Tag: children

Lazarakia

Lazarakia in Greek, mean Little Lazaruses.

This special Greek bread is traditionally baked to serve on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday… to celebrate the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Shaped like a man wrapped in a shroud, they are vegan, and contain several sweet spices. Lazarus Saturday ends at sundown, and Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week.

Lazarus Saturday is a special day in the Orthodox Church, and celebrates the final, great miracle of Jesus Christ before His Resurrection. Today prefigures His own death, and demonstrates His Authority over death. Seeing His friend is already four days dead, Jesus sheds tears and cries out: “Lazarus, come forth!”

St. John 11: 1-53

After the Resurrection of Christ, St. Lazarus lived for another 30 years and became the first Bishop of Kition in Cyprus.

In Orthodox countries, on Lazarus Saturday, children go house to house with decorated hand baskets, singing Lazarus Carols, and sharing Lazarakia. Sometimes coins are popped into the children’s baskets by parishioners, as a donation for the church. Some folks slip lenten treats to the children, which they take home and share with their families. It is also customary to collect wildflowers, palms, and branches on this day to adorn homes, as the next day is the feast of Palm Sunday.

There are many ways to make Lazarakia. Although fresh is best, you may certainly bake them ahead of time, and they freeze well.

Here is our own family recipe. It’s a bit different from the recipe on YouTube (seen near bottom of page), but it makes approximately the same quantity of Lazarakia buns as described in the video – depending of course… on the forms’ shapes and sizes. We basically do the same dough preparation as in the video. We make it a 3 braid and use peppercorns for the eyes (which are easier and safer to chew), instead of using whole clove sticks.

Ingredients

  • 1 and 1/2 cups lukewarm water
  • 2 tsp. yeast
  • 4 – 5 cups flour
  • Zest of half an orange
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup liquid honey
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. nutmeg
  • 1 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/8 tsp. ground anise (optional)
  • peppercorns for the eyes

Knead. Let rise as usual.

Round dough into approximately 3.5 ounce balls. Each ball will be enough to form a smaller circle ball for a head and 3 strips to braid. If you’d like to add a thin forehead headband strip, pull an extra minuscule amount from main ball, roll that out thinly too, and place across forehead. Push in the peppercorn eyes.

Bake in 370 degree oven for about 14 – 17 minutes, or until golden brown. (Baking time depends on the size of the Lazarakia.)

For “Bun-Shine” – a glossy vegan finish, use an extra couple of Tbsp. of olive oil for brushing onto the hot, baked, Lazarakia, after they come out of the oven. Extra yummy with a honey or syrup dip when nibbling.

Here is an excellent YouTube video. It’s easy to follow, with well explained how to’s… Step by step instructions show different ways to form the Lazarakia.

Lazarus Saturday will soon be here! I hope you enjoy the sweet venture of making and/or sharing traditional Lazarakia.

Fountain of Life

Hawaiian Beach Sunrise over Lava Rocks, 2014

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. ~Genesis 1:3

And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. ~ Genesis 1:4

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised. ~ Psalm 113:3

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. ~ Psalm 119:105

It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. ~Lamentations 3:22-23

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. ~ St. John 8:12

It seems that we do not understand one thing: it is not good when we return the love of those who love us, yet hate those who hate us. We are not on the right path if we do this. We are the sons of light and love, the sons of God, his children. As such we must have His qualities and His attributes of love, peace, and kindness towards all. ~ Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

Thy bridal chamber I see adorned, O my Savior, and I have no wedding garment that I may enter. O Giver of Light, enlighten the vesture of my soul, and save me. ~Exapostilarion of Bridegroom Matins

Suffer the Little Children

 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. ~ Psalm 127:3

Train up a child in the way he should go:and when he is old, he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. ~ St. Matthew 8:10

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. ~ St. Matthew 18:2-5

… And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? ~ St. Matthew 21:16

People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. ~ St. Mark 10:13-16

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. ~ 1 Peter 2:2-3

Happy Family Day!

Rear view of family housing in Bari, Italy – 2017. This is near St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Basilica, which houses his myrrh-streaming relics. They were moved in the 11th century from his original shrine in Myra, Turkey, to Bari, Italy- for protection, when Myra came under Saracen rule.

This year, secular Family Day also falls on the ancient and beautiful Feast of the Meeting of the Lord in the Temple.

Happy Feast Day and Family Day to my family, near and far… Related by blood or Spirit. May God grant all your petitions according to your salvation!

Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. ~ Exodus 20:12

Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brethren dwell in unity! ~Psalm 133:1

My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching. ~ Proverbs 6:20

Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the glory of children is their fathers. ~ Proverbs 17:6

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her… ~ Proverbs 31:28

As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem. ~ Isaiah 66:13

For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. ~ St. Matthew 12:50.

For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named… ~Ephesians 3:14-15

Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. ~ Colossians 3:20

Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers… ~ 1 Timothy 5:1

But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. ~ 1 Timothy 5:8

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation… ~ 1 Peter 2:2

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. ~ 1 Peter 4:8

Our Little Nativity Crèche

Published in Home For the Holidays issuu magazine November 25, 2022 (page 16)

Treasures of Christmases Past

Opening boxes of Christmas ornaments is like greeting old friends again. They’re all special, inspiring, and priceless.

Included in our treasure troves are two tattered cardboard circles, with glittery bits of Christmas cards glued to the greasy back of a pizza box. In my mind’s eye I see our toddlers deep in concentration, their puckered little mouths moving rhythmically to each opening and closing of the blunt scissors… a testament to earlier times when sparse finances and homemade adornments were inspired through necessity.

A Queen’s Guard Soldier lies cupped in the palm of my hand. Although his paint is faded, he stands ever at attention as a wooden clothes peg. Our daughter made him in kindergarten, and the threaded loop through his skewed black pom pom hat disintegrated ages ago. He will be stationed on a tree branch, propped up beside the inevitable paper plate sprinkled with dried macaroni, and spray painted gold.

My mom’s embroidered blue bird roosts next to the dainty satin butterfly from my mother-in-law.

Meanwhile, the Three Wise Men bauble our 7 year old hand-sewed himself, is whimsically suspended near a flock of his origami pterodactyls.

At the top of the tree, reposing beneath a chipped Christmas Star is the large, red, paper angel-card my husband made for me the first year we dated. Although the angel wings have long since curled up at the edges, the sparkly Merry Christmas card greeting remains divinely intact.

Of course we own a few store bought decorations. One of which was a gift, a little Christmas Crèche. Although it wasn’t something we’d have bought for ourselves, this sweet little manger scene with animals quickly joined the cherished seasonal entourage.

In keeping with the situation, the Crèche is reverently displayed on top of our piano… despite the fact that one of the sheep’s plastic legs was completely gnawed off by our teething son (who, coincidentally, later became vegan).

Decades later, the precious little lamb continues to defy the law of physics and nobly stands guarding the manger crib, along with the pristine ox, and donkey.

To me, he’s much more than a simple 3-legged plastic lamb.

He’s an unsung model of hope and perseverance in adversity.

God bless us, everyone!

God’s Garden

Happy All Saints’ Day!

Since the 4th century, All Saints’ Day is celebrated the first Sunday after the Great Feast of Pentecost. Today we commemorate all saints from everywhere and from every time. We honour the known and unknown… Whether they be men, women or children… these shining clouds of witnesses have lived to the fruition of Holiness.

All the Saints are like fragrant flowers in God’s Heavenly Garden.

Kontakion (a little hymn) of All Saints: The universe offers to Thee, O Lord, as the Planter of Creation, the God-bearing martyrs as the first-fruits of nature. By their prayers, O Most Merciful One, through the Mother of God keep Thy Church, Thy estate, in deep peace.

Let us…

Grow where planted.

Beware the weeds.

Welcome the rain.

Embrace the sun.

Joyfully bloom.

Share the Harvest.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith… Hebrews 12:1-2

He will send rain at the right time for your land. He will bless everything you do… Deuteronomy 28:12

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