Cook County Treasurer Pappas celebrates the New Year with Greek tradition of cutting the Vasilopita
Cook County Treasurer's Office - 1/3/2023
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WHO:
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Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas
His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, leader of the region’s Greek
Orthodox Christians
Consul General of Greece Emmanuel Koubarakis
Elected officials, consuls general and community leaders
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WHAT:
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Greek Vasilopita Celebration of the New Year
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WHEN:
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Noon, Wednesday, January 4, 2023
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WHERE:
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Cook County Treasurer’s Office, 118 N. Clark St., Room 112, Chicago, Illinois
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WHY:
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Vasilopita is a traditional Greek New Year’s Day cake that has a coin hidden inside.
The cake is moist and aromatic and infused with orange and vanilla. It is tradition
for each family to have its own Vasilopita, which means St. Basil’s bread, and a
piece is cut for each family member. If the coin is in your piece, it is believed that
you will have good luck for the rest of the year.
The tradition started in the fourth century. St. Basil the Great was the archbishop
of Caesarea in Cappadocia and he gave sweetened bread with gold coins inside
to the poor. The tradition evolved into an expression of good wishes and a sign of
luck.
His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of the Greek Orthodox Church in Chicago
will cut and distribute the Vasilopita to see who will have especially good fortune
for 2023.
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