From days of meal preparation to the Blessing of Easter baskets, the traditions of ethnic parish communities in the Diocese of Youngstown are both rich and diverse. Preparing for Christ’s death and resurrection is universal among all Catholic communities, and how families honor and acknowledge this depends on their heritage. While traditions during the Easter season vary among cultures, one constant remains: Easter is a time for gathering together to engage in traditions that honor Jesus’ love for us.
CROATIAN TRADITIONS: COLORING EGGS, LIGHTING BONFIRES AND BAKING BREAD
For Croatians, Easter traditions and celebrations start in Lent and continue through Easter Sunday. Coloring Easter eggs, early morning Easter Sunday bonfires and arranging food in Easter baskets for blessings are just a few traditions celebrated in Croatian households.
Ron Ples, a parishioner at St. Columba Cathedral Parish in Youngstown, noted that while Croatia is a small country, the traditions are robust among the culture. “Croatia is rich in cultural variety. The costumes vary from region-to-region and even village-to-village. The only constant across Croatia is that the customs are linked, in some way, to their strong Catholic faith.”
Easter celebrations begin on Palm Sunday, where olive branches and spring flowers are blessed. The evening of Holy Saturday into the morning of Easter Sunday marks the Blessing of the Food—one of the most popular traditions among Catholic Croatians. On Easter morning, parishioners cover a small basket filled with food with a white napkin and take it to their parish for a blessing. Families then celebrate Easter Sunday by eating the blessed food for breakfast.
This morning meal includes a main dish of ham and homemade bread called Šunka u Kruhu. This centerpiece is part of a larger, traditional meal that typically includes pinca (sweet, yeasted bread), a variety of cakes and cheese, decorated Easter eggs, biscuits, horseradish, radishes, boiled chicken with homemade noodles, flan (baked custard) and other sweets and pastries.
Recipe: Šunka u Kruhu (Easter Ham Baked in Bread Dough)
Recipe provided by St. Columba Cathedral parishioner Ron Ples from Zajedničar Newspaper (April 2014), a publication of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America
Ingredients
One 3-pound boneless smoked ham
0.7 ounces fresh yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
Approximately 1 1/2 cup warm water
Directions
Place the ham into a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool in the water overnight. The next morning, drain the ham and discard the skin and fat.
For the bread, proof the yeast by mixing it with a small amount of warm water and a teaspoon of sugar. Let the yeast mixture stand for a few minutes in a warm place until it becomes foamy. In the meantime, mix both flours and the salt in a bowl with a wood spoon. Incorporate the yeast mixture into the flour. Mix with an electric mixer (paddle attachment) and gradually add warm water until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. The dough will be firm but sticky.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen cloth and let it rise in a warm place, for a half-hour or more, until it doubles in volume. Transfer the dough onto a floured surface and knead lightly for a minute or two and then return it to the bowl. Cover with plastic and a cloth and let it rise again until it doubles in volume. Repeat this process two times.
After the dough has risen three times, on a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about one-inch thick. Put the ham in the middle, wrap the dough around it and seal it. If necessary, brush some water on the dough to help it stick together and punch with your fingers to help it seal. Transfer to a parchment-covered baking sheet seam-side down, cover with a cloth and let rise for 30-40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Just before you put the bread in the oven, sprinkle some water in the oven to create steam. Immediately put the bread in and close the oven door. Every 15 minutes during the baking time, sprinkle a little more water into the oven to create additional steam (it helps the crust stay thin and crispy). Bake for approximately one hour or until the crust is golden. Wrap the hot bread in a damp cloth and a plastic bag; the bread will stay fresh for a few days.
HISPANIC TRADITIONS: FAMILY MEAL PREPARATION, PIÑATAS AND COLDFISH STEW
Easter traditions in the local Hispanic community are derived from a multitude of Spanish-speaking communities, including Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean. Known as cocina criolla, Hispanic Easter cuisines feature a variety of ingredients, spices and flavors.
Nangerie Cedeño, a parishioner at Corpus Christi Parish in Conneaut and director of religious education at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Ashtabula, is from Puerto Rico, where she says Easter celebrations include a variety of dishes that are traditional within the larger Hispanic community. These traditions begin during Lent, when families often prepare Bacalao a la Vizcaína, a coldfish stew made with salted cod, potatoes, onions, peppers, olives and tomato sauce. Cedeño mentioned that this dish is a staple during Lent and Easter, as those seasons emphasize abstaining from eating red meat.
Other dishes include Arroz con Gandules (rice with pigeon peas), Serenata de Bacalao (cod salad), Empanadillas de Mariscos (seafood turnovers), Casabe (cassava bread) and tembleque (coconut pudding). These dishes are served throughout Holy Week, each commemorating Christ’s journey through death and resurrection.
Cedeño stated that when preparing Easter meals, families gather to create dishes that reflect their culture as well as religious significance. “In many families, traditions in meal preparation are often passed down through generations, with grandmothers and older family members taking the lead in preparing traditional dishes that require patience and skill.” Children assist their elders by completing simple tasks, such as rolling dough and sprinkling spices. For Cedeño and her family, it’s important that all members feel like they’re a part of the meal preparation. “Gathering and cooking together has become a cherished ritual for many families, especially around Easter, reinforcing a communal spirit that celebrates both family and faith. This shared experience of preparing and enjoying these meals strengthens the bonds between generations.”
Hispanic families will also often prepare extra food to share with members of the community: “[Food is] shared with neighbors, church members or those in need, reinforcing the Christian value of charity,” said Cedeño.
Meals begin after the eldest member of the family leads everyone around the table in prayer. For Cedeño’s family, as well as others who embrace Puerto Rican traditions, Easter celebrations continue into Monday, known as Lunes de Pascua (Easter Monday). Families use this day to mark the closing of Holy Week and to eat leftovers and spend time with one another.
“[Preparing food together] not only brings family members together, fostering a sense of unity and connection, but it also honors the deeper meanings behind the food, connecting us to our roots and faith. Sharing meals allows us to pass down stories, values and customs to future generations, keeping both our cultural and spiritual identities alive.”
Recipe: Casabe
Recipe provided by Nangerie Cedeño, from www.DominicanCooking.com.
HUNGARIAN TRADITIONS: SPRINKLING PERFUME, GATHERING AFTER EASTER MASS AND MAKING EASTER CHEESE
In Hungarian households, Easter morning begins with the sprinkling of perfume. Ursuline Sister Diane Toth, a retired teacher and social worker in Mahoning and Columbiana counties, explained the process and significance of beginning the day in this way: “Men gather perfume and chase women around, a tradition that is meant to symbolize that women were the first to arrive at Jesus’ tomb. As time went on, it came to symbolize fertility and good luck.” This tradition is one she remembers fondly celebrating with her family, who helped construct Our Lady of Hungary Church (which has since closed and merged with Holy Apostles Parish).
Families then attend Easter Sunday Mass and gather in faithful fellowship, something Sister Diane said is one of her favorite memories of growing up. “After Mass, we’d gather in front of the church to tell stories.”
After Mass, traditional Hungarian Easter meals would include ham, boiled eggs, braided loaves of bread (kalaćs), pickled horseradish and Easter cheese. Sister Diane said she remembers making Easter cheese with her family and also noted the significance of horseradish: “We eat horseradish with beets at Easter. It is a symbol of the blood of Christ and the bitter taste of the gall that was offered to Him.”
While many traditions regarding Hungarian Easter meals hold strong among Hungarian communities, Sister Diane hopes that one tradition will stand the test of time: the emphasis on faith and family. “I was fortunate to still be immersed in the traditions. I went to Mass, heard the language and experienced the spirit of Hungarian people.” She has traveled to Hungary to the church her grandparents attended, one where her grandfather’s sanctuary light still shines. She hopes that generations to come will take pride, as she does, in their Hungarian culture as well as their Catholic faith.
Recipe: Hungarian Easter Cheese
Recipe submitted by the family of Sister Diane Toth, passed down through generations.
Ingredients:
2 cups milk
6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup golden raisins
Directions:
Scald milk (almost to a boil). Slightly break apart the eggs and add them slowly to the hot milk. Keep stirring until the mixture looks like scrambled eggs. Add sugar and mix. Add vanilla and raisins.
Remove from the heat and pour the mixture into a cheesecloth bag. Twist slightly. Tie and hang it so it can drip (for about 2 hours). Remove from cheesecloth, cover, refrigerate and slice to serve.
POLISH TRADITIONS: CELEBRATING CARNIVAL SEASON, SACRIFICING THROUGH LENT AND SIMMERING WHITE BORSCHT
In the Polish community, preparation for Easter begins at the end of the Christmas season. This time between the two seasons, called Carnival Season, is filled with lively gatherings and festivities. Parishioner Aundrea Heschmeyer of St. Columba Cathedral explained, “We have celebrations going up to Lent, because we take Lent very seriously. No hanging around, chatting or meals after church—Lent is about giving up everything.”
The Polish community is known for its intricately painted Easter eggs that present themselves as true works of art. These eggs coincide with moving through the Lenten season, as parishioners abstain from several activities and interactions. “During Lent, we have the time to paint the Easter eggs because we don’t do anything else,” commented Heschmeyer, who also said the Easter eggs symbolize reflection on Christ’s death and resurrection.
The emphasis on food traditions also begins during Lent, through strict fasting and abstaining. Heschmeyer said that even from a young age, Lent was taken very seriously in their Polish household. “It wasn’t an option—no matter how old we were, there were no snacks in the house. Everyone gave up sweets, eating between meals, candy.”
Preparing food for Easter meals is a challenge in the Polish community because of different traditions during Holy Week. Heschmeyer explained that in addition to cleaning the house—something that symbolizes preparation for Christ’s resurrection—no baking may take place on Good Friday. Polish communities also emphasize participation on the Blessing of the Easter Baskets, usually on Holy Saturday. “I remember I showed up with a Giant Eagle bag one year as my Easter basket. The ministers wondered what I was doing, but Saturday was my only time to make all of the food!” Baskets include salt, pepper, horseradish and other foods—including a meal to share with the parish priest.
Easter dinner in the Polish household includes a variety of meats and soups. It is the season for preparing and eating white borscht, a soup made with potatoes, onions and a variety of other vegetables and spices. Heschmeyer and her family describe their Easter meal as a “pig holiday” because other dishes include pork loin, smoked kielbasa and non-smoked kielbasa.
The celebration of Christ’s resurrection does not end on Sunday for Polish parishioners. The Monday after Easter, known as Dyngus Day or Wet Monday, is a celebration that includes food, polka, dancing and water fights. Heschmeyer explained that this tradition originated quite some time ago: “This celebration at the end of Lent was created by one of the Polish kings when he decided that Poland would become Catholic.”
Recipe: Biały Barszcz: Polish White Borscht Soup
Recipe submitted by Aundrea Heschmeyer via www.TheSpruceEats.com.
IRISH TRADITIONS: WELCOMING OTHERS, BAKING SHEPHERD’S PIE AND MIXING UP IRISH COFFEE
From soda breads to corned beef, Irish meals during the Easter holiday are what Lauren McNally defines as simple, yet comforting. McNally and her family are members of St. Christine Parish in Youngstown, and during Easter, they celebrate with food and drink recipes that have been passed down through generations.
For Irish communities across the diocese, Easter and other holidays are marked by dishes such as shepherd’s pie, lamb stew, corned beef and sautéed carrots and cabbage. McNally’s family emphasizes both the traditional and Irish-American foods that she says can be prepared by anyone with a free set of hands.
Shepherd’s Pie is one that she said has a place in her heart. “My shepherd’s pie recipe has been passed down from my grandmother to my mother and now to me.” This dish traditionally consists of filling made of vegetables and some kind of meat such as lamb or beef, with a mashed potato topping.
While McNally mentioned that an Irish holiday menu is typically more savory than sweet, soda bread presents the opportunity to get creative and make something more on the sugary side. “Soda bread is variable. Sometimes people will add sugar and raisins, but typically, the dishes are more savory.”
McNally explained that while there are certainly traditional holiday foods that are prepared and served during Easter, Irish culture places the same emphasis on sharing a variety of beverages with others. “Irish aren’t always known to be good cooks or put a lot of stock in food gatherings like Eastern European cultures. We do put a lot of stock in comradery and drink mixing, so there’s a lot of family tradition around.” A set of mugs with a recipe for Irish coffee have been passed down through generations in McNally’s family as well.
McNally said her family gathers together for meals and drinks after attending Mass on Easter Sunday. In addition to attending Mass, McNally said she hopes her children will continue the tradition of welcoming others to their table. “It’s the people around the table who matter, not always what you’re feeding them. As long as you’re providing a warm and welcoming feeling to whoever is at your table, that’s what matters and that’s who you should make feel welcome.”
Recipe: Shepherd’s Pie
Family recipe submitted by Lauren McNally
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion
2 cloves garlic
2 pounds ground beef or lamb
2 cups mixed vegetables
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
Salt and pepper to taste
For the mashed potato topping:
4 cups potatoes peeled and diced
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Directions:
Prepare the meat filling. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent, for about five minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ground beef or lamb to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until it is no longer pink. Add the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, beef broth, dried thyme and diced rosemary. Stir to combine. Simmer the mixture for about 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the meat filling to a baking dish and spread it out evenly.
Prepare the mashed potato topping. While the meat filling is simmering, place the diced potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the pot. Add the milk and butter to the potatoes and mash until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the shepherd’s pie: Spread the mashed potatoes evenly over the meat filling in the baking dish. If desired, sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the mashed potatoes.
Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Allow the shepherd’s pie to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Recipe: TRADITIONAL IRISH COFFEE
Family recipe provided by Lauren McNally
Combine:
8 ounces strong coffee
2 teaspoons Irish whiskey
2 teaspoons brown sugar
Cover with 4 tablespoons whipped cream.
ITALIAN TRADITIONS: HOSTING LARGE FAMILIES, BAKING BREAD AND SIMMERING SOUP
Meats, cheese, grilled zucchini and Easter Bread are just a few items that adorn the dinner table in the Italian household during the Easter season. Italian holiday gatherings often emphasize love, laughter and the joy of being together to share a meal and acknowledge Christ’s death and resurrection.
Sheri Pilolli, a member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Basilica in Youngstown, hosts more than 30 family members on Easter Sunday. Dishes include antipasti (meats, cheeses, olives and more), spezzato (lamb soup with asparagus, eggs and Pecorino Romano cheese), grilled lamb chops and a variety of vegetables and pastries.
She credits her mother-in-law’s family, who grew up in Paola di Civitate, Italy, with her ability to prepare food for such a large family. However, it is certainly not a one-person job. “The morning of Easter, before Mass, the older kids help roll up the Italian meats for the antipasto platter. At dinner, all of the men in the family gather around two grills and make the lamb chops, [and pour] wine and shots of limoncello. The women help get everything else ready.”
One of the recipes that has been part of Pilolli’s family through generations is her mother-in-law Rachelle Pilolli’s spezzato da San Paolo di Civitate, Italia (lamb, asparagus, egg stew). In Italian, spezzato means “broken.” Pilolli explained that the dish is named this way because when the egg mixture is added to the soup, it breaks up into tiny pieces.
Recipe: Mamma Rachelle Pilolli’s Spezzato da San Paolo di Civitate, Italia
Recipe submitted by Sheri Pilolli, passed down through generations
Ingredients:
1 leg of lamb, cut into large stew meat size pieces
Extra virgin olive oil
3 bay leaves
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
Dry white wine
Water
2 small cans of chicken broth
2 small cans of beef broth (use both so it allows the lamb taste to dominate)
2 1-pound bundles of asparagus, cut into 1 1/2” pieces (discarding tough ends)
1 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Fresh chopped parsley or parsley flakes
Directions:
Cover the bottom of a large soup pot with olive oil and heat on medium heat. Carefully add lamb pieces. Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic salt over lamb pieces and add the three bay leaves. Sauté until lamb is just cooked (it will not be tender at this point). Deglaze the pan with white wine. Add the broth and then add water to the pot so the liquid is about five inches above the lamb. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to low or medium low, so that the soup simmers slowly. Simmer approximately 30 to 45 minutes or more.
Taste the soup to see if additional seasoning or another can of broth or two is needed. Also, test the lamb to ensure it has become tender (be careful not to make the broth too salty because the egg mixture that is added in a later step will be salty due to the Romano cheese). If the lamb is tender and broth is as desired, remove the bay leaves and discard. Add the asparagus to the simmering soup and return to simmering. Beat the eggs and cheese together with a generous amount of chopped parsley. Test the asparagus during the cooking process, it should be cooked al dente.
When the asparagus is al dente, bring the soup back to a vigorous boil and slowly pour the egg mixture into soup, stirring gently to break up the fluffy egg clumps. Allow egg mixture to cook about 15 minutes. Turn off heat, cover and let set about 20 to 30 minutes before serving. This stew is even better when reheated the next day, so you may want to prepare a day ahead!
Chloe Alger, a Catholic millennial who grew up in a traditional Italian household, also has fond memories of gathering with a large family for a meal. Alger is a Eucharistic minister and teacher’s aide at Immaculate Conception Parish in Ravenna.
Throughout her childhood, Alger, her parents and her three sisters sat down to an Easter dinner made of homemade wedding soup, lasagna or stuffed pasta, Easter bread, stuffed artichokes, froschia (Sicilian egg bread) and ricotta pie. She explained that both her mother and father are Italian, and their household Easter menu combined Italian flavors from both of their families.
Before preparing meals for Easter dinner, Alger and her family attended an outdoor Stations of the Cross, something she said she remembers as a spiritual experience during Holy Week. “There is something about being in nature that helps you feel closer to God.”
Easter Sunday preparation began days in advance in Alger’s family. “I remember that a couple of days before Easter, my parents would start cooking. I mainly remember them making the wedding soup and [me] helping out as much as possible. I always enjoyed making the tiny meatballs,” she said. She also said she remembers helping her father bake bread, including Italian Easter bread.
Alger said that younger generations in her family are already engaging in their Easter traditions. “My parents will now make Easter bread with their grandchildren, and the grandchildren help make other dishes.”
Recipe: Italian Easter Bread
Recipe submitted by Chloe Alger, passed down through generations
Ingredients:
1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons flour
2 packages dry yeast
2 cups milk
2 sticks butter
4 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Rind of one lemon
8 to 9 cups flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Optional: Sprinkles
Directions:
Mix warm water, sugar, flour and dry yeast in a small cup and let it form a sponge. In a small saucepan, combine milk and add in butter. Warm on the stove to just melt the butter. Do not boil. Beat together eggs, lemon juice and lemon rind.
In a large bowl, mix together flour, sugar and salt. Make a well and add other ingredients to the well. Mix together to form dough. Let the dough rise until doubled. Punch down the dough and let it rise again. Shape it into loaves or braids. Let it rise again. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
Make frosting by combining ingredients until desired consistency. Frost cooled bread. Add sprinkles if desired.
KENYAN TRADITIONS: ROASTING GOAT OVER CHARCOAL AND THE DANCING OF THE PONTIFICAL MISSIONARY CHILDREN
Father Francis Muriithi—an extern priest who is parochial vicar at Our Lady of Peace Parish in Ashtabula, Assumption Parish in Geneva, Corpus Christi Parish in Conneaut and St. Andrew Bobola Parish in Sheffield—came to Youngstown in the fall and will serve a five-year term within the Diocese of Youngstown. In his home diocese of Kenya, an important Easter tradition is the dancing of the Pontifical Missionary Children (PMC) at Mass.
“In my diocese, we have 63 parishes, so we have 63 groups of children who dance in the Church,” he said. Because most children go to high school at age 14—and many attend boarding schools away from home—the age range of the children who participate in these dances is roughly five to 14, and they are chosen by the leader of the parish’s PMC, called the “patron and the matron.” According to Father Muriithi, there are a lot of children involved at each parish, so only some can be selected.
“On Saturday night, when He is resurrected, there are a lot of dances throughout the Mass. It is very high Mass. It takes two-and-a-half hours,” he said, explaining how the children lead the procession into the church and then use the side aisles to return to the vestibule, where they sit and participate in Mass as any parishioner would, until they get their cue to dance again—usually around the reading of the Gospel, the offertory and the recessional. They dance to the music selected by the choir—so some coordination with the music ministry is involved—and the children also participate in Christmas Mass and other important liturgies throughout the year.
“It is so good that the children know their part and parcel of the liturgy … and the families feel that [the Church] is alive and that it is going forward and growing,” Father Muriithi said. “It is also evangelization to the [younger] children, who see that when they reach a particular age, they can also be a part of the culture of our liturgy.”
These dances aside, Father Muriithi suspects he won’t be too homesick this Easter. “The beauty of the Catholic Church is that it is so united … that there is nothing else I will miss because I’m going to celebrate Easter here just how I would celebrate it in Kenya,” he said, adding, “Apart from visiting my mother and siblings. But I would say I’m only going to miss that 50 percent, because I’m going to do a video call—when they all gather so I can wish them a ‘Happy Easter’—and they will do the same.”
Visit www.CatholicEcho.org to read a reflection from Father Muriithi on Kenyan Easter traditions, which includes video examples of the PMC.
RECIPE: NYAMA CHOMA (ROASTED GOAT MEAT)
This recipe can also be slow-cooked over a charcoal grill. In fact, Father Muriithi explained that the charcoal grilling method is the most commonly-used in Kenya, adding, “Roasted goat is an important tradition for both Easter and Christmas!”
SLOVAKIAN TRADITIONS: ASSEMBLING EASTER BASKETS, LIGHTING CANDLES AND BAKING PASKA
Slovakian parishioners place their emphasis on the Slovak-American tradition of Easter food baskets, a tradition that is also practiced by Polish and Ukrainian parishioners. Father John Jerek, pastor at St. Christine, Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Brendan parishes in Youngstown, noted that the Easter food basket tradition dates back to the 1200s.
Easter food baskets are brought to church on Holy Saturday in the late morning or early afternoon, where they are blessed, sprinkled with holy water and incensed. The food from the blessed basket is typically the first meal on Easter morning or after the Easter vigil.
The baskets carry symbolism that honors Christ’s death and resurrection. “Each basket is covered with a decorative cloth, symbolizing the cloth covering the crucified body of Jesus. Often, a lit candle is placed in the basket during the blessing, which symbolizes Christ as the Light of The World,” explained Father Jerek.
The food in each basket also holds special meaning. For example, Easter bread symbolizes Christ as the Bread of Life, butter in the shape of a lamb represents Jesus as the Lamb of God and dyed and decorated eggs symbolize the new life given to us by Christ’s resurrection. Other foods, including fruit, wine or beer, may also be put into the baskets.
Father Jerek said this tradition is special to him because of how baskets were blessed during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. “At St. Matthias Church, we held a ‘drive through’ blessing in which cars came to the entrance of the church with food baskets in the backseat or trunk. An altar server and I blessed each basket and gave each car a set of prayers by which to continue the blessing at home.” By the end of the day, Father Jerek had blessed approximately 75 Easter food baskets.
Foods commonly on the Slovakian Easter dinner menu include bacon, cheese, horseradish, eggs, baked ham and paska (Easter bread) — most of which are part of the blessed Easter basket.
Father Jerek’s leadership at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish makes him pastor of the last remaining Slovak parish in the Diocese of Youngstown. He mentioned Easter basket blessings and other Slovakian traditions continue to remain strong, something he defines as “an indicator of the tenacious nature of Slavic Catholicism and our fierce love of our heritage.”
Recipe: Paska (Slovakian Easter Bread)
Recipe recommended by Father John Jerek at www.nourish-and-fete.com.
