St. John the Evangelist Church of Spencerport will hold its annual Blessing of the Easter Baskets on Saturday, March 26 at 3 p.m. Father John Loncle, pastor, will preside.
According to the Polish tradition of Swieconka (pronounced “shvyehn-SOHN-kah”), each food to be blessed in the basket symbolizes an aspect of the Easter story. The elaborately decorated eggs called Pisanki, for example, represent hope and new life. The molded butter lamb and its red banner represent Jesus and the victory of life over death.
Other traditional basket items include bread, lamb-shaped cakes, yeast cakes, cured meats including kielbasa, ham and salt and horseradish.
Long ago, cooking was not permitted on Easter Sunday so Poles traditionally did not serve warm meals that day. While many regions vary on the contents and their meanings, the foods are almost always placed in a lined wicker basket and covered with a white linen cloth. The basket is then decorated with sprigs of boxwood, forsythia or pussy willows.
Children fill their baskets with jellybeans, candy eggs and chocolate bunnies. On Holy Saturday, families bring their baskets to church for blessing, and then share the foods with loved ones at their Easter Sunday celebration.
The church welcomes the public to bring their baskets and share in this special Easter blessing. Children may also take home a special treat.
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