A twelve-dish Christmas Eve supper is traditionally prepared to commemorate

Jesus Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

' twelve disciples in Central, Northern and

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural and socio-economic connotations. Its eastern boundary is marked by the Ural Mountain ...

an cultures, especially those that were formerly part of the

Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...

and neighbouring countries. The tradition is especially cultivated in modern-day

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It extends from the Baltic Sea in the north to the Sudetes and Carpathian Mountains in the south, bordered by Lithuania and Russia to the northeast, Belarus and Ukrai ...

, where alternatively thirteen meatless dishes on Christmas Eve are sometimes served.

Description

The specific dishes may differ from country to country, but many of them are universal. Due to the

Nativity Fast In Christianity, the Nativity Fast—or Fast of the Prophets in Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church—is a period of abstinence and penance practiced by the Eastern Orthodox Church, Oriental Orthodox Churc ...

, no meat, eggs or milk (including cheese) are allowed during the supper. Thus fish,

mushrooms A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. ''Toadstool'' generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...

and various types of

grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...

are the main offerings. In Poland, the Wigilia supper begins with eating soups, traditionally mushroom soup or

barszcz Borscht () is a sour soup, made with meat Stock (food), stock, vegetables and seasonings, common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In English, the word ''borscht'' is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukraine, Ukrainian orig ...

. The ritual for Catholics and Orthodox Christians in Ukraine is to start with

kutia Kutia or kutya ( ; ; ) is a ceremonial grain dish with sweet gravy traditionally served mostly by Eastern Orthodox Christians and some Catholicism, Catholic Christians predominantly in Belarusian cuisine, Belarus, Russian cuisine, Russia, Ukra ...

. Kutia, poppy milk (''aguonų pienas'') together with ''kūčiukai'' are served as a dessert and forms a significant part of the Lithuanian Christmas Eve menu. Poppy seeds are widely used for Christmas Eve dishes, because they symbolise abundance and prosperity. In Poland, it was traditionally believed that the poppy seeds, known for their sleep-inducing power, may have been helpful on the way to the afterlife or as a delicacy for souls who come to earth. Honey, a product produced by bees, which are considered by many to be sacred creatures, was offered as a gift to departed souls. In Ukraine, it was believed that varenyky, which are also a symbol of prosperity, with poppy-seed filling when served at Ukrainian Sviata Vecheria have the most magical potential for bringing prosperity and fecundity to the villager. Regarding the fish dishes, these are usually herring,

carp The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...

or pike. In Lithuania, herring () dishes are popular and diverse. Usually ''silkė su morkomis'' (herring with carrots), or ''silkė su grybais'' (herring with mushrooms) are served on Christmas Eve. Mushrooms, especially dried or pickled, are also one of the main ingredients used in Christmas Eve dishes. Sauerkraut ( Polish: ''kiszona kapusta'', Ukrainian: ''кисла капуста''; kysla kapusta) with wild mushrooms or peas, red

borscht Borscht () is a sour soup, made with meat stock, vegetables and seasonings, common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In English, the word ''borscht'' is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red b ...

, mushroom or fish

soup Soup is a primarily liquid food, generally served warm or hot – though it is sometimes served chilled – made by cooking or otherwise combining meat or vegetables with Stock (food), stock, milk, or water. According to ''The Oxford Compan ...

s are served in Poland and western Ukraine. Boiled or deep fried

dumpling Dumplings are a broad class of dishes that consist of pieces of cooked dough (made from a variety of starchy sources), often wrapped around a filling. The dough can be based on bread, wheat or other flours, or potatoes, and it may be filled wi ...

s (Polish:

pierogi Pierogi ( ; ) are filled dumplings made by wrapping Leavening, unleavened dough around a Stuffing, filling and cooked in boiling water. They are occasionally flavored with a savory or sweet garnish. Typical fillings include potato, cheese, ...

, Ukrainian: вареники, varenyky, Lithuanian: auselės) with a wide variety of fillings (including cabbage or sauerkraut, mushrooms and crushed poppy seeds), are among the most popular dishes. Doughnuts filled with jam (Polish: pączki, Ukrainian: пампушки, pampushky) are served for dessert in Poland and western Ukraine, but in Lithuania sweet dishes are not common, as they are believed to be inappropriate for the solemn atmosphere of the evening. As for beverages, traditionally dried fruit kompot or cranberry kisiel () are common. In earlier times oaten kisiel was more common. There is the whole ritual before the meal begins. Once the first star appears on the sky, each member of the family washes his face, hands and legs in cold water saying: "Be as healthy as this water is." The most brave people go to local rivers or lakes and have a short swim there. After the water procedure is finished, the family goes on with a prayer, often the Our Father. After the prayer the head of the household will anoint each person present with

honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of pl ...

, making the sign of the Cross on their forehead, saying: "In the name of the

Father A father is the male parent of a child. Besides the paternal bonds of a father to his children, the father may have a parental, legal, and social relationship with the child that carries with it certain rights and obligations. A biological fat ...

and of the Son and of the

Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit, otherwise known as the Holy Ghost, is a concept within the Abrahamic religions. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is understood as the divine quality or force of God manifesting in the world, particularly in acts of prophecy, creati ...

: may you have sweetness and many good things in life and in the new year." The Christmas Eve supper is usually held under candlelight and starts in the evening after the first star appears in the sky. The star symbolizes the birth of

in Christian tradition and a soul of deceased ancestors in pre-Christian beliefs. Quiet, dim-lighting, and a somewhat mystical atmosphere is characteristic for Christmas Eve supper. In Poland, Lithuania and western Ukraine an extra plate and seat are always left at the table. According to the folk beliefs, the spirits of the departed members of the family visit on the night.Tracz, Orysia 2015, ''First Star I See Tonight'', Mazepa Publications Zhuravli, Winnipeg

References

External links

Traditional recipes

Customs and Traditions

Recipes with photos - 12 dishes for Christmas Eve

{{Christmas Polish traditions Polish cuisine Lithuanian traditions Lithuanian cuisine Slovak cuisine Ukrainian cuisine Catholic cuisine Christmas meals and feasts Christianity in Lithuania Semi-vegetarianism Christian vegetarianism Ukrainian traditions Folk Christianity Belarusian traditions Belarusian cuisine Rusyn culture Baltic culture

Description

See also

References

External links