TOMS RIVER, N.J. – On Sunday, January 29, a prosfora dinner was held in the Parish Community Center of St. Stephen Ukrainian Catholic Church in Toms River, N.J. Over 120 parishioners and guest attended the celebration held in the beautifully decorated church hall following the second liturgy (celebrated in Ukrainian).
Spokesperson Gerry Tchir presented in the English language the rich traditions of the Ukrainian Christmas Eve supper, or “Sviata Vecheria.” This event brought together the St. Stephen Ukrainian Catholic Church parish family and guests to partake in rich traditions and customs, special foods, carols, and memories that reach back to antiquity.
Orest Popovich carries the star of Bethlehem and John Bortnyk carries the didukh. With them is the Rev. Volodymyr Popyk.
To start the celebration, the Rev. Volodymyr Popyk, pastor, and two church elders accompanied by 12 ladies dressed in embroidered Ukrainian attire entered the church hall singing Ukrainian Christmas carols. Orest Popovich, a church elder, carried the star of Bethlehem, and John Bortnyk, the second church elder, carried the didukh, a sheaf of wheat. The 12 ladies in the procession carried the kolachi, specially made Christmas breads, that were later placed on each guest table with a lighted candle to serve as centerpieces.
Father Volodymyr led the audience in prayer, and then the blessed prosfora bread, dipped in honey, was passed to each member of the table with best wishes for good health and prosperity in the coming year. The 12-course dinner started with kutia, boiled wheat mixed with poppy seeds and honey, which is considered the most important food of the entire Christmas Eve dinner and is also called “God’s food.” The guests were then served traditional dishes such as borshch, a beet soup, with vushka, mushroom-filled little dumplings; freshwater fish; varenyky, boiled dumplings filled with potatoes; holubtsi, stuffed cabbage; mushroom gravy and bean salad. The dinner ended with uzvar, a sweet compote of dried fruits mixed with honey, spices, and boiled water; pampushky, little deep-fried pastries containing poppy seed and dried fruit; makivnyky, poppyseed rolls; and a variety of Ukrainian cookies and other sweets, followed by coffee and tea.
Linda Hippel, Olga Tchir and Dorothy Rygiel place the kolach on the table.
A very special treat at this year’s prosfora was the appearance of the wonderful Vertep Carolers from Trenton. They put on a marvelous traditional Ukrainian Christmas show featuring costumes, caroling and lots of audience entertainment.
The celebration ended with the entire assembly joining together to sing traditional Ukrainian and English Christmas carols.
St. Stephen Ukrainian Catholic Church is located at 1344 White Oak Bottom Road, Toms River, NJ 08755.