The Symbolism Behind The Greek Christmas Eve Bread Christopsomo

The annual preparation and sharing of Christopsomo, which translates to Christmas bread or Christ's bread, is an ancient Greek tradition practiced for thousands of years. As is true in many faiths, bread holds great meaning for members of the Greek Orthodox Church. Often called the staff of life, bread symbolizes Christ himself, who is said to be the bread of life. And in Greece, altar bread is called "prosforo," a symbolic offering of our life for Christ.

Typically made a day or two before it's eaten on Christmas Day, Christopsomo is a sweet, fragrant bread made with nuts and (sometimes) dried fruits. The shiny, round loaves are created with extra care and high quality ingredients. After all, the intention with which Christopsomo is made is integral to the providence of the family. Even the sharing of Christopsomo is steeped in meaning and tradition, with the head of the household making a ritual crossing over the bread, and then cutting and serving pieces to family and friends, along with a spoken wish along the lines of "Merry Christmas" and "good health." Everything about Christopsomo, from the bread's shape and decorations to its ingredients, hold meaning for not only the holiday, but for the family's fortunes in the coming year.

Heavy with unique spices and Greek Orthodox symbolism, many of Christopsomo's ingredients are emblems of faith. Like nearly all risen breads, Christopsomo is made with yeast, high-protein flour, sugar, and water, but other ingredients such as mastic, star anise, and mahlepi set it apart. Though recipes differ from region to region, most use either mastic or star anise as a substitute. Mastic, also called "tears of Chios," is a sap exclusively cultivated from mastic trees grown on the Greek island Chios. Mastic has a mild, sweet flavor with a hint of pine, and symbolizes purity. In fact, Mastic (or Mastiha) is an essential ingredient of chrism, the holy oil used for anointing by the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Mahlepi, or mahleb, is a ground spice made from the seeds of black cherries. It has a fruity taste with hints of vanilla and almond, and can be quite bitter if used in large quantities. A little goes a long way with mahlepi, so it's used sparingly. And, like cherries, it symbolizes both beauty and fertility. Most recipes for Christopsomo also call for orange juice. Citruses were first introduced to Greece by Alexander the Great when he brought them from Persia. In Greece, citrus fruits are called "esperidoeidí," a term inspired by the Garden of Hesperides, the source of Greek mythology's invaluable golden apples, which were given as a wedding gift from Gaia to Hera, a gift that bestowed immortality.

In ancient Greece, the circle was widely recognized as a symbol of wholeness, balance, and symmetry. In Christianity, the circle represents God and eternity. It seems fitting then that Christopsomo is shaped into a circle and is often adorned with a braided cross or X, a symbol for the Greek word Chi, meaning Christ. It's also traditional to add decorative pieces of dough shaped into sheep, vines, plows, or grapes, symbolizing hope for God's grace for the livelihood of the family.

Probably the most interesting decoration and ingredient is the walnut. Cultivated in Greece for thousands of years, walnuts (called karydi) are associated with Caryae, a Titan who was loved by Dionysus, the god of fertility and wine. When Caryae died, Dionysus transformed her into a walnut tree. As a symbol of fertility and wisdom, walnuts are sometimes chopped and kneaded into the dough of Christopsomo, and almost always decorated with at least one whole walnut pressed into the dough before baking.