“Christmas Eve, celebrated in Ukraine on December 24, is one of the most important moments in the preparation for Christmas. According to tradition, there should be 12 Lenten dishes on the table, symbolizing diversity and the end of fasting. This rite is not only related to cooking, but also to observing the sky, when the adults begin dinner after the first star appears. Kutya”, — write on: ua.news
Christmas Eve, celebrated in Ukraine on December 24, is one of the most important moments in the preparation for Christmas.
According to tradition, there should be 12 Lenten dishes on the table, symbolizing diversity and the end of fasting.
This rite is not only related to cooking, but also to observing the sky, when the adults begin dinner after the first star appears.
Kutya
Kutya is the most important of the 12 dishes on Christmas Eve. It was with her that the meal began. Kutyu was prepared from threshed wheat, which was pounded in a makitra. In this way, the upper thin film was removed, but the grain itself was not damaged. Sometimes rice or barley was added. Mandatory ingredients were considered: honey, jam and dried fruits.
For our ancestors, grain meant eternal life, wealth, prosperity. And honey was a symbol of God’s word, purity, Christian faith. Also, poppy seeds were necessarily added to the kuti – a symbol of innocently shed blood, martyrdom.
After each member of the family has tried all 12 dishes on the Holy evening, the kutyu is left for the whole night to be tasted by the souls of the deceased ancestors. After all, the dish itself is a symbol of the unity of the world of the living and the world of the dead.
Stewed fruit
Of the 12 dishes for the Holy Supper, uzvar is considered the second most popular after kuti. It is a symbol of new life, birth, which was given to man by God. The decoction was prepared from dried fruits and pure spring water. The latter, for its part, symbolized the purification of body and soul. Honey was also added to the drink.
Borsch
Lenten borscht was one of the 12 dishes on Christmas Eve. It is prepared only from vegetables and pre-fermented kvass from beets. That is why the dish turns out rich and has a dark red color. Because of this, borscht has long been considered a symbol of the blood of innocent children who were killed by King Herod in Bethlehem.
cabbage
Another one of the 12 dishes on Holy Eve, which was very popular among Ukrainians. It is prepared from sauerkraut, which symbolizes simplicity, strength and unity around Jesus Christ.
Karachun, kalash or bread
It is a symbol of death and subsequent resurrection. Our ancestors explained this by the fact that the grain is first thrown into the ground, where it “dies”, and then germinates and bears fruit (thereby “resurrecting”).
Fish
Fish in general has always been considered a symbol of Christians. Three intertwined fish or a fish with three heads symbolizes the Holy Trinity. Therefore, it must be present in the list of 12 dishes for the Holy evening. Fish swim freely in water bodies. Thus, Christians begin to live fully only after bathing in holy water. Even the first monogram of Jesus Christ was a sign of a fish, because the Greek abbreviation of the Savior’s name (ICHTIOS) is translated as “fish”.
Beans and peas
This dish is considered by Christians to be a symbol of God’s spring, rebirth. It also symbolizes the unity of all family members who gathered at one table to celebrate Christmas.
Dove with millet
One of the 12 dishes for the Holy Evening, the very name of which is consonant with the “dove” – a symbol of the Holy Spirit, which carries God’s love to people. And all over the world, the dove symbolizes peace, tranquility and friendliness.
Mushrooms
They can be in any form. Of the 12 Christmas dishes, it is the mushrooms that symbolize the two natures of Jesus Christ at once: earthly (leg) and divine or heavenly (cap).
Pampukhy
Our ancestors could not imagine 12 dishes for the Holy evening without doughnuts. They were considered a symbol of the saints who believed in Jesus Christ and received eternal life in heaven. And for ordinary people, a candy cane is a symbol of happiness, abundance and joy, which are so necessary for everyone during the Christmas holidays.
Dumplings
They have long symbolized satiety and abundance. And our ancestors often said that God gave man the opportunity to live on Earth “like a dumpling in butter”, that is, very well.
Porridge
For our ancestors, porridge was a symbol of unity and continuation of the family. That is why it was necessarily added to the list of 12 dishes on Holy Eve. It is also a symbol of fertile land, fertile livestock and a hardworking owner.
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