St. John the Evangelist Church of Spencerport will hold its annual Blessing of the East Baskets on Saturday, March 30, at 3 p.m.
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 and cakes, kielbasa, ham or other cured meats, salt and horseradish. (The horseradish is meant to represent the bitter herbs of the original Passover meal, which also foretold the sufferings of Jesus.)
While there are many regional variations 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. On Holy Saturday, families bring their baskets to church to be blessed, and then share the foods with loved ones at their Easter Sunday celebration.
All are welcome to bring their baskets to church and share in this special Easter blessing.
