Kolach

The story

At the Holy Supper, kolach, a round braided ceremonial bread, is set out in three tiers of different sizes stacked one on top of another, symbolizing the Holy Trinity, while the circle itself stands for eternity. A candle is placed in the center and lit at the start of the supper, but the bread itself is not eaten that evening: the fast, which requires avoiding eggs and other foods of animal origin until midnight, means that the kolach is cut and eaten only on Christmas Day. The word “kolach” is related to the words for ceremonial bread in nearly all the Slavic languages, including the Croatian and Serbian “kolač” terminology, although the specific shapes and symbolism differ from country to country. Setting the kolach on the table, alongside the didukh and the kutia, makes it one of the three constant elements that must be present for the Holy Supper to be considered complete. For Ukrainian families in the diaspora, the sight of the three tiers of kolach with a candle in the middle is one of the most recognizable photographs of Ukrainian Christmas that circulates on social media every year.