Blessing of the Easter Baskets

Blessing of the Baskets for Easter is a tradition among Eastern Europeans. It varies from country to country as to whether it takes place on Holy Saturday or Easter Sunday.

The Rev. Joseph Vamos, pastor of Our Lady of Consolation Roman Catholic Church in Merrillville, Ind., says separate prayers for meat, dairy, bread, eggs, pastries, wine and children's baskets. Then he blesses each one individually.

What a person puts into his basket is dictated by family tradition and personal preference. For some, it's dyed red eggs, ham and smoked sausages.

Others slip in a lamb butter mold, red and white wines, babka, salt and colored hard-cooked eggs.

The tradition is kept alive by the young people of the parish. Here a baby observes her very first Blessing of the Baskets.

Here, a father introduces his toddler son to the tradition of Holy Saturday Blessing of the Baskets.

Eventually, children are responsible enough to be entrusted with bringing the basket to the church on their own, as my siblings and I did while our mother was busy preparing the Easter feast. It is hoped these two young men will pass on this legacy to their own children.

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