of such crowed pleasers as roasted lamb, primr rib, stuffed cabbbage rolls or the like.
It is customary to visit the graves of ancestors around certain holidays. Most cemeteries were kept close to the parish temple where the spirits were believed to have passage between worlds and through past, present and future ages. When prayers are offered in church as a requiem for family members it was customary to share with the living kolyva, a memorial porridge dating into the murky history of classical Greece. Often round enriched yeast breads called kolach in Ukraine are brought by relatives in groups of odd numbers: one, three, seven which is opposite to the custom of flowers numbering in even groups for the deceased and odd numbered groups for the living. Often these breads are taken to the grave and even accompanied with fruits and vegetables as the family and friends share a picnic with the spirits. On important holidays sausages and specialty dishes were included so the spirits would not feel isolated in their journey to the afterlife. A cloth is spread over the grave and delicacies arranged for the enjoyment of both worlds come out of their baskets. In the diaspora this has in strong communities evolved into a pilgrimage gathering featuring grave side requems and finger food socialising.
Considering these blessings and the personal festive food customs we agree with the investigation of Father George (Monsignor Appleyard). Investigations of the custom has lead to a counter reformation reaction to prolonged purging of the pleasures of the flesh, that was once vogue in Central Europe (take a map of Europe fold in half east to west) where rampant where the east meat the west. A personal revival of Christianity in the lives of the common people was brought about through the initiation of our martyr Father Jan Hus’ (1369 + 1415), an internal Western Church (often bi-ritual) reformer. Claimed later by Protestant movements of the 1700s his reforms were refashioned in accordance with their agenda. The Bogomil or Moravian and Bohemian Brethren missionaries, that is to say self taught scripture teachers from amongst primarily agricultural university students went into the far off villages and remote hamlets to share the Word if God with all. Europe was still recuperating from the Black Plague and trained clerics were reserved for the more populated centers, a rarity in many of the backwoods areas. This commendable activity brought some curious circumstances. One troublesome distortion was to what end God was so wholeheartedly pleased with their Lenten “fast” of abstinence and denial of the pleasures of the flesh. The people were encouraged to resist feasting during Pascha (Easter). Such acts resulted in self-induced malnutrition developing to epidemic proportions with innumerable deaths, as if resulting from a natural famine disaster though not as devastating as the 1932-33 Soviet genocidal famine in Ukraine.
Some long forgotten Eastern Rite, or maybe it was a Western Church village priest frustrated with performing numerous funerals. This frustration was obviously compounded with the dead brought down from the mountains and in from the hinterlands for “Christian burial”. These deaths from malnutrition were avoidable unlike in the Irish potato famine. As Christ commanded of His disciples “Go and make preparation for us to eat the Passover”(Luke 22:8), as today on Easter people came from all over to attend church receiving the sacraments on Pascha and to feast. Seeing these pilgrims carrying picnic baskets rather than corpses our unknown pragmatic priestly hero walked amongst his people. Mused he pastorally carried a bucket of holy water blessing their baskets packed with their breakfast favorites for after their reception of Holy Communion. He possibly said to the effect of; “Your foods are bless with the sprinkling of holy water in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Holy things are for the holy, go and break the bread distributing it consuming these foods now made ritually holy. Remember that which Saint John (Chrysostom) preached; feast for Christ is risen!” so forth and so on.
After receiving Holy Communion the pilgrims may have stopped by great grandmother’s to share their faire. Living long enough to assume the mantle of the clan’s matriarch gifts as pascha bread and kovbassa sausage would have been benevolent to one who had completed a half-century life span so far. To enhance their presentation the story of the priest’s blessing of their food would surely have been told. This story would in turn be retold and repeated into the next year. The town’s people now packed their picnic baskets so that their foods would also be blessed with the visitors for Pascha. The parishioners of neighboring churches both Catholic and Orthodox insisted their priest followed the hollowed custom so they could feast on blessed foods also. Not to be outdone the larger town’s parishes and even the major city’s cathedral followed the now status quoi of this now indispensable Tradition of blessing and eating sanctified foods for Pascha.
These Paschal food blessing’s grew organically from the grassroots out. This Holy Tradition may have been started by some forgotten, obscure, pragmatic holy father but was organically embraced and perpetuated by the people themselves. This practice spread naturally amongst both Orthodox and Catholics migrating from the old Bulgarian spice routes across western or Red Ruthenia through the central Golden Steppes to eastern or Blue Rus’ and from the southern Black Sea shores north to White or Belo Rus’. Centuries later this custom would be transplanted to the Reformer’s promise land; America. Like the cult of Bishop Saint Nicholas the blessing of Paschal foods was transported in the people through the Holy Sprit to reset abuses from unbridled Reformation fanaticism. Bishop Saint Nicholas is no longer a synonymous substitute for Santa Clause, and Easter which we call Pascha or “Velykden” (the Great-day) is reinstated as the supreme holiday of all holy days mystically eclipsing Christmas marketing.
PASCHAL FOOD BLESSING TODAY The blessing of foods for Pascha if at all possible is not celebrated in the church building like the prescribed blessings of salt, fruits and herbs. Instead on the church lawn where the custom probably started, or some other appropriate public meeting place is used. Often a five aisle route develop. A central passage for the priest and his ministers carrying processional crosses, fans and banners is flanked by the baskets of food with lit candles and bundles of bread. The owners stand just beyond yet unable to escape the sprinkling of the holy water.
Prayers found in THE DIVINE LITURGY an Anthology for Worship, Met. Andrey Sheptytsky Institute Ottawa 2004 Pages 1113 – 5, on page 1113 we reads:
BLESSING OF FOODS
Priest: “Glory to your holy, consubstantial (equally the same), life-giving and undivided Trinity, always, now and for ever and ever”. All: “Amen”.
IF ON HOLY SATURDAY Anticipated Resurrection (simply vested, bright (white) color over raza (cassock)
tone 2 “When You went down to (the debts of) death, O Life Immortal , You struck Hades down with the blazing light of Your divinity. When You raised the dead from the nether world, all the powers of heaven cried out; “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!” THRICE (may be done in collation with the inclusion of native languages) is suggested.
IF ON PASCHAL SUNDAY itself after sundown Saturday (fully vested, bright (white) color, in a familiar tone of celebrant’s discretion: “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life”. THRICE (may include combination of customary languages).
BLESSING OF BREAD One may note it unusual that there are no collations between Christ and bread here. When this practice was developing another distortion of perceptions concerning the Eucharistic "metousiosis" (transubstantiation) was that the body (meat) and blood of Christ was turned into bread and wine so the people could eat of it.
Deacon: “Let us pray to the Lord”.
All: “Lord have mercy”.
Priest: “O Holy Master, Father almighty, pre-eternal God; be pleased to sanctify (+ with cross or hand fashioning IC XC monogram) these breads by Your holy and spiritual blessing, so that it might be unto salvation of soul as well as bodily health for all who eat of it. May it also protect against all illness and every attack of the (evil one) enemy. Through the mercy and compassion of Your only-begotten Son, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with Whom You are blessed together with Your all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever”.
All: “Amen”.
CHECK LIST: pascha AKA pascka or paska marked with a decorative cross topper, egg enriched leavened round loaf. Previously pascha was wrapped in a square white shroud fastened from diagonal corners tied on top with interlocking square-knots as one intoned “The Noble Joseph”. For transportation another option is tandem “pillow” cases attached together at the top back hem so to carry flung over the shoulder on a long hull. Babka a egg yoke enriched soufflé bread baked in a tall can. A candle taper is often inserted accompanying in a basket the a pyramid shape molded sweetened cheese spread also known as (cheese) pascha, surrounded by eggs often boiled with the dry skins of the onion to produce a bloodstain tinted shell. This represents the risen Lord, light from light. The bread His risen, glorified human body, cheese spread Jesus’ sweet divine soul and eggs the blood spilt as the sacrificial incarnate Lamb that was broken and divided now all amalgamated to nourish us at the Resurrection’s break-fast.
Back to THE DIVINE LITURGY an Anthology for Worship, Met. Andrey Sheptytsky Institute Ottawa 2004 page 1114.
BLESSING OF MEAT
Deacon: “Let us pray to the Lord”.
All; “Lord have mercy”.
Priest: “O Lord Jesus Christ our God, look upon these various meats, and sanctify them as You sanctified the ram, which Abraham, the faithful one brought to You, and the lamb which was offered to You by Abel as a total offering of his fruits. Sanctify them also as You sanctified the fatted calf, which You ordered to be slain for Your prodigal son when he returned to You, so that just as he was made worthy to enjoy Your goodness, we too might delight in these foods that You have hallowed and blessed to nourish us all. For You are the true Nourishment and the Bestowed of good things, and we render glory to You, with Your Father Who is without beginning, and Your all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever”.
All: “Amen”.
CHECK LIST: Ram & Lamb: lamb or a lamb shaped of butter or molded sugar or chocolate in a lamb form. Fatted Calf: usually veal or roast beef. Various meets, not subject to mosaic law; (Canadian) bacon, ham, and pork roast. The ever popular links of kovbasa garlic sausages are favorites. Originally shunned the casing roll contained the wild boar which was a pagan forest spirit. Fish was also avoided but as a Lenten festal fare, today amongst vegetarians smoked salmon is developing popularity. A Lemko folk directive states poultry was to be avoided because it was the chicken which scratched up the nails used to crucify Christ. Medicinally pure clarified grease was skimmed from the meat juices and ladled into a small container as “Velykodniy mast” (Greatday save) to be used as an ointment on burns and dry rashes throughout the year.
Back to THE DIVINE LITURGY an Anthology for Worship, Met. Andrey Sheptytsky Institute Ottawa 2004, Page 1114
BLESSING OF CHEESE and EGGS
Deacon: “Let us pray to the Lord”.
All: “Lord have mercy”.
Priest: “O Master, Lord our God Creator and Builder of all things: (+Incense) bless these milk products along with these eggs, and preserve us in Your boldness, so that partaking of them we may be filled with Your gifts, which You, because of Your unspeakable goodness, bestow on us so ungrudgingly.
For Yours is the dominion , and Yours the kingdom, the power and the glory, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and always and for ever and ever”.
All: “Amen”.
Priest: “These foods are (+ water) blessed and sanctified by the sprinkling of this holy water and the grace of the Holly Spirit, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”.
All: “Amen”.
CHECK LIST; Milk products; curds and whey as dry cottage cheese riced and pressed into cakes, or the leftover egg whites from bread molded into a white custard cake, or a farmers cheese mixture with butter, eggs and sometimes honey cooked and molded into a cheese cakes. Batiked eggs as raw or living pysanky for magic in the decoration of graves and given as gifts to loved ones (or suitors), while others hardboiled with onionskins for a coloration depicting bloodstains. The wax resist “tear drop” dyed eggs are reminiscent of the first ones made attributed to the Mother of God. Although many of these ancient egg motifs have developed talismanic meanings non have ever been attributed to negative venues (Amish hex signs). The living eggs were often placed under thresholds and in the thatch roofs for magic as their slow decomposition gave off a subtle aroma of decay which repelled snakes and rodents.
As each basket is individually blessed (incensed and sprinkled) and during the “kissing of the cross” upon exiting the following may again be sung. IF ON HOLY SATURDAY tone 2;
“When You went down into (the depths of) death, O Life Immortal , You struck Hades asunder with the blazing light of Your divinity. When You raised the dead from the nether world, all the powers of heaven cried out; “O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory to You!” (Repeats may include other languages as it is reiterated many times as necessary.) IF ON PASCHA SUNDAY in common tone of celebrant’s choice
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling death by death, and to those in the tombs giving life”. (Repeat in various languages as many times as necessary.) At the dismissal the celebrant adds the refrain
“And to us He has granted life eternal;” to which is the people affirm with the refrain “We bow before His resurrection on the third day”
A dismissal may be added at the conclusion with the main celebrant offering the cross to kiss sometimes followed with the Gospel Book, Artos Bread or an icon of the Decent into Hell by associates. If the clergy wish to encourage the long honored custom of offering a basket for gifts one may follow. They should not be surprised if pascha breads or pysanky eggs are not given by some in lure of a monetary holiday tip.
KOSHER CHECK LIST: Passover: “kosher for Passover” wine, (kosher) salt (used through the year for seasoning and especially medicinally often as a wormed drawing component), lamb, roasted (more likely boiled) eggs, bitter herbs as horseradish root and/or radishes (often carved into rosettes) with parsley (as a packing decoration). Matzo is replaced by the risen breads. Honey is saved to be served as the opening of the Christmas, First Blood (Circumcision) and Theorphony Eve’s Holy Suppers. Natural horseradish root is blessed so it can be later shaved or grated over the quartered hard boiled eggs as the first item served on Easter morn. Not taken (there are some that do saying they are purifying it) is grated horseradish often with beets as a relish condiment because it requires vinegar, reminiscent of the mixture with gall refused by Christ on the cross (Psalm 69:21, Matt 27:34). An oddity often found at the blessing include keys for Christ shattered the locks of bondage. Blessed gold or silver keepsake coins are reused year after year for magic, so you will always have money. Once blessed it is Simony (improper) to spend as they are holy, so you keep them to reuse them, thus always having money. Knives are not really blessed but often present to carve foods on the way home for the impatient.
It should be noted after the Holy Shroud is draped over Christ’s tomb in church a service called Jerusalem Matins is chanted. The music used from Galicia is an influence of the local Jewish “caddish”, that being there wake melodies amalgamated with the lamentations of the Mother of God. It is recorded in travelers journals they saw in Lviv local Jews going to church to help sing this service. This assumption is very questionable, a (Fiddler On The Roof) masquerade by local parishioners is more likely. The clergy and assistants are seated on stools reclining on pillows. Ten men are required usually dressed in a white shirt, black cloths and a fedora. A single candle lamp is light in their midst while women wear hats to complement the men. After round foods (cooked eggs, or apples, oranges etc) are distributed for nourishment to the mourners.
An Americanization as with the white headscarves (hoostka / duct-tail) of the women’s folk dress when replaced by silkscreen printed kerchiefs, which came as presents from the New World diaspora to relatives back home. The simple white basket covers are now embroidered with incantations, crosses, decorated eggs, church cupolas, cherubs and even Latin alphabet lettering for “KHRYSTOS VOSKRES!” becoming a normal North American folk art form, which is now common in post-Soviet persecution countries as Ukraine and Slovakia.
Due to the Soviet persecution in the mother-land North America has some of the oldest organic “domestic church” customs, especially in regards to Paschal food blessing. These stem from their preservation of the old ways contributing to their safeguarding orthodox authenticity. Nothing seemingly evolved here just simply retained in the fashion of “it was Baba’s (Granny’s) way and that is good enough for my way,” even to the flaw.
Taking Ukraine, Europe’s largest all-inclusive country the only standardization of the Paschal faire is not what but how. As no work is acceptable on the Great-day, everything is served as if for a Sabbath dinner, precooked with no reheating. These blessed foods are wormed for serving later with other entries during the rest of the Bright Week’s meals.
FOLKLORE OF THE PYSANKY EGG as the primal ancestors saw these decorated orbs as mystic links. These decorated eggs are called “pysany” meaning scribed with talismanic magic. Their mere existence tethers the dragon of evil to his murky cave in the underworld of man’s psyche. It is said the rise of Stalin was aided by the apathy of this folk art amongst the people thus the waning of pysanky production. For what other reason can one analise how one man can in one year starve a quarter of the inhabitants of Europe’s breadbasket? It is also said the revival of the pysanky craft by the Ukrainian diapora in the New World was enough to stifle this Evil Empire from complete genocide in conquering the Old Country.
EASTER EGGS: Using a wax resist process this format can simply be achieved by dripping wax from a candle onto the eggshell. The “teardrop” wax runs will prevent the wax covered part of the shell from accepting color in a dye bath. To control the wax flow pattern a twig of blessed puss willow is often used, which later gave way into the use of a wooden matchstick, then to a small nail by those so prosperous. Now a straight pin inserted into the end of a wooden Shaker clothespin or wooden pencil. Whichever was used is dipped into molten (liquid) bees wax and applied onto the shell. The basic motif is a dot encircled by dashes. A dot is used to direct this primal design. After the initial dot is placed another dot is laid an inch or so beyond then drawn into the first dot forming an exclamation mark. Another is set next to the first, then a third rotating around the first dot until it looks like a rosette of dashes circling the first dot (sky firework display explosion). Dip, dot, dip, dash, dip, duplicate, dye, dry, delight.
PYSANKY: From the Friday market crowed a pilgrim from Cyrene left his basket of Passover groceries to help Christ in carrying His cross. Afterwords this Simon thought it a miracle he found his basket and untouched. While unpacking his Passover provisions he marveled that the eggs were transformed with interlocking patterns of colors incasing the orb’s shells.
Another dye resist method requires a funnel stylus called a “kistka”; to direct the wax flow. This control of the wax forms a line so boarders are drawn in outlines on the eggshell. Through a succession of dye baths ranging from shades of lightest to darkest hues, each are covered in sequence secession with wax to resist subsequent color baths. When the shell is in a color all to be kept that color must be covered at that time for there is no going back once the color changes. When all desired colors leads to the darkest background shade the harden wax is heated to remove from the shell. In this final step a mosaic of colored shapes burst forth in an orb of an interlocking kaleidoscope. A variation is to put the final bath in a diluted bleach mix to produce a white background.
Exceptions are to draw your tracery in a heavy line of wax and “paint” in with dyes using a brush leaving the wax intact. Another alternative is to submerge a wax lined shell in a glass of vinegar allowing the surface to partially dissolve giving an etched illusion (unless using a natural colored shell like a emu egg contrast slight and the integrity of the shell from braking is compromised). The effect is especially effective on natural colored eggs and a acid (bathroom cleaner) solution 1/2 water bath.
Here are some alternate leads, copy and past in the search box:
http://www.learnpysanky.com/hints_tricks.html
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/ukeggs.htm
BLUSHING or BLOODSTAINED: When the myrrh bearing women went to anoint the corpse of the Lord they brought a basket of eggs which is a typical breakfast item following a Jewish Kaddish Requiem. Hearing the announcement of the angel the eggs blushed red in the energetic euphoria over the revelation of the resurrection. They handed out their red eggs as they spread the good news “Christ is risen”.
When sightseers came to look upon the empty cross they found the eggs the Magdalena had brought to bribe the executioner for mercy. Seeing their inhumanity she dropped them in the pool of blood at the foot of the cross where they were bathed in the blood of the Lamb. During the quake that followed the execution the rocks scratched patterns onto the bloodstained shells which the curious retrieved as souvenirs of these life changing events.
These are but a few of the egg lore popular in Rus’ Miner (Ukraine / bordering lands), not meaning to diminish those of other lands such as the Hellenistic account of Mary Magdalene giving testimony in the presence of the Roman Emperor Nero. His roasted breakfast eggs blush red after he exclaimed that a man crucified can no more rise from the dead as eggs can simply turn red.
“This testimony has been given by an eyewitness, and (who’s) testimony is true” (John 19:34-5).
The onion is a prime ingredient here. Throughout the fast the brown skins of the onion is shucked and saved. Handfuls of the dried skins were added to a pot covering them with water. If you desire a marbleized finish add fresh eggs, bringing this cold mixture to a boil, eliminate heat, cover and steed for 30 minutes before retrieving and submerging in cold water to stop the cooking. The eggs will have a marbleized russet stain. The broth can be reused when cooled for more egg cooking. If you desire a even colored finish after bringing the skins and water to a boil first, steep letting it cool then remove the skins squeezing the liquid there in into the pot leaving a clear dark broth. When the broth is at room temperature add eggs and cook as before. An alternative if you desire a scratched or etched effect is to take a solid hued shell egg, using a thin long carpenter nail with its tip sharpened on sandpaper, or an artist razor blade style knife with even but light pressure scratch the design into eggshell. While rubbing back and forth being careful not to crack surface. The under white shell will appear giving a subtle two tone design.
If you desire a fossil leaf motif harvest some young, thin, flat flowers, clovers and leaves. Apply a dab of egg white to the front of the fresh leaf or flat flower applying it to the raw white eggshell adding a leaf or two forming a bouquet. Tie a knot in the end of a knit nylon tube hose. Insert “decorated” egg into tube, stretch nylon taught over egg and tie opposite end. Cut off excess material pass knot’s ends. Place egg packets into room temperature onion skin broth, cook as above. After steeping retrieve and cool in fresh water. Cut packet open discarding removed folage from egg by picking off leaf. You will see a fossilized organic design. Broth can be reused.
If you wish to use the wax resist method broth cannot be reused after cooking as it will be polluted with molted wax. Also be practical to use an unwanted pot and be diligent not to spill hot broth down the drain as the liquefied wax may cause a clog when cooling. Cook either teardrop or tracery line waxed eggs. Do wipe wax off egg shell immediately while egg is hot from cooking before submerging into cooling bath.
Natural Dye Recipes
Select a dyeing agent, and place it in the pot using the amount listed below. Add 1 quart water and 2 tablespoons white vinegar to pot (except with onion-skins which changes mahogany to dark brown); if more water is necessary to cover ingredients, proportionally increase the amount of vinegar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat. Allow the ingredients to simmer for at least 30 minutes or longer.
Strain (where possible squeeze ingredients), if using the cold dye method cook down dye so it will fill 1/2 of a wide mouth mason jar.
PURPLE BLUE Red-cabbage dye: 4 cups chopped red cabbage
BLUE Red-cabbage dye : 4 cups chopped red cabbage
PALE YELLOW Turmeric dye: 3 tablespoons turmeric (powdered spice)
OCHER Turmeric / onion-skin dye: 3 tablespoons turmeric 4 cups onion-skins
ORANGE Carrot dye: 3 cups chopped carrot tops
LIGHT GREEN turmeric / red-cabbage : 3 teaspoons turmeric 4 cups chopped red-cabbage
GREEN Spinach dye: 3 cups chopped spinach leaves
MAHOGANY Onion-skin dye: 4 cups onion-skins (skins of about 12 onions)
BURGUNDY onion-skin / beet dye: 4 cups each onion-skin, beets
PINK Beet dye: 4 cups chopped beets
BEIGE Coffee dye: 1 quart strong black coffee (instead of water)
LAVENDER Red-cabbage /onion-skin dye: 4 cups each chopped red-cabbage, onion-skins
Bedsides the most commonly used items, here are some options:
Blue: crushed blueberries
Green: yellow Delicious Apple peels
Purple: (Welch’s) grape juice, violate blossoms with 2 tsp lemon juice, wine
Brown: instant coffee, tea, dill seeds, black walnut shells Orange: paprika, chili powder, carrots
Red: frozen crushed cranberries, caned cherries with syrup, raspberries, pomegranate juice
Yellow: lemon rinds, cumin, saffron, celery seed, ground cumin
OPTIONAL: Add 1/2 tsp alum to the water — makes the colors a bit brighter (is toxic in quantities over an ounce).
Cold-Dipping Method
With this method, the eggs and the ingredients for the dye are boiled separately. Using a metal spoon, lower cooled hard-boiled eggs into a mason jar of cooled dye, and let them soak for as little as 5 seconds or as long as overnight, depending on the depth of color you desire. Remove eggs with spoon, pat dry with paper towels, and let dry on a wire rack. The cold-dipping method produces subtle, translucent shades, but can result in uneven coloring unless the eggs are rotated while in the dye. For hollow eggs submerge and weigh down with metal spoon. Use when a progression of wax resist baths are desired.
Boiled Method
This method involves boiling the eggs with the dye; the heat allows the dye to saturate the shells, resulting in intense, more uniform color. Set raw eggs in a pot of precooked strained dye; bring to a boil and simmer until cooked, about another 20 minutes when finish transfer to cold water to stop cooking. Remove and dry eggs as with the cold-dipping method. Although this is the brightest tint method it does not allow multiple wax resist progression. If wax is used on an egg in this dye process the liquid will be contaminated, along with the pot. Remake dye in a clean pot if process is to be repeated with more eggs.
Whichever method you desire you may enhance with a sheen by rubbing a coating of butter, vegetable oil or fat onto the shell. Wipe off excess. If the egg is to become a keepsake a sheen of urethane is advisable instead allowing it to dry on a ring like screw jar lid.
CRACKING THE FIRST EGG by the matriarch or daughter who then peals the shell praying “Anhel vopiyashe Blahodatniy Chisraya Divo, raduysia. I paky reky: Raduysia. Tvoy Syn voskrese trydneven ot hroba. I mertviya vozdvyhnuvyj. Liudiye, veselytesia” (The Angel exclaimed to the Queen Mother full of grace: Rejoice! O pure Virgin again I say rejoice! Your Son is risen from the grave on the third day, with Him He has risen all the dead. All people rejoice!). Folklore states Saint Mary’s colored eggs rolled from out of her robes as she reacted to the good news. The eggs are quartered for each person then blessed horseradish root shaved atop of them while chanting; “Svitysia, svitysia, novyj lerusalune, slava bo Hospodnia na tebi vozsiya. Lykuy nyni I veselysia, Sione. Ty zhe, Chistaya, krasuysia, Bohorodytse, o vostianiyi Rozhdestva tvoyeho” (Shine! Shine! O New Jerusalem! For the glory of the Lord has shown on you. Sing now and exult with joy, O Sion. And you pure Mother of God adore yourself in the splendor of your Son’s resurrection. Kyivan Rus’ referred to itself as the new golden domed city of the New Jerusalem centuries before its northern cousins usurped the title of the New Rome.
These egg quarters are customarily served first to commence the breaking of the Greatday fast. Each one is greeted with “Khristos Voskrese!” (Christ is risen!) replying “Voerstinoo voskrese!” (Truly risen!).
PACKING THE PASCHA BREAD that were baked in round pans which were dusted with spices recalling Christ’s embalmment, then packed in a white shroud for transport. In the center of the white square the round loaf or stack of loaves are covered by bringing diagonal tips up over and tied on top in a time honored interlocking square knot. The entombment prayer is chanted: “Blahoobrazniy Yosif so dreva snem prechisioye teelo Tvoye; Plaschanitseyu chistoyu obviv, ee vonnyami vo hrobee noveey pokriv, polozhi“ (The noble Joseph [of Arimathea] took down Your most pure body from the tree [cross]. He wrapped it with a clean shroud and, with aromatic spices, placed it in a new tomb). The remaining two points are brought up and tied then the original tips tied on top again making a square knot. The second set is likewise tied in an interlocking square knot securing a handle by which to carry the bundle to its blessing.
UNPACKING AND CUTTING the pascha bread following the prescription for the preparation of Holy Communion follows at home from simplified versions to the entire Proskomedia. The family patriarch or son upon the dining table prepares for the cutting of the first pascha bread. If a rushnyk (ritual runner) is available as from a basket used as a liner-cover the celebrant may wish to wear it around their neck and down the front praying “Blessed is God who pours out His Grace upon His priests like ointment on the head. It is like precious ointment which poured on Aaron’s head, flows down, flowing gently down on Aaron’s beard to touch the hem of his robe” (Psalm 132,2). Washing their hands praying “I will wash my hands among the innocent and will go around Your alter Lord, that I may hear the voice of Your praise, and proclaim all Your wondrous deeds, Lord” (Psalm 25, 6) then wipes his hands on the rushnyk (ritual towel).
Unwrapping a shrouded bread chanting “Khristos voskrese eez mertvikh, smerteeyu smert poprav, ee suschim vo hrobeekh, zhivoy darovav”. (Christ is risen from the dean. By death He tramples death, and to those in the grave He granted life).
Picking up a knife drawing a cross three times over the bread he says: “By your precious blood You redeemed us from the curse of the old law. + When You were nailed to the cross and pierced with a lance, + You became a fountain of immortality for all peoples, + Glory to You, our Savior. Blessed is our God, always , now and forever and ever amen”. Holding up the pascha bread saying “In memory of our Lord and God, the Savior Jesus Christ” then puts it on a cutting board. With the knife stabbing the bread on the right side, cutting off a slice saying “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter” (Isaiah 53, 7). Cutting a slice from the left “And as a spotless lamb, silent before the sheerer, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53, 7). Cutting a slice from the top “In his humiliation judgment was passed and he was taken away” (Isaiah 53, 8). Cutting to square off the round at the bottom “Will there be no one to declare his generation?” (Isaiah 53,8). Clearing the now “square” bread “And his life is taken from the earth” (Isaiah 53, 8). The square is quartered crosswords “The lamb of God Who takes away (+ cut vertically) the sin of the world is sacrificed (+ cut horizontally) for the life and salvation of the world” (John 1:29). Piercing a top cube saying ”One of the soldiers thrust a lance into His side, and immediately blood and water flowed out. This testimony has been given by an eyewitness, and his testimony is true” (John 19:34-5).
Some will continue slicing the quarters commemorating the communion of saints who are ever present celebrating with us. The first cube is lifted “In honor and memory of our most blessed queen-mother, the birth-giver and ever-virgin Mary, through whose protective prayers we receive Your blessings upon all Your children from your highest heavens, O Lord”. The first slice “The queen (mother) stood at your right hand arrayed in golden robes and adornments” (Psalm 44,10). Continuing slicing “In honor and memory of all the heavenly out-of-body powers; especially Michael our warier and Gabriel the courier” again cut “The honorable and glorious prophet, forerunner, baptizer and cousin of the Lord John, and all holy prophets; especially Ezekiel who in a fiery chariot was bodily lifted up into the heavens and Elias of the Mount Tabor’s Transfiguration” and cut “The holy, glorious and most praiseworthy apostles, Andrew the first-called with his brother Peter and the surrogate Paul, and all the other apostles”. Continue cutting “Our fathers amongst the saints, the liturgical hierarchs: James the less (shorter son of Joseph and elder foster) brother of the Lord, Basil the Great, John the Chrysostom (golden-tongue) and Gregory the Great composers of our Divine Liturgies; likewise our wonderworking Nicholas whose endearment stifled the Darr Mine (Pennsylvania 12-19-1907) death toll shudder; our equal to the apostles Cyril and Methodius teachers of the Slavs, Josaphat our martyr; Andryj (Sheptytsky) our Moses and all holy hierarchs” then cut “The holy apostle, archdeacon and first martyr Stephen and the first lady blessed Tekla, the holy great martyrs Demetrius the myrrh provider, George the dragon slayer, Theodore the recluse and all holy Martyrs including our pathfinders holy Father Jan (Hus), Metropolitan Vasyl (Lypkivsky) and President Father Augustin (Volosin), our persecuted lyrical bards Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrainka, Father Markiian (Shashkevych), Vasyl Stus and our hounded persecuted poet laureates Taras Shevchenko, and Vyacheslav Chornovil”. Cutting on “Our venerable and God-bearing fathers Anthony and Theodosius of Kyiv’s Pechersk Lavra Catacombs and the venerable father Job of the Pochayiv Lavra and all the venerable monastic brothers, sisters, fathers and mothers” then cut “The holy wonderworking health care providers who labored without expectation of worldly compensation; Cosmas and Damian, the alluring Pamtelemon and all holy selfless nurses and prime care providers”. Continue cutting “The holy and righteous ancestors of God Joachim and Anna, the forerunners Kings David the psalmist and Solomon the wise, patriarch Jacob and Rachel, patriarch Abraham and Sarah, and primal parents of us all Adam and Eve” cut followed with “Our holy (family patron) and my holy (personal patron) and all the saints (family individual saint’s names) who pray that You to look favorable upon us and abide with us O God”. Cutting the last quarter “ Remember O kind Lover of humanity our holy fathers Clement and Martin and the most holy universal Pontiff Pope (name) Bishops of Rome, our belovered Beatitude Josyf Slypyj and our Patriarch (name) bishop of Kyiv (or city), our most reverend primal Metropolitan Sotor Ortynsky and our Archbishop (name) bishop of (city), our God loving bishop (name) bishop of (city), and the entire orthodox episcopate especially (auxiliaries named), the reverend presbyteries (dean’s, pastor and priests names) the deaconate of Christ (deacon names) and every pastoral order especially our monastic ministers and all teachers of the Lord (teachers, monk and nun’s names) and our hymnist John Damascus author of the Golden Resurrection Canon, all our singers (cantor’s names) and our brothers and sister in Christ (departed names) whom You O gracious Master have called in your mercy for everlasting fellowship with You”. As we approach the end slices “For the blessed memory and the forgiveness of their sins our own blessed family’s patriarchs, matriarchs, brothers and sisters (deceased relatives names) all of our family who have gone before us and sleeping in the bosom of the Lord”. Then slicing “Remember loving Lord all our orthodox catholic brethren especially (friends names) who have fallen asleep in the hope of resurrection to eternal life in fellowship with You. In Your compassion remember, Lord robed and girthed about with Your strength me (your name) Your servant. You have established the universe; it shall not be moved. Your throne stands as prepared from antiquity and You are everlasting. The rivers (running north to south) have raised high, O Lord; their waters have lifted up their voices in thunderous waves of many waters. Wonderful are the billows of the (Black) Sea; wonderful is the Lord on high. Your testimonies have become exceedingly credible; holiness befits you house, Lord grant for us a length of days” (Psalms 92, 1-5 adapted). Amen.
This bread is not fashioned in this form after bright week (all 8 days constitutes Easter day). Considered a living bread if it has a large empty air whole inside it is said to be an omen of impending death, which if occurs on Pascha is considered an honor. As symbolized with all the church iconostas doors left wide open, so too are the gates of heaven. Anyone departing this realm during Pascha goes straight into Heaven, as when Christ enveloped Hell sharing with the just of old His glory without more waiting. During Bright Week no dirges are sung, white is worn by all as tears are considered selfish. For unto us He grants awesome immortality.
RESERVED SACRAMENTAL are put aside in safekeeping, as these first end slice of the pascha bread and shell from the primal egg cracked. Along with the antidorian crouton of special holydays, wax if received with the Jordan water and various blessed herbs, spices, flowers or plants are also kept as sacramental. The blessed salt can be used year round especially medicinally as too is the blessed save ointment. Honey is reserved for serving during the yuletide Holy Suppers. The Paschal and Candlemass tapers are light during storms with many keeping their paschal flame burning at home in their icon corner lamp perpetually.
It is becoming relevant with expedient air travel for metropolitan communities to import the Paschal Holy Fire from the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. From here suburb parishes can share in igniting their own lamps and in turn give this flame to their parishioners at their Resurrection Matins.
HOLY GARBAGE from the blessed food is also sanctified so the biodegradable refuge deserves respectful disposal. The old elementary trinity of air, water and fire are seen most acceptable. Burial is the most popular form allowing decomposition to return the refuge as compose blessing mother earth itself. Committing the biodegradable to rushing waters will nourish not only the unseen but has the additional advantage of heralding, especially with the decorated eggshells the time of the Paschal arrival to those inhabiting downstream hamlets. For this reason as after the blessing of waters laundry is inappropriate to wash during the entire Bright Week. Fire is the least used but in tightly populated areas insinuating may be their only option.
Yet to be debated is if the use of running pluming water when embracing the use of the kitchen garbage disposal is acceptable. Bottom line we should learn not to waste especially food as all nourishments are holy gifts so the recycling of biodegradable refuge is ecologically worthy. At the very least feed the birds with the blessed brad crumbs, everyone has a window seal.
PACKING of what is taken speaks more of when a family immigrated than from where. There are as many reasons for what goes into their basket as there are baskets blessed. Organically it was a simple breakfast picnic basket of a traveler. Personal interpretation developed according to availability and need. In days of plenty very large baskets were needed to transport all the food that was to be blessed, for many their consumption during all of Bright Week was limited to blessed foods only. Others opened every meal for the entire 8 day week of Pascha with at least an appetizer of blessed delicacies, while still others used their holy provisions as an ingredient to new dishes. The breads were often as big as a wagon wheel so separately wrapped. This often waned during European lean times as with the on slot of World War I. Europe was left in shambles and products needed for this blessing where scarce. This hardship lasted through the interim period to WW II and beyond. Down sizing was in order. The pascha bread previously shrouded for separate transportation, imitating the burial shroud carrying Christ to the tomb, was now often brought to church placed into the basket to take up the space of the missing products. More recently an even smaller basket of precut foods resembling hors d’oeurves used by many Soviet immigrants. Under the atheistic Communism if authorities stopped the faithful carrying blessed food, they would simply say they were going on a picnic avoiding arrest. This also brought this custom full circle. As Ukrainian American ethnic folk researcher William Jula states “Even world events shaped the size and content of the Paschal basket”.
Many of our day are without children at home, due to their finding livelihoods elsewhere. For so many their parish is their closest family. Foods are comforting but loneliness can be heart breaking. Many American parishes today participants pack one basket with provisions for home while another contain precut finger foods for immediate sharing Those attending the after Paschal Liturgy scheduled blessing will commence with a communal sharing of appetizers with those present.
SERVING A customary centerpiece is the pyramid molded cheese pascha surrounded by red (onionskin) eggs. Next to a stack of babka bread slices into which a candle taper is inserted and light. No mater what is or not used as a centerpiece a lighted candle is always present burning throughout the Easter meals, reminding us the light of Christ is ever present, day or night.
The eggs quarters are readied to be distributed first with the greeting “Khrystos Voskrece! / Christ is risen!”. The salutation in response is “Voistinu voskrece! / Truly risen!“ follows.
On Easter Sunday all are customarily served in cold-cut fashion as not work is deemed appropriate. Some tables are laden from morning to night kept as a constant buffet. Many wishing brews of tea or coffee will make them beforehand keeping worm in thermos carafes so no reheating will defile the Sabbath of Sabbath’s sanctity. Some find biodegradable disposable dishes preferable to soaking crockery overnight.YOUR CHOICE
Customs should not be dictated they should be develop organically. Pick and choose as you wish, but do celebrate the awesome feast of the resurrection of Christ.
SERMON OF SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (400 AD)
Translated into a vernacular adapted by Mykhayl Dzula.
If you love good people and the Lord our God,
Come, join our joyous banquet of this enlightened celebration.
If you are known for your honestly,
Come, join in the joy of God.
If you are weary from curbing your desires,
Come, receive your joy so justly deserved.
If you have applied yourself from the beginning,
Come, finish with the joy of you just dessert.
If you came after the third hour,
Come, feast in thanksgiving.
If you arrived after the sixth do not dawdle.
Come, for by no means will you be docked.
If you came after the ninth
Come, do not linger any longer.
If you arrived only at the eleventh hour,
Come, do not let your tardiness deprive you.
The Master is graciously receiving all,
Came, you who arrived after the eleventh hour and relax.
The Master welcomes the last to arrive as the first.
Come, you are as welcomed as the early birds.
The Master is as merciful with the late arrivals as with the prompt.
Come, He understands a laborer’s obligations,
The Master embraces the late ever closely because of His kindness.
Come, He accepts the importance of family responsibilities.
The Lord’s joys are for all of us both the prompt and tardy alike. Those prosperous join hands with the underprivileged. The noble and the self important jointly honor this day. Those who purged themselves join those who indulged. The table is laden with a sumptuous fare for the enjoyment of all. Those assembled join together so no one be wanting loving kindness The banquet’s fare is our faith of catholic (universal) bliss. Those partaking this abundant righteousness await you.
Let no one cry poverty for the Lord’s Kingdom embraces us all.
Death’s fear is no longer devastating,
Let no one despair over their mistakes for the Lord forgives all.
Dearth’s fears of the Lord’s endurance shows us our way.
Let not death’s parching thirst be unquenched forever more.
Death’s threat has been subdued by the Lord who embraced it.
Let the Lord descend into it’s dark endless depths of Hades’ Hell,
Death’s apatite the Lord spoiled by His rejuvenating body and blood.
Hades resentment of Isaiah’s (53) deafening prophesy heard by all.
Hades resentment of encountering in his cache the face of the Lord.
Hades resentment we receive with mockery.
Hades resentment is now forever aimless.
Hades resentment we no longer fear.
Hades resentment is now without sting.
Hades resentment we cast asunder.
Hades resentment is now chained fast.
Hell came face to face with the Lord God of all.
Receiving the Lord’s mortality Hell experienced the immortal.
Hell embraced the familiar discovering what he did not know.
Receiving earthly mortality Hell now met Heavenly immortality.
Hell looked eye to eye upon what he saw,
Receiving not recognition of what he saw Death stumbled.
Hell where is your victory?
Receiving death where is its sting?
Christ is risen! Casting down Hell’s demonic spirits.
Christ is risen! Overthrowing death’s stronghold.
Christ is risen! As the angelic spirits rejoice.
Christ is risen! As life now reigns liberated.
Christ is risen! There is no longer merely decay in the tomb.
Christ is risen! The first fruit of those in death’s slumber awake.
Christ is risen! To Him be all glory always now and forever.
Christ is risen! To Him be dominion from age to age.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia (Praise God).
RESPONSE:
From your mouth grace emanates as a guiding light illuminating our universe. Bestowing not gifts of greed upon the world but the blessings of supreme humility. In your teachings through your words holy father John the Chrysostom (golden tongued), intercede with the Word +, with the Christ +, and with our God + for the salvation of our souls unto ages of ages.
Amen (affirmation).
MICHAEL JULA
