Traditions for a Polish Easter Lunch - Swieconka

Author: Abdrew Krause

The word Swieconka comes from the polish word “swiecic” which means, “to bless”.

On Easter Sunday, Polish families prepare an Easter basket, filling it with traditional polish food and Easter delicacies and then taking it to church to be blessed by the priest. The blessed food is then laid out on the table on Easter Sunday after mass and the meal that follows is called Swieconka.

What To Put In Your Easter Basket

The list of traditional polish food is simple? A Lamb, representing the Lamb of God, made with butter, cake, or sugar;

Eggs, the symbol of new life.
Horseradish is a bitter herb signifying the suffering of Christ.
Bread, which symbolizes both the risen Christ as well as prosperity.
Salt, which in the Polish tradition is presented to guests as a sign of welcome and hospitality.
Greenery of some sort, is a symbol of the awakening and greening of the earth.

Swieconka

After mass on Easter Sunday the family gathers around the table and the head of the household cuts a hard boiled egg, blessed the previous day, into segments, one of which is offered in turn to each of the people present along with wishes for long life and happiness on this Easter Sunday.

My family and I have been practicing this tradition since I was born and also my relatives in Poland ever since the tradition was started. My Wife and I had taught our traditions to our children, grand children and now our great grand children. Sometimes I wonder if after we are gone will these traditions still be alive.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/cooking-tips-articles/traditions-for-a-polish-easter-lunch-swieconka-573119.html

About the Author:

Andrew Krause is a Chef and Pastry Chef for over 30 years, at persent I own a Gourmet Bakery called The Cheese Confectioner.You can visit my site at For Free Recipes.net NOTE: You are welcome to reprint this article online as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including the about the author info at the end).