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The most sacred time in the Catholic Church is Easter, aptly described by St. Gregory the Great as the “Celebration of Celebrations.” Holy Week and Easter Week are a time of special reverence, devotion and symbolism.
One of the customs during the Easter celebration among Americans of Polish decent is Easter breakfast known as “Swieconka” (pronounced Sh-fyen-sohn-kah). The foods for this meal are prepared early on Holy Saturday and traditionally include sausage, ham, colored hard cooked eggs, bread, butter or sugar formed in a shape of a lamb, horseradish, salt and pepper. Some families include the fruit, wine, cheeses and pastries.
In olden days, a priest would visit each home to bless the Easter morning foods. Today, the foods are placed in a basket and covered with a white cloth. Family members then take the basket to church for a special service, usually in the afternoon on Holy Saturday, at which the foods are blessed.
Symbolism of Swieconka foods are:
Colored Eggs (Kraszanki): Represent the “New Life” of the Resurrection from the tomb on Easter Sunday.
Sausage (Kielbasa) and Ham (Szynka): Symbolize the “New Law” in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Breads (Chleb, Babka): Symbolic of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life.
Salt (Sol): The fundamental preservative and seasoning symbolic of justice and prosperity.
Horseradish (Chrzan): Symbolize the bitter herbs of Passover and reminds us of the bitter suffering of Christ.
Butter (Maslo): This is often shaped into a lamb (Baranek Wielkanocny). It reminds us of the good will of Christ that we should have towards all things.
Swieconka
The most sacred time in the Catholic Church is Easter, aptly described by St. Gregory the Great as the “Celebration of Celebrations.” Holy Week and Easter Week are a time of special reverence, devotion and symbolism.
One of the customs during the Easter celebration among Americans of Polish decent is Easter breakfast known as “Swieconka” (pronounced Sh-fyen-sohn-kah). The foods for this meal are prepared early on Holy Saturday and traditionally include sausage, ham, colored hard cooked eggs, bread, butter or sugar formed in a shape of a lamb, horseradish, salt and pepper. Some families include the fruit, wine, cheeses and pastries.
In olden days, a priest would visit each home to bless the Easter morning foods. Today, the foods are placed in a basket and covered with a white cloth. Family members then take the basket to church for a special service, usually in the afternoon on Holy Saturday, at which the foods are blessed.
Symbolism of Swieconka foods are:
Colored Eggs (Kraszanki): Represent the “New Life” of the Resurrection from the tomb on Easter Sunday.
Sausage (Kielbasa) and Ham (Szynka): Symbolize the “New Law” in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Breads (Chleb, Babka): Symbolic of Jesus Christ, the Bread of Life.
Salt (Sol): The fundamental preservative and seasoning symbolic of justice and prosperity.
Horseradish (Chrzan): Symbolize the bitter herbs of Passover and reminds us of the bitter suffering of Christ.
Butter (Maslo): This is often shaped into a lamb (Baranek Wielkanocny). It reminds us of the good will of Christ that we should have towards all things.