What does Easter cake mean and what day is it baked?

Easter is the most important holiday in Christianity, and its traditional symbols are painted eggs and Easter cakes. In this article, we will talk about the origin of one of these symbols, the Easter kulich, as well as about the peculiarities of the time of its preparation, storage and consecration.

On the holiday of Easter, not a single feast is complete without cakes, which are prepared by the hostesses according to a variety of recipes or bought in the store. However, not everyone knows where this tradition came from. And she went from the tradition, according to which, Jesus Christ, having resurrected, visited the apostles, his followers. He shared a meal with them. Subsequently, the apostles began to leave one of the places, which was central, at the table free, and next to it they put bread - this meant the presence of the Savior.

This is where this tradition comes from. Believers, putting Easter cake on the table, believe that in this way Jesus himself is next to them. At the same time, it is interesting that the Slavs made Easter cakes, as a rule, of a rounded shape. People treated them with care, as to the most real shrine. Such cakes were called artos, that is, a special Easter bread.

In general, the tradition of baking bread products as an offering for the gods has existed for a long time, and not only in Orthodoxy among Christians, but also in paganism.It is interesting that, according to ethnographers, the tradition of baking cakes is closely related to the pagan deity of fruiting. In this context, Easter cake symbolizes the masculine principle. As a rule, it was baked on spring harvest holidays, and in shape it resembled a male oud. The top of such a cake was watered with white fondant, which was sprinkled with grain, which symbolized fertility. Painted eggs were placed next to the Easter cake, which was a reference to the male reproductive organ.

According to the church canon, it is necessary to bake cakes on special days. It is recommended to do this from Wednesday to Thursday, which falls on the last week of Great Lent, not earlier.

As a rule, believers prefer to make Easter baked goods on Maundy Thursday. However, there are some exceptions. So, if the hostess did not manage to bake the cake on the indicated days, then there is nothing wrong with that, she can do it on Holy Saturday. This day is the final day for the preparation of bread products, while it is best to start cooking in the morning, because the process itself takes a lot of time and is very painstaking.

At the same time, we note that the dough for Easter cake should be kneaded with bright thoughts, and it is necessary to start this process, while being in a positive mood. And if something does not work out for you, then in this case you can mentally turn to Jesus by reading prayers.

It is worth mentioning the forbidden days for making Easter cakes. They do not exist as such. However, the clergy do not advise doing this on the Friday of Holy Week. For many, preparing for the holiday on this day is a great sin. This day is mournful in Christianity, because it was on Friday that Jesus died. On this day, according to believers, one should not be engaged in household chores. It is better to visit the church this Friday, taking a break from worldly troubles for a while.

The day of Easter itself is also not suitable for making Easter cakes. This is a bright and solemn holiday, on which it is not recommended to work, do household chores, use bad words or swear.

It is also necessary to say about when you can eat Easter cakes. You cannot do this before Easter, because this product contains those products that are prohibited for use during fasting and during Holy Week.... However, if you do not fast, then the cake is available for you to eat, but in this case it will be something like a regular muffin.

If we talk about storing Easter cakes until Easter, then they are often placed in an ordinary bread box, after removing other bread products or crumbs from there so that the Easter dish does not deteriorate. It is also allowed to store baked goods in an ordinary towel, preferably in linen or cotton, since artificial materials are not suitable for this.

Believers often collect a basket where they put the cake itself. At a certain time, she is taken to the church for consecration. However, it is worth noting that the Easter basket that you carry to the consecration should not contain alcoholic products, which also applies to red wine.

Easter cakes are holy, as a rule, on Holy Saturday. Consecration is usually carried out at the end of the liturgy, that is, from about noon until evening. The consecration of Easter products is usually available on Bright Sunday, but it is recommended to hold it before noon.