_{From the Carpathian Religious Graphics Collection}

_{of David M. Mastroberte}

Christos Voskrese ~ Voistinu Voskrese (Rusyn)

Stastne A Vesele Prezitie Velkonocnych Sviatkov (Slovak)

Khrystos Voskres ~ Voistyru Voskres (Ukrainian)

Wielkanoc Blogoslawienstwo (Polish)

Celebration & Foods of Easter

by, Anna Kusnirova

Two of the more common names heard in Eastern Europe for Easter are Velykyi Den’ - Great Day or Paskha - Resurrection. This word Paskha derives from Peisakh, the Hebrew term for Passover. The celebration of Easter was the biggest event of the calendar year for Slavs. Prior to Christianity, most had practices and customs for generations that were pagan. The church had to adapt some of these pagan rituals into the message of Christianity. A major theme of pre-Christianity belief was the triumph of good over evil. Easter was a perfect addition to this established thought and took root very quickly.

PALM SUNDAY

Palm Sunday, or "Willow" Sunday (Kvjetna Nedjelja) was an interesting adaption of the gospel story regarding the Entrance into Jerusalem. Since there were no palm plants due to the climate for most of Eastern Europe, the willow branches were utilized in place of palms. The willow grew in numerous places, especially near the water and was found very easily. It was also used for medicinal purposes and therefore was widely known. The willow branches were also a symbol of spring and "rebirth." Since this was the first "flower" to bloom after the long, harsh winter months the willow branches were incorporated into church usage. In some areas, there were many customs associated with the willow branches. One such custom was after receiving your willow branch to count the number of buds. The final number would foretell the number of years a person would live. These willows were then brought home to be placed in an area of honor. A common place was to rest a branch on top of an icon. Since willows are blessed, the only way to dispose of the branches from the previous year was to burn or bury them.

GOOD FRIDAY

This day was solemn and many adhered to strict fasting requirements. The main focus of this day was the burial of Christ in the tomb. This event was dramatized as the Plashchanytsia(shroud) onto which was painted an image of the crucified Christ. During this period all of the liturgical vestments, altar cloths and coverings were changed to black. The hymns sung were very mournful in tone and the entire atmosphere was funeral in nature. Many in Eastern Europe on this day fasted the entire day, with some taking no meal at all. During the period that the Plashchanytsia was displayed people would stay in church and pray, the same as if a member of their own family was before them. One custom for many villages was to cover all mirrors in the home in respect for this sad event. Many villagers would make many visits to the church on this night to sit and "watch" as referred to in the gospels. It was common to see the Easter breads baked during this time (paska and babka). These breads were rich with ingredients that had been denied during the strict fasting of the past forty days. They were filled with butter, egg yolks, sugar and other items. Other minor preparations were made but only if necessary due to the solemnity of this religious observance.

HOLY SATURDAY

During Holy Saturday more time was devoted to the preparations for Easter celebrations. In some regions pysanky were finally finished on this day. Cooking could involve making the kolbasa, nut and poppyseed cakes, the hrutka (or sirek as some regions call it) which was a wonderful concoction of eggs and milk made into a mild cheese. Other foods were horse raddish with or without beets (hrin) a piece of smoked bacon and colored eggs which many times were colored with plain onion skins. During former times it was very common to have the resurrection services held at midnight. This was a custom that had been observed for centuries and still is in some areas. Final preparations for the Easter celebration would be completed on this day. The home would be swept and cleaned for the final time. As much work was accomplished as possible so that all could partake of the festive holiday which would soon begin. Later at night some regions would build a bonfire near the church so that villages close by could see this as they too were preparing to celebrate the resurrection.

EASTER

Prior to midnight, churches would begin their services. The custom of walking around the church three times is a beautiful one which is still practiced. Walking around the church, with the cross bearer, flags, priest and choir in front was in remembrance of the three woman who came to the tomb searching for the risen Christ. At this time, it would be common to hear the beautiful and stirring Easter hymn Da voskresnet’ Boh’ - Let God arise. After the short reading service the priest would turn to the congregation and intone Christos Voskrese! - Christ has Risen! to which all would joyfully respond Voistinu Voskrese! - Indeed he is Risen! After this, all would enter the church for the continuation of the service. After the church service the custom of blessing the Easter baskets would take place. This custom, still held in Eastern Europe and in America is a beautiful ritual. Items that were to be eaten for the holiday meal were brought in the basket and sometimes, it took more than one basket to contain them. There could be Ham, Kolbasi, Hrutka, horse raddish, cakes of nut and poppyseed, smoked bacon, butter, salt and various other items. Only food was permitted to be in this basket as the blessing was specifically for products of this nature. After this ceremony most would not go home but, to the cemetery. Here they would greet their deceased relatives and eat a bit of the blessed food to be with them on this wonderful holiday. When greeting each other, villagers would kiss each other three times and exchange the "Christos Voskrese! greetings.

After this, all would hurry home to partake of the Easter holidays. There would be dancing and singing which was denied during the fast period along with the foods that were forbidden. Visiting was limited and not as was practiced during the Christmas season. This day was for family and for feasting in the home. During most times during the day the church bells would be rung to remind the villagers of the happiness of this feast. In the churches the royal doors and deacons doors (which at all other times remained closed) of the iconstanis were left open for all to see that Christ had risen. Many men from the village would take "turns" as to who would ring the bells at which time, and for how long a period. These beautiful customs have been transplanted with time and immigration to many new countries around the world. The fact that they have survived at all is a perfect indication that they will always continue.

RECIPES

NATURAL COLORED EASTER EGGS

One Dozen Jumbo Eggs, Onion Skins, White Vinegar.

Into a large pot place one dozen Jumbo Eggs, a tablespoon of white vinegar and a good amount of onion skins. After 10 minutes, simmer on low flame. Eggs will turn a natural light brown to brown color depending upon how long they are cooked. If you wish to place a design on the eggs, use a wax pencil to draw your designs prior to placing uncooked eggs into the pot. After eggs are cooked and have reached the color you wish, take out one by one and let cool in a plastic bowl. The mixture can be kept and re-used if necessary for a second set of eggs.

HRUTKA

One Dozen Jumbo Eggs, One Quart of Whole Milk, Salt and Pepper, Cheese Cloth.

Place entire quart of milk into pan. Place flame on low heat. Break one egg at a time into this pan while stirring (using a wooden folk works best). Continue this process of breaking the eggs and stirring them. After all the eggs are broken add salt and pepper to taste. Continue stirring until mixture is completely blended together and to keep from burning. After time, mixture will look like scrambled eggs. Take cheesecloth and drape over a large bowl in an X shape. Spoon mixture into the cheesecloth making a ball and tie very tightly to remove excess water. This mixture will be hot so use caution. Tie the top securely with a rubber band. Hang mixture to dry over a sink or some other container. Let mixture dry for a good 3 to 4 hours. After mixture has dried, remove cheesecloth and place into aluminum foil. Refrigerate.

HORSE RADDISH WITH BEETS

One Can of Sliced Beets, One Jar of Commercial Horse Raddish, Chopped Onion.

Open can of beets and and chop fine with knife, or place in blender to taste. Add some chopped onion and a bit of sugar. Blend Horse Raddish, onions and beets together. Refrigerate.

SMALL PASCA

3/4 cups hot milk, 2 cups flour, 1 yeast cake, 1 tablespoon warm water, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/3 cup sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 egg yolks, 1 box raisins.

Scald milk. Carefully stir ½ cup flour into hot milk. When smooth and cool, add yeast softened in warm water with 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside to rise. Add salt to egg yolks and beat until thick. Mix the butter, sugar and beaten egg yolks throughly. Slowly add the remaining 1 ½ cups of flour and knead until dough no longer sticks to fingers. Let rise until double in a warm place. Punch down and let rise again for about one hour (at this point you may wish to take a piece of the dough for ornamentation on top of the pasca). After bread has risen, place cross of extra piece of dough on top, baste with a beaten egg yolk for glaze if you wish and bake in pan for 30 minutes at 350 degree oven. 

Easter Baskets

by, David Kuchta

In our area many people get their Easter foods blessed. Some of the younger generation are getting away from this. All churches don't bless baskets, but in my wife's church they did. I belong to Slovak-World on the Internet and through e-mail we have all types of discussions. One discussion was regarding the various foods that the different church groups placed in their Easter baskets.

The Ten Foods Placed In The Easter Basket:

In the various churches throughout our areas, the traditional Easter Basket may vary, but the message is still the same.

Christos Voskrese!

I wish everyone a Happy and Joyous Easter!

Easter Customs

by, David Kuchta

Easter is certainly a religious occasion but as a youngster we also had our fun times on these holy days. One tradition that I remembered is using a whip on Easter Monday. When I was six or seven years old, I went up to a neighbors home (Valucks) and someone gave me a braided whip made out of palm leaves or small pussy willow branches. Somehow my memory just can't remember what that particular whip was made from. I do remember that it was well braided and a thing of beauty. I was told it is a custom to go to the women of the house and whip her legs (ever so gently) after which I would be rewarded with Easter candy or colored Easter eggs. I do remember that some kids only used the branches off of a pussy willow tree. In those days, gifts of candy or Easter eggs were very appreciated. Lil Junis has written a small booklet on Slovakia. In it she expands on some of the customs that were observed in Western Slovakia. She wrote that in the spring, girls in costumes walk through the streets carrying a large white dummy of Morena (Goddess of Winter) on a pole, then they would throw the doll into a local stream, signifying the end of winter. She said that on Easter Monday, boys playfully whip (with thin braided branches) and also dunk girls with water.

The legend states that the branches used for whipping posses youth and beauty and that it is transferred to the girls. It is believed that the water makes them pure. Then the boys pour some perfume on the girls hair. The girls in return give chocolates, painted eggs, cake or money to the boys. Some girls have to change wet cloths a few times on this particular day but they do not mind because it's tradition. I would imagine that the more popular the girl, the more she got dunked. It was all done in fun.  

Easter in Drahovce

by Richard Mihalek

TCC wishes to express our gratitude to Richard Milalek for offering this essay and photos to our viewers.

The following is an account of the Lenten/Easter traditions kept in Drahovce, Slovakia up to the time of the Communist takeover.  Drahovce is located in western Slovakia near Piestany. 

Special thanks to Veronika Jurisova and the late Anna Majernikova of Drahovce who have made this detailed account of their Slovak Easter available to us all. I dedicate this article to my late grandmother, Katarina (Vanco) Mihalek, who emigrated from Drahovce to a Slovak community in northern Wisconsin and to that community who kept many of these same traditions as an integral part of their Lenten/ Easter season.  I was fortunate to be raised as a boy amid these good and reverent people and honored to have been counted as one among them.  All that remains now are these memories of an era gone by.

There was a large population in Drahovce then including many old and young alike.  The times were harsh, of great misery and wretchedness causing many to emigrate.  There were families where the mother with children could not even satisfy their hunger with enough bread. Nevertheless, the people even in their misery and poverty were unanimous in their belief in God, respected their parents and the aged and had much more understanding amongst one other than what is being shown in present times.

Christmas to Ash Wednesday  was a period in which were held the customary  festivities, entertainments  and weddings.  These activities would come to a close on the Sunday before Ash Wednesday.  Beginning with that Sunday and up until midnight of Tuesday, only certain festivities were held within the village.  The children and adults donned their folkdresses and socialized together until 1 or 2 o'clock in the morning.  Raised doughnuts filled with prune jelly and deep fried in lard then covered with sugar were prepared for this occasion.  This was the last time any rich or raised bakery was to be eaten until Easter. At midnight, on the close of Tuesday and start of Ash Wednesday, all festivities ceased and the Lenten period began.  There would be no weddings or usual entertaining occurring until after Easter.

Baking during the Lenten period was plain and with unleavened dough. Very little if any form of food was prepared using lard.  Grandmothers and mothers cared for the children and spun flax which would be finished into cloth later in the summer.  The young women and girls did any needed sewing and embroidering on their folkdresses.  Farmers took care of their livestock, cleared out any fallen snow, fixed roads and repaired implements for the upcoming spring fieldwork.

Their "Week of Easter" began on the Sunday prior to Easter Sunday - Palm Sunday (Flower/Kvetna Sunday by their interpretation).  About a week prior to Palm/Flower Sunday, the older school children would begin preparing a Maypole to be carried upon the streets in the village.  A large branch of willow was decorated and bore a sign saying:

"Jesus Christ was revered upon His coming to Jerusalem."

The children gathered in homes throughout the village making  wreaths of straw and colored cloth.  Many wreaths, including one for the Maypole, were made 20 to 24 inches in diameter and suspended from a pole by a thin cord.  Also, 6 to 8 eggs were "blown" clean, decorated and strung along the cord.  So that their Maypole would have variegated colors, colored paper was bought and cut into strips and suspended from the pole.

On the Saturday before Palm/Flower Sunday, the older boys (16 to 20 years old) went by the Vah River to cut small branches of willow as these were among the first to have small green leaves.  The children formed the willow twigs into wreaths, along with ribbons and decorated eggshells, and placed them in their yards. Besides the willow wreaths, evergreen (yew) was used to make 6 inch wreaths which were to be given at homes when the Maypole parade made a brief stop.

On the morning of Palm/Flower Sunday, children attended the first mass dressed in their folkdresses.  After mass they formed a column behind the Maypole and slowly paraded along the streets pausing before homes singing the following song:

" Christ is going to Jerusalem upon an ass, for our salvation, To His torture and His death, the young Jews hailed Him. Rich garments were strewn before Him. They who had no garments threw cut twigs, And so they did obligation, a heroic deed, God in the Highest. St. George calls, the earth will open, All forms of flowers will come , roses and violets. Grandmothers be merry, we bring you summer, Pretty green rosemary, indeed a grove, a green May."

As the procession moved along, some of the people spread out their expensive garments in the path.  Those unable to afford such garments would cast small boughs ahead of the procession.  The older children went to the homes with their evergreen wreaths and asked the owner, "Do you wish for a new summer ?"  The owner would answer in the affirmative and accept the wreath.  In turn the owner would give the children 1 or 2 eggs and the more wealthy gave an additional 50 halier or even a crown. The wreath was hung in the home to ward off evil.  When the goslings, ducklings and chicks hatched, each was passed through the center of the wreath to give them health and survival.

At the homes of families with infants, a piece of branch was broken off from the Maypole and given to them to foster the health and well-being of the child.  After the procession ended, the children returned to those homes where they had earlier prepared for Palm/Flower Sunday.  The housewife fed them scrambled eggs from those received during the procession.  She also served bread and gave them a special treat of raspberry lemonade which she had purchased for this occasion.  After the meal and before they returned home, the money received during the procession was divided up among the children.

During the second mass of Palm/Flower Sunday the adults came with small bunches of pussywillows and placed them before the altar, symbolic of the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem  when olive branches were placed at His coming.  These pussywillows were then taken  home and placed  on an overhead beam (there were no ceilings then) to protect the home from harm.  After the litany and the mass,  people gathered in great numbers on Kalvaria Street praying the stations of the cross located along both sides of this street.  No further gatherings or activities would be held during the following Monday and Tuesday.

On Wednesday evening the people again prayed the stations of the cross. There was no electricity at that time so youths held oil lamps so that the words to the prayers and hymns could be read.

Before sunrise on Thursday, known as Green/Zeleny Thursday, the owners of horses led them to the Vah River and into the water to a depth of 2 feet or so to bring the horses good health and have sound feet for the entire year.

At home the housewives diligently swept around the home, the yard and the street to ward off harm to the home for the coming year.  During the course of this Thursday, the women specially washed their wooden boards upon which they made noodles, also the rolling pin, the large wooden mixing spoon and bowl for mixing the dough for bread and kolache.

Thursday morning at mass the church bell was tied so as not to be rung. That afternoon, in place of ringing the bell, the schoolboys went over the streets with noisemakers and clappers to announce the beginning of Christ's suffering on the cross. That evening the people again prayed the stations of the cross.

Before sunrise on Good Friday the young children and older girls went to the Vah River to bring back some of its water to wash with later in the day.  This custom was believed to bring them health, skill and agility for the upcoming year.  No sweeping or menial duties were done in the home and strict fasting was observed.  What little was eaten this day was prepared without lard.

Worshipping the crucified Christ began in the church on Friday morning and would continue until noon Saturday (White/Biela Saturday).  A specially made open casket was placed by the side of the altar to represent the tomb of Jesus. The people came dressed in mourning attire to pray at this symbolic gravesite.  The people got down on their knees about 5 steps from the grave and  walked on their knees to the grave to kiss a cross placed there. Mothers also brought their small children who were able to walk to partake in this solemn ritual.

All of the crosses in the church which had been covered in purple cloth since Green/Zeleny Thursday were now uncovered after this morning's (Good Friday's) worship service. As it was with housework, no field work of any kind was done this day in mourning of the crucified Christ. During the entire day the stations of the cross along Kalvaria Street were visited by many worshippers.

Early on Saturday (called White/Biela Saturday), before the children awoke, the women were busy baking various kinds of kolace with poppyseed, nuts, cottage cheese and prune jelly that were then stored in a wooden tub and covered with a tablecloth.  No one was allowed to eat any of the bakery as strict fasting was being upheld until noon.

Also this morning the women began the makings of a traditional dish called "huspenina."  They boiled smoked pork hocks, feet and rinds for 6 to 8 hours.  Soup bowls were set out into which was placed chopped garlic, ground black pepper, paprika and a portion of the cooked meat. The bowls were then filled with the hot broth and put into a cool place to jell.  In about 2 hours, which was by then their suppertime,  the family would eat this jello-like dish.  Mass had been held that morning at the church and the symbolic grave of Jesus remained open until noon this day for any who wished to come to kiss the cross.

At 12 noon on White/Biela Saturday firemen bugled and a two minute silence was observed throughout the community in honor of their citizens who were killed during WW I.

In the afternoon at 3 o'clock on White/Biela Saturday, a celebration of the risen Christ was observed.  All who were able to meet at the church would come dressed in their village folkdresses and were organized into a procession behind a cross carried by an altar boy.  Behind the cross in order, followed small children, school-age children, graduated students, maidens, single men, the remaining altar boys and then the priest carrying a monstrance beneath a canopy.  The canopy was carried by 4 firemen.  Alongside the canopy walked the mayor of the village carrying a statue of the risen Christ.  Behind the canopy followed uniformed firemen with noisemakers, then the chorus, the brass band and after it the women.

Easter hymns were played by the band and sung by the entire procession. The procession made its way to a higher location in the village known as Horna Bodona.  About every 500 yards the fireman would blow their trumpets and the procession would pause and all would turn to face the priest with the monstrance who gave a blessing to the sick of the village - repeating the blessing in all four directions of the earth. The homes along the streets of the procession had lighted candles in the windows showing reverence of the monstrance containing the host (Body of Christ).  After the procession returned to the church, many remained and continued to sing Easter songs,  leaving for their homes when the band began playing lively marching music.

Easter Sunday  morning housewives went to the chapel with baskets of food containing bread, kolace, boiled eggs and a little smoked meat to be blessed by the priest.  Returning to their homes, the baskets were set aside for the noon meal at which time each member of the household would receive a portion of each of the blessed foods with a prayer to have the family free of  illness and disease during the upcoming year. Two masses were well attended by the people dressed in their village folkdresses.  In the afternoon a litany was prayed which also had a large attendance of people dressed in their village folkdress attire. Other than these church services, the people celebrated the remainder of this day with their families.

Bright and early on Easter Monday the young men went to the homes of marriageable maidens, often times even pulling them out of their beds, and poured water on them so they would be refreshed. They also "whipped" them lightly  with a switch to ward off any illness or harm to them for the coming year.  The maidens' mother was in the yard to host the young men briefly and to scurry them off  to complete the rounds to the other homes in order that they finish in time for holy mass. Again there were two masses held during the morning hours and a litany service in the afternoon.  Unlike the attendance at mass on Easter, the size of the congregation on this day was much smaller.

After the litany the children up to age 10 would ceremoniously "whip" their baptismal parents, uncles and aunts while saying the following poem:

"Whip, fish, greasy fish, from the horsewhip, piece of kolace, So demands the school cadet, that they give three eggs, One white, two red and the debt to the child will be paid."

(It must be stated in Slovak to appreciate the rhyme and meaning of the poem.)

The children with their small whips, whipped the members of the household, women upon their skirts and men upon their trousers.  The baptismal parents gave their godchildren 3 decorated eggs and honey cakes.  The wealthier families gave purchased chocolate eggs and a crown or two.

Children over 10 years of age also went out on the streets after the litany.  Each boy and girl had a decorated whip braided about 15 inches long.  The boys whipped the girls on their skirts to bring them skills and vigor and a little upon their feet to ward off any lameness.  The girls mainly used their whips in a more defensive posture but did whip the boys in return as they willed.

This activity with the whips ended at the sound of the evening church bell after which the school children went home to be ready for school the next day. The older boys and girls remained on the streets until dark and then they went home.  The entire village now remained quiet thus ending the Easter season in Drahovce.  The people were now able to return to their usual festivities and weddings in the months that followed.

My Slovak Recipe's

by, Cathy Ambrisko Mullenix

All of these recipes were given to me by my Grandmother, Julianna Lazorik Barnyik Ambrisko, who was born in Kosicka Bela, Slovakia on June 15, 1882. I have had them since I was twelve, when I watched her make these recipes for the holidays.

EASTER MUSHROOM SOUP (CLEAR)

Ingredients: 2 sticks butter or margarine, 4 lb. Mushrooms-cleaned & sliced, 2 heads of garlic-sliced, 3 large onions- chopped finely, 2lb. of good smoked kilbasi, salt & pepper to taste.

Melt the butter in large soup pot, saute' garlic & onions, then add mushrooms, when mushrooms are soft, add 4qts of water and kilbasi, let cook 1&1/2 to 2 hours until kilbasi "bursts." Served with rice or noodles (Haluski's)& sauerkraut too.

SERRIK "EGG CHEESE" They call the Easter Cheese Hurda too.

This makes 2 balls of cheese (the size of a grapefruit). A dozen eggs, a qt & 1/2 of milk,

1 tsp vanilla, 1 tblsp sugar, a pinch of salt. Beat together well. Cook slowly over LOW heat stirring constantly, when it looks like yellow cottage cheese & liquid separates pour into 2 CLEAN NEW knee highs (stockings), tie it so it looks like a BALL, hang it from the kitchen cabinet & let it drip, about 2 hrs. Refrigerate over night, take the stocking off & slice. Don't laugh at the stocking thing, it works better than cheese cloth, no strings!!

LONGOSHA (CABBAGE PIE)

Chop 1/2 head med cabbage up finely saute' in butter & salt, add 1 onion finely chopped, cook till soft & browned. Let cool. Roll the remaining bun out in to a circle (like a pizza) thin on a well floured board. Transfer to buttered cookie sheet, Spread cabbage on 1/2 of circle, fold dough over to cover cabbage pinch edges to form a crust. Pierce holes all over with fork in top layer, brush with beaten egg, Bake 375 for 10 minutes, turnover bake 4-5 more till golden brown, butter outside crust. Cool, cut like pizza into wedges. Sprinkle with XXX sugar.

HALUSKI’S "GRAMMIES DROP NOODLES"

2 eggs beaten, 1 cup flour, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder(makes them fluffy),enough water to moisten, mix all together in a bowl with handle to form a thick paste. Boil pot of water,

drop 1/2 tsp of dough into boiling water if it stays together puffs and comes to the top the dough is fine, if it falls apart add a little more flour to dough, test again. Drop by tiny spoons full into water. Dip spoon into water makes dough slide off easier. Cook till all come to the top & are tender, Drain. That's it! For Potatoe Drop Noodles add 2 pureed raw potatoes to same recipe it makes more noodles.

ZAZVORKY - GINGER COOKIES

4 eggs, 4 egg yolks, 2 1/2 cups sugar, 2 teasp ground ginger, 4 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 teasp baking powder, mix beaten eggs, yolks & sugar together add ginger and flour, baking powder,

mix well to form a firm dough. Refrigerate for 1 hr. Roll out to 1/8, thickness on floured or sugared board (too sweet) Cut out & place cookies on greased, foiled baking sheets. Let dry overnight. Bake in 275 oven for 15-15 minutes.

KOLBASZ

10 lbs. coarse ground pork butt or pork shoulder, 1/3 cup imported mild Hungarian Paprika. (Do not substitute generic),1/4 cup salt, 2 heaping Tbls. ground Allspice, 5 or 6 garlic cloves, 2 cups water. Bring water to boil, add peeled cloves of garlic and simmer 20 minutes. Fish out cloves of garlic and mash them with a little water. Add this to remaining water and mix all of the garlic water into the meat mix. Mix everything together well. Keep the meat mix cool. If you stuff the mix into casings, let the sausages hang for a day in at least 20 degrees. Smoke sausage according to your smoker instructions. If you are not going to stuff into casings, form into patties, wrap and freeze.

 HOLY WEEK IN THE GREEK CHURCH

BOTH GREEK RITE AND ORTHODOX

BRANCHES CELEBRATE IT

TODAY, ACCORDING TO THE GREEK CALENDAR IS

GOOD FRIDAY AND SUNDAY WILL BE OBSERVED AS EASTER

SERVICES IN CHURCHES

This is Holy Week in the Greek Rite and Greek Orthodox churches. There were special services in SS. Peter and Paul’s and St. Michael’s Greek Rite churches of this city last night as well as in the Russian Orthodox church of Three Saints in Garfield. The services in both branches of the Greek church practically are the same, but in the Greek Rite church the Papal supremacy is recognized while in the Orthodox branch the Metropolitan of Russia is the Arch-episcopal head. At both of the local Greek churches last night standing room was at a premium. The services were in preparation for Good Friday which is today. The altars were draped in black and the vestments of the priests were to correspond. At nine o’clock tomorrow night the Resurrection service will be held. This consists of impressive ceremonies following Christ from the cross to the tomb and the resurrection.

CELEBRATING IT’S EASTER

Russian Church In This City Commemorating

Festival With Much Ceremony

The Russian churches in this city, of which there are three, are celebrating the Easter season and a large number of the residents of the Dundee section have done no labor since Friday last. The festivities began on that day and will continue until tomorrow evening. The church ceremonials attendant upon the festival were elaborate in the extreme. In the edifices on First and Third Streets and at the corner of Monroe and Dayton Avenue services have been held almost constantly since Friday. All of them were well attended, the members of the Orthodox Russian church being particularly devout in their observance of the Easter festival. Today there are services in all of the churches and at the conclusion worshipers will give themselves over to feeding and it will be tomorrow night before the celebration sees its termination.

Festival Will Be Fittingly Celebrated

in Their Churches in This City

Owing to differences in the Eastern and Western calendars, the festival of the Ascension falls today throughout Russia, Greece and the rest of Eastern Christendom in place of last Thursday, as in the West. Passaic Greeks will observe the day at their churches here, while Ruthenians, Austrians, Russians and Poles who follow the Eastern usage will also celebrate the festival with religious services. At the present day there are several million Catholics who acknowledge the supremacy of the Pope of Rome and yet in other respects follow the usages of the Greek or Eastern church instead of those of Rome. Those in Passaic are principally Ruthenians from the eastern parts of Austria, together with Russians and Poles. They are sometimes known as Greek Catholics, because they use the liturgy of the Greek church. They are not Greeks either by race or language but a Slavonic people, speaking a Slavonic tongue something like Russian. They use the Greek service, translated into Slavonic, in place of the Latin mass. The clergy are married instead of celibate, the wine is given to the laity in the Holy Communion, and the church festivals are observed at the same time as in the East.

In many other usages they follow the customs of the Greek Church; that is, the Church of Constantinople; but they have since accepted the supremacy of the Pope while retaining in most other respects their eastern usages. In the eastern part of Austria known as Galicia or Ruthenia, there are several million of these Catholics who follow the Greek-Ruthenian rite. The Ascension tide services began last evening at the vesper service at 7:30 o’clock and will conclude tonight.

The Passaic Daily Herald, Thursday - June 4, 1908

One of the most beautiful traditions for the Easter season is the preparation of Pysanky. The process to make a Pysanka takes great skill and patience. These eggs are all individual creations and each has its own style and beauty. Depending upon the region where they are produced, the Pysanka can have many different colors, styles and motifs all having various meanings. Most Pysanka are made to be offered as gifts to family members and friends during Easter celebrations. 

To begin making Pysanky, raw eggs are used and the inside of the egg may be left intact or, taken out by making a pin hole in each end and gently ‘blowing" the contents out. Melted wax is used with a wooden pencil like instrument that has a pin attached to draw the motifs. This tool, called a "Kistka" is very important for making Pysanky. 

A number of dyes are used to produce various colors on the egg. To create a beautiful colored egg, its best to progress from the lightest dye to the darkest. The motif is drawn on the egg with melted wax and then dipped in the color dye you wish. After the egg drys, the same process is repeated over and over until the egg is finally finished. After the entire process is complete the egg is then "heated" which most times was done via a candle flame. The leftover wax is then removed and the pysanka is left to dry. After the Pysanka is fully dry, it is best to coat it with varnish.

After the Pysanka are finished they are taken to church to be blessed during the Easter services. They are then offered as gifts and if any are kept they are generally displayed in a case or a prominent area within the home for all to enjoy. With care, these Pysanky can be kept for many years and passed from one generation to the next.

Some of the more common colors for Pysanky are: