Paschka

 

Paskha, Pascha, Pashka, or Pasha (Russian: Па́сха; [ˈpasxə]; "Easter") is a festive dish which consists of food that is forbidden during the fast of Great Lent. It is made during Holy Week and then brought to Church on Great Saturday to be blessed after the Paschal Vigil. The name of the dish comes from Pascha.

Cheese paskha is a traditional Easter dish made from tvorog (farmers' cheese/curd cheese), which is white, symbolizing the purity of Christ, the Paschal Lamb, and the joy of the Resurrection.

In the Russian Orthodox tradition, pascha is usually molded into the form of a truncated pyramid (a symbol of the Church; this form is also said to represent the Tomb of Christ). Pascha is traditionally made in a wooden mold assembly called пасочница (pasochnitsa) that can be taken apart for cleaning; however, more modern materials, such as plastics, are used nowadays.

The pascha is decorated with traditional symbols, such as the "Chi Ro" motif, a three-bar cross, and the letters X and B (cyrillic abbreviation XB does NOT equal "ex bee" but "cha veh," the initials for "Christos Voskrese!" - "Christ is Risen!)

All of these decorations symbolize Christ's Passion and Resurrection.