THE SERBIAN SLAVA by Lev Puhalo Most non-Orthodox Christians, with very few exceptions, celebrate the day

of the ir birth in a non-religions, non-liturgical manner, usually placing it second in importance to their Christmas and, often, higher than their Easter. Orthodox Ch ristians seldom give their birth date more than a passing notice. For the Orthod ox, everything centres on Christ and His Holy Church. The personal feast day of the year is not the date of birth, but rather the feast of God's Saint after whi ch one is named. This day is called the name day, the Imeneny of the Russians, a nd it is kept in one form or another throughout the Holy Orthodox Christian Chur ch as a feast of deep spiritual meaning. In addition to the name day, the Serbs have a very special variation of this won derful tradition. With them, the name day is not an individual event, but rather a family affair. The feast is called, in Serbian, Slava (Thanksgiving or Glorygiving) and is kept on the feast day of the patron Saint of the entire family. T he special spiritual depth of the Slava can only be understood when one realizes that the family celebrates it on the feast day of the Saint which has been the special patron of that family for centuries - ever since the family became Chris tian. For generations, the patron Saint's day has been a special uniting force i n the family, bringing it together to give glory and thanks to God the Creator a nd Saviour. On the day of the Slava, the home becomes a church in miniature and the family b ecomes the congregation, reminding us that the Church is a family magnified. It is the tradition for all members of the family to gather, usually at the home of the eldest living member of the family, to commemorate the patron Saint, to glo rify God and to pray for all members of the family, both the living and the repo sed. This is perhaps the most beautiful aspect of the Slava that it celebrates t he unity of Christ's Church both on earth and in heaven. The Slava is a sort of spiritual family reunion. Those who are not present in fact are present in spiri t; not only living family members who are unable to he present, but also the for efathers of the family who have fallen asleep in Christ, faithful to His Holy Ch urch. The grave does not separate Orthodox Christians one from another. The Slava is a purely religious celebration and this is epitomized by the slavsk y kolach (slava cake) - a special version of the Paschal Kolach (Kulich in Russi an) which is baked for the occasion and which bears the family's prosphora seal with the sign of the Cross and the anagram for Jesus Christ is our victory. The kolach also bears representations of the dove of peace and of the first-fruits o f the harvest. When the slavsky kolach is placed on the table, a bowl of kolyivo is placed next to it. Kolyivo (kutiya) is made of boiled wheat mixed with honey and spices. The wheat, of course, symbolizes the Resurrection of Christ and, by that, the hope of resurrection vouchsafed to all who dwell within His Holy Chur ch. The kolyivo, consisting of wheat gathered up and set apart for the feast, al so symbolizes the oneness of all true Orthodox Christians everywhere, gathered t ogether and set apart from the rest of the world. Often, an ikon of the family patron is placed on the table next to the kolach an d the kolyivo. The local priest is called to come and bless the home and all tho se present, offering prayers for the health and well-being of those unable to be present and for the peaceful repose of the forefathers of the family. The highl ight of the feast is the service of the Thanksgiving Prayer (molieben) which is served by the priest before the ikon of the family patron saint. http://www.holycross-hermitage.com/pages/Orthodox_Life/serb_slava.htm