THE TRADITION AND THE STORY OF THE "VASILOPITA"
The tradition of baking and cutting a special "pita"
(which can mean a loaf of bread, a cake, or even a pie!) each year on
January 1" is observed in honor of our Holy Father Basil the Great,
archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia - hence its name Vasilopita. This
tradition is observed in both parish churches and in the homes of the
faithful. What is the meaning of this tradition and how did it begin?
For centuries upon centuries parents, grandparents and Godparents have
related the following story to Orthodox children about St Basil and the
Vasilopita.
One year, during a time of terrible famine,
the emperor levied a sinfully excessive tax upon the people of
Caesarea. The tax was such a heavy burden upon the already impoverished
people that to avoid debtors' prison each family had to relinquish its
few remaining coins as well as pieces of jewelry, including precious
family heirlooms. Learning of this injustice against his flock, St
Basil the Great, the archbishop of Caesarea, took up his bishop's staff
and the book of the holy Gospels and came to his people's defense by
fearlessly calling the emperor to repentance. By God's grace, the
emperor did repent! He cancelled the tax and instructed his tax
collectors to turn over to St Basil all of the chests containing the
coins and jewelry which had been paid as taxes by the people of
Caesarea.
But now St Basil was faced with the daunting and impossible task of
returning these coins and pieces of jewelry to their rightful owners.
After praying for a long time before the icons of our Master Christ and
His All-holy Mother, St Basil had all the treasures baked into one
huge "pita." He then called all the townspeople to prayer at the
cathedral and, after Divine Liturgy, he blessed and cut the "pita,"
giving a piece to each person. Wondrously each owner received in his
piece of Vasilopita his own valuables. They all joyfully returned home,
giving thanks to God who had delivered them from abject poverty and to
their good and holy bishop, St Basil the Great.
In remembrance of that miracle wrought by God as a
result of St Basil's love and defense of his people, Orthodox
Christians have observed the tradition of the Vasilopita each year on
January 1st - the date on which St Basil reposed in the Lord in the
year 379.
In some places the Vasilopita is prepared as a loaf of
rich bread (like that used for Artoklasia), while in other places it
takes the form of a spicy sheet cake (without frosting). But no matter
what form a Vasilopita may take, they all have one thing in common -
each contains a single coin. After placing the bread dough or batter
in the proper baking pan, the baker makes with the foil wrapped coin
the sign of the Cross over it, closes his/her eyes, and then secretly
places it into the unbaked Vasilopita.
After the Vasilopita is baked and cooled, it is blessed
and cut following Divine Liturgy for the feast of St Basil on January
1. At churches it is blessed and cut in the parish fellowship hall by
the bishop or priest, and in homes it is blessed and cut by the head of
the household. The blessing of the Vasilopita usually begins with the
Apolytikion of St Basil the Great, chanted in tone 1:
Thy sound hath gone forth into all the earth that
received thy word. Thereby thou hast divinely taught the Faith; Thou
hast made manifest the nature of things that be; Thou hast adorned the
ways of man. O namesake of the royal priesthood,1 our righteous Father
Basil, Intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.
Then the following prayer may be said:
Let us pray unto the Lord. Lord, have mercy. O
Creator of all things, Lord and King of the ages, plenteous in mercy
and bountiful in goodness, who didst accept the Magi’s gifts in
Bethlehem, who art the Bread of life that came down from heaven, who by
Thine authority didst establish the seasons and the years and dost
hold our life in Thy hands. Hear us who pray to Thee on this holy day
upon our entrance into the new year of Thy goodness and bless (+) this
loaf/cake, which has been offered to Thy glory and in honour of our
Father among the Saints Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in
Cappadocia. Do Thou who art Benevolent, look down from Thy holy heaven
and send down upon us, upon those who have offered these gifts and upon
them that partake thereof, Thine heavenly gifts, for our hope is in
Thee, the living God, unto the ages. Bless this parish (home, school,
foundation, etc) and our entrances and exits; replenish our life with
all good things and direct our footsteps that we may keep Thy divine
commandments, for man shall not live by bread alone; Through the
intercessions of Thy Most pure Mother, of our Father among the saints
Basil the Great and of all Thy saints who from all ages have been well
pleasing to Thee. Amen.
In Greek the name Basil means “royal” or “kingly.”
The sign of the Cross is then made over the Vasilopita
with a knife while saying, "In the Name of the Father and of the Son
and of the Holy Spirit." All respond "Amen." Then pieces of the
Vasilopita are cut in the following order:
the 2nd piece for Theotokos,
the 3rd piece for St Basil,
and the 4th piece for the poor.
Then pieces are given to all present, beginning with
the eldest and ending with youngest. He or she who receives the piece
containing the coin is traditionally considered to be especially
blessed for the New Year.
A SIMPLE RECIPE FOR VASILOPITA
Ingredients
•
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
•
1 cup sugar
•
3 extra-large eggs
•
Grated rind of 2 large oranges
•
Grated rind of 2 large lemons
•
1/2 teaspoon crushed/powdered sour cherry pits (Arabic mahleb, Greek makhlepi)
•
2 teaspoons crushed/powdered gum mastic (Arabic miski, Greek mastikha)
•
4 cups flour
•
2 teaspoons baking powder
•
1/2 teaspoon salt
•
1/2 cup milk
•
1 egg yolk blended with 1 tablespoon milk
•
sesame seeds
•
blanched almonds
•
a clean coin - a quarter will do nicely
- wrapped in silver or gold foil
Preparation
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thickl
y butter a 10-inch round spring form pan.
2. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, crea
m the butter until it is light and fluffy. Beat in
the sugar and beat until the mixture is light.
Beat in the eggs, one a time, beating well
after each addition. Beat in the orange and
lemon rinds, and the crushed/powdered sour
cherry pits and gum mastic.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together three cu
ps of the flour, the baking powder and salt.
4. With the mixer on low speed, gradually be
at in the dry mixture alternately with the
milk. The batter will be very thick. Using
a wooden spoon, gradually blend in the
remaining flour, beating we
ll until completely smooth.
5. Spread the batter into the pan, press the
coin into the dough un
til it is completely
covered (don't let anyone see where you plac
e it!), and then smooth the top. Brush the
top evenly with the egg and milk mixture
and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Gently press the blanched almonds into the top to make
a Cross and spell out the date of the new year.
6. Bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown
(if it browns too quickly, cover the top with
aluminum foil). Cool in the pan for 15 minu
tes before removing from spring form and
thoroughly cool before slicing.
