ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Parishioners gathered Saturday at the Basilica of Saint Lawrence for a long-standing Holy Saturday tradition: the blessing of Easter foods, a ritual rooted in Eastern European Christian customs and marking the end of Lent.

At the downtown Asheville church, families brought baskets filled with bread, eggs and meat to be blessed ahead of Easter Sunday meals. The ceremony, known in Polish tradition as “Święconka,” is observed in countries including Poland and Ukraine and has been carried on by immigrant communities in the United States.

The baskets are not simply collections of food, but symbols tied to Christian beliefs about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Eggs, often dyed deep red, represent new life and the resurrection, with the color symbolizing the blood of Christ shed during the crucifixion. In many traditions, the eggs are prepared on Holy Thursday using natural dyes such as onion skins.

Bread included in the baskets signifies sustenance and, in Christian teaching, the body of Christ in the Eucharist. Meat reflects the end of the Lenten fast, while salt is added as a symbol of purification and preservation.

Many baskets also feature a lamb, sometimes made of butter, sugar or bread, representing Christ as the “Lamb of God.” Greenery, such as boxwood, is used as decoration to symbolize renewal and hope.

The blessing of Easter foods is one of the most widely observed Holy Saturday traditions across Eastern and Central Europe, practiced in both large cities and small villages, often drawing entire families to churches regardless of their level of religious observance.

Following the blessing, the foods are typically shared during Easter meals, marking the celebration of the resurrection.