Centennial Year Church Events

April 30, 2005 -   Paschal Baskets were blessed late in the afternoon of Great and Holy Saturday in the Church School. Traditional food items in the baskets include ham, sausage, butter, and eggs - none of which is to be consumed until after Divine Liturgy on Pascha. Red eggs symbolize new life in the Resurrected Christ. A second blessing of baskets occurred after the Paschal Divine Liturgy at approximately 3:00 a.m. on the morning of Pascha. The photos which follow are divided into three sections. The first block shows the service in which the food is blessed by the rector of SS. Peter and Paul Orthodox Church, Rev. David Garretson. The second block of photos shows some of the parishioners who attended the annual service. Lastly, the third block of photos shows the colorful and varied foodstuffs that comprise the traditional Orthodox Paschal baskets. A Blessed Pascha to one and all. Christ Is Risen! Indeed He Is Risen!

The block of six photos above shows scenes from the blessing service. The size of the crowd of people in attendance was greater than any that this reporter can remember. At the conclusion of the service Rev. Garretson said that, above all else, Pascha should be a day of peace.

This is a joyous event. People take great pride in the food preparation that they have made. Both pride and joy can be seen in their faces in the photos above.

In the block of photos above, one can see the various types of food that the Orthodox people associate with Pascha. Among the photos as well are very ornate Easter basket cover cloths made especially for this occasion. All of them are inscribed with a cross and the words "Christ Is Risen" in various languages.

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