Pascha Baskets
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By Fr. Christopher Zugger
The celebration of the Resurrection always comes after the Jewish feast of the Passover. Jesus is our Passover. As Israel was delivered from slavery and idolatry in pagan Egypt, so too we are saved from the darkness of sin and false worship through Christ. The ancient Jews had to eat before their flight out of Egypt; we eat in celebration after the Resurrection. Remember that Jesus sat and ate with His disciples after His resurrection (Luke 24:30 and 43, Acts 1:3-4, Acts 10:41. Similarly, we gather with our parish family and our own families and friends on Easter Sunday to share the paschal meal.
After the Paschal Liturgy, we all gather to bless the Pascha baskets. These baskets have been carefully prepared with many of the foods from which we've been fasting for the past month and a half during Great Lent. There are several foods traditionally included in the basket. These are: a yeast bread, a bitter herb, wine, cheese, meat, butter, salt, and a red egg. Each has symbolic significance.
Bread
Bread is obviously symbolic of the Eucharist. Both Passover and the Paschal meals are centered around bread. The pascha bread is always included, leavened with yeast. Its dough is usually made with an abundance of eggs. This is a symbol of the New Covenant and Jesus, the living bread from heaven (John 6:51). While the Jews made unleavened bread for Passover, we who are the Children of the New Covenant make leavened bread for Pascha. The letters X and B, Slavonic for Christ is Risen, can be put on top of the paschal loaf. Tsourekia is the traditional Greek braided bread, which is a display of the Trinity.
Herbs
The bitter herb, often horseradish or garlic, serves as a reminder of the first Passover (horseradish is eaten as a traditional part of the original Passover meal) and their suffering in Egypt. This also represents the bitter sufferings which Christ endured for our sake in His Passion; sometimes the herb is colored red with beets, symbolizing the Blood of Christ.
Dairy
Cheese and butter were traditionally given up during Great Lent. The traditional sweet cheese (hrudka or sirets) represents the richness of the new life in Christ. Butter can be carved or molded into the shape of a lamb holding a little banner of the Risen Lord, as Jesus is the new Paschal Lamb.
Brightly decorated eggs (pysanky) are filled with symbols of baptism, new life, and the Resurrection. Red eggs (krashanky) are likened to the tomb from which Christ arose. This is because of the miracle of new life which comes from the egg, just as Christ miraculously came forth from the tomb.
Meat
Meat (ham, bacon, sausage) is included in remembrance of the sacrifice of the paschal lambs of the Old Testament Passover, which are replaced by Christ, the New Passover and Lamb of God. These are seen as a sign of God giving us the abundance of the earth. We can also call to mind the sacrifice of the fattened calf that was killed to welcome back the Prodigal Son.
Other Items
Salt serves as a reminder to us that we are "the salt of the earth." We are preserve ourselves in purity and goodness, having been raised into new life in Christ.
Wine represents the Precious Blood of Jesus. At the Last Supper, before He was betrayed, He sanctified the wine which became His life-giving Blood. It is the same blood the gushed forth from His pierced side, along with water. Together those two elements call to mind the Mysteries of Baptism and the Eucharist.
The decorated candle echoes the lit candles given to babies and converts after the Mystery of Baptism. Jesus is the Light of the world, the true light Who fills the newly-illuminated soul. This is put into the basket as a visible reminder of our sacramental life.
If one abstained from other foods or beverages, then those can be included. One can also put in Easter food from a family’s heritage: everything from enchiladas to lasagna to sopapillas can be used. Thus, each of the foods in the Pascha basket have rich meaning.
Basket Cover
The beautifully embroidered covers can depict the Risen Lord, or symbols of new life such as birds and flowers. The phrase “Christ is Risen” is stitched in English, Slavonic, or another language. These cover the entire basket of food and call to mind the Burial Shroud in which Jesus’ body was wrapped.
Prayers for the Blessing of Paschal FoodsO Holy Master, Almighty Father and Eternal God, through our Lord Jesus Christ Who came down from heaven, giving life and salvation to the world, bless this bread by Your holy and spiritual blessing so that it may be, to all who will eat of it, for the salvation of soul, the health of body, and the protection against every illness and hostile attack. For you are a merciful and gracious God and we give glory to You, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.O Lord Jesus Christ our God, look down upon these meat products and bless them as You sanctified the ram which the faithful Abraham offered to You, and the lamb which Abel presented to You as a holocaust, and as You also sanctified the fattened calf which You ordered to be slain for the prodigal who returned to You. As he was considered worthy to partake of Your goodness, may we also enjoy these meats which You blessed and sanctified for the benefit of all of us. For you are the true Nourishment and the Giver of all good things, and we give glory to You, together with your eternal Father, and your most holy and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and forever.O God, our Lord and Master, Creator and Maker of all things, bless this cheese and butter, and together with them, the eggs and all other foods here present. Keep us in Your goodness, so that, as we partake of them, we may be filled with all Your generous gifts and indescribable goodness. For you are the Supreme Ruler and Yours are the kingdom, the power, and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever. Amen.