Our Traditions

Families often prepare special dishes for the Holy Supper (Velija), specific to their country and family traditions. The Holy Supper is a fasting meal with 7 or 12 symbolic courses without meat or dairy products. Carols are sung, and vertep (a re-enactment of the Nativity) is often performed. 

Water is blessed on January 6 and then brought to the homes of the faithful for a blessing by the priest. This tradition has two meanings - spiritual and pastoral: 1) to ask in prayer God's blessing upon the house and its inhabitants for the upcoming year and 2) to give the priest an opportunity to learn more about the family, their particular needs, their joys and sorrows, as well as for the family to provide an opportunity to learn more about their priest.

The beginning of the Great Fast (in the Byzantine Catholic Church there is no Ash Wednesday). The night before there is a Vespers Service with the Rite of Forgiveness, where the priests ask forgiveness from the congregation and each parishioner asks forgiveness from the priest and other members of the parish family. 

Children are typically taught about iconography during religious education classes at this time. We also have a procesion in the church followed by the blessing of icons to commemorate the memory of the final defeat of Iconoclasm and the restoration of the icons to the churches in 843 AD.

We recall our Lord's entry into Jerusalem six days before His Passion by blessing branches. Since palm tress do not grow in Eastern Europe, budding willow branches have become traditional instead. These branches are kept in family homes and brought to the graves of loved ones.

Since we fast from meat and dairy products throughout Great Lent, we show our joy on Pascha by bringing these products with us for a special blessing after the Pascha Liturgy.

This blessing also hearkens back to the Old Testament feast of Passover, where the Hebrew people were commanded by Moses to eat the Passover lamb, which prefigured the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."

A special symbol of the Resurrection is the pysanky - the elaborately  decorated Pascha eggs of the Slavic tradition.

Pascha bread called "Paska" reminds us of Christ, the true bread who remains with us until the end of time.

Included are meat products such as ham, pork, lamb, or more commonly, sausage. These symbolize the sacrificial animals of the Old Testament, which prefigure the sacrifice of Christ.

Dairy products like butter or cheese remind us of the prosperity and peace of Christ that was foretold by the Prophets.

This day symbolizes cleansing. People gather around the Church to sing Pascha songs and children splash each other with water from head to toes.

The Church and homes are decorated with green colors, branches of the trees, as we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit, who gives us life.

Candles are blessed on the feast of the Meeting of the Lord with Simeon (February 2). The first fruits of the season are blessed on the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 6). Flowers are blessed on the Dormition of the Theotokos (August 15). In easch case, the items blessed by the priest at the Liturgy are brought home to be enjoyed by the family and shared with others.

Anointing with Holy Oil (Mirovanije) is a sacramental blessing that takes place for each solemn Feast, usually at the conclusion of the Divine Liturgy of the week when the feast is celebrated.

This oil is applied to the forehead by the priest with the Sign of the Cross, while proclaiming the appropriate greeting for the season. In response, you should proclaim the appropriate response and then receive a piece of blessed bread. 

Greetings and responses include:

• Christ is among us! He is and ever shall be!
• Christ is born! Glorify Him!
• Christ is Baptized! In the Jordan!
• Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen!
• Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory Forever!