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AVOCA — Dozens of baskets filled with the makings of a traditional Easter breakfast sat on the altar of the Queen of Apostles Church Saturday waiting to be blessed.
Flowers and greens were twisted around the handles of many of the baskets, and crisp embroidered linens were draped over the delicacies.
There is a religious significance to each food that is blessed, according to this century-old custom:
The Easter bread, or paska bread, symbolizes the joy of new life given by Jesus Christ.
The lamb-shaped butter serves as a reminder of the goodness in life.
The decorated, hard-boiled eggs symbolize Christ’s resurrection.
Kielbasa is indicative of God’s favor and generosity.
Horseradish symbolizes Christ’s end of suffering and death.
And salt reminds Christians that Christ is essential to their souls, as salt is essential to their bodies.
Among the baskets brought in from parishioners for their own families, the Rev. Phillip J. Sladicka also blessed nearly two dozen colorful plastic baskets donated by the Social Concerns Respect Life Ministry. Each of the baskets, which will be given to needy families in the parish, were filled with a ham, Easter bread, hard-boiled colored eggs, a butter lamb, a chocolate cross and jelly beans.
Accompanied by her grandchildren, Angelo, 8, and Ava, 3, Jill Thomas, 50, of Avoca, carried a basket she filled with kielbasa, a small ham, farmer’s cheese, dyed eggs, horseradish, a nutroll, dry white wine and salt and pepper.
“After the 8 a.m. Sunday Mass, we’ll have the breakfast at my house,” said Thomas.
“It’s the first meal of the day and we eat it cold. It’s mostly a Polish and Slovakian tradition, and each item in the basket is symbolic, so that’s why we do it,” she added. “My mom is deceased and I hope that my grandchildren continue the tradition that I learned as a child.”