The Polish Tradition of Blessing of the Easter Food Baskets

On Holy Saturday Polish families bring small baskets containing a sampling of Easter foods to church to be blessed. The blessing of the Easter foods is a tradition dear to the hearts of every Polish family. This is a sign of gratitude to God for all His gifts of both nature and grace. As a token of this gratitude, they have the food of their table sanctified in the hope that Spring, the season of the Resurrection, will also be blessed by God's goodness and mercy.

The basket is traditionally lined with a white linen or lace napkin and decorated with sprigs of greenery. The foods generally contained in the basket and their symbolic meanings are:

Egg — Symbol of life and rebirth.

Sausage or ham — All types of pork were forbidden under the dietary code of the Old Testament (Leviticus 11.7). The coming of Christ was seen as exceeding the old law and the dietary items now became acceptable (Mark 7.19).

Paschal lamb — Christ the ‘Lamb of God.’ Usually a small plaster lamb but can be in edible form such as butter, sugar or cake. It becomes the centrepiece of the Easter table.

Horseradish/pepper — Symbolize the bitter herbs of the Passover and the Exodus.

Bread — Christ the ‘Bread of Life.’

Salt — Joins bread in Polish tradition as a sign of hospitality.

The eggs (hard boiled) are usually coloured and are often decorated with patterns and symbols. The sun symbolizes good fortune; the rooster, fulfilment of wishes; the deer, good health; flowers, love and charity. Various Polish regions have developed designs of their own, which include floral and geometric patterns, typical Easter motifs (the Lamb, Cross, pussy willow), the greeting, "Wesolego Alleluja," or simply "Alleluja" and the current year. Wooden eggs, hand painted with intricate designs, are also used. The egg is one of the
best-known Easter symbols, having symbolized renewed life since ancient times. The egg is said to be a symbol of life because in all living creatures life begins in an egg.
Decorated eggs are often exchanged during visits to family or friends at Easter time.

After Easter Mass, the faithful hurry home for Easter breakfast to feast on the delicacies they saw little of during Lent. Cold dishes predominate like ham, sausage, roast meats, pate, hard-boiled eggs in various sauces, salads, beet and horseradish relish, followed by holiday cakes such as babka, mazurek and sernik. In some families the breakfast starts with a tart, whitish soup containing eggs and sausage, known as bialy barszcz in eastern Poland and zurek elsewhere. By tradition, Easter Sunday is a holiday for the Polish housewife and no cooking or work is done on that day.

Before Easter breakfast begins, the head of the household cuts a hard boiled egg, consecrated the previous day, into segments, one of which is offered in turn to family and friends present with wishes for long life, health and happiness.