Saturday, April 15, 2006
Święconka
Holy Saturday is the day for the blessing of the food. When I was a child, the house was cleaned for Easter and our Easter meal was set on a special table waiting for the priest to arrive to bless the food. Sometimes the Priest would come in the morning, other times late in the afternoon.I remember an enevolpe and a shot of vodka being offered to him. If he came in the afternoon, the Priest would be a bit unsteady, slurring his words and his aim with the holy water was off during the blessing of the food.
The priests do not come to the home anymore, so now we bring our basket to be blessed at the church. It is a tradition with a twist as the Priest is Irish, not Polish. Father is getting rather old now, the once rather portly man is thin and frail looking. the morning is spent preparing the basket for church. The basket for blessing usually contains the following:
Maslo / Butter
Chleb / Bread / Babka
Chrzan / Horseradish
Jajka / Eggs
Kielbasa / Sausage
Sol / Salt
Ser / Cheese
The blessed food is set aside for Easter Sunday, waiting is difficult for everyone.
The priests do not come to the home anymore, so now we bring our basket to be blessed at the church. It is a tradition with a twist as the Priest is Irish, not Polish. Father is getting rather old now, the once rather portly man is thin and frail looking. the morning is spent preparing the basket for church. The basket for blessing usually contains the following:
Maslo / Butter
Chleb / Bread / Babka
Chrzan / Horseradish
Jajka / Eggs
Kielbasa / Sausage
Sol / Salt
Ser / Cheese
The blessed food is set aside for Easter Sunday, waiting is difficult for everyone.
