In the Orthodox Church Pascha is the Feast of
Feasts. Upon this day our Church celebrates the mystical blessing of the
traditional Paschal Basket and the food it contains. This food is the
first non-Lenten food we will partake of since the beginning of Lent. The food in the Basket represents the Paschal mystery which we
celebrate.
The following is a list of foods and explanation of the meanings of
those foods found traditionally in an Orthodox Pascha Basket:
Pascha Bread: The sweet bread of Holy Pascha is rich
with eggs, butter and other ingredients and symbolizes Christ who is the
Heavenly Bread of life.
Ham: Ham, which can be either roasted or cooked, symbolizes
the great joy and fullness of life found in Holy Pascha.
Kielbasi (Sausage): The spicy ring of sausage that
symbolizes God's favor and blessings.
Bacon: This meat symbolizes the unlimited mercy of
God revealed to us.
Salt: The spice which is necessary for flavor and
reminds us of our duty as Christians to be the salt of the earth.
Cheese: The special custard like cheese is sweet and
reminds us of Christian moderation in all things.
Horseradish: Red beets are usually mixed with the
horseradish to symbolize our Lord's Passion. It is sweetened with
sugar to remind us of the Resurrection.
Butter: Butter, which may be in the shape of a lamb,
symbolizes the great goodness of the Lord which we should be sharing with
others.
Eggs: Eggs, traditionally hard boiled and dyed,
symbolize the empty tomb and the Resurrection of our Lord. In Slavic
Tradition these eggs are richly decorated and are kept for many years.
Other foods, which normally include red wine, the symbol of
our Lord's Eucharist, are also placed in the basket to remind us of how truly
good the Lord is. Traditionally each family will bring their Pascha
Basket to Church to have it blessed.
![[Three-Bar Cross]](../../images/cross.gif)