What does it take to prepare for the celebration of Slava

Before Slava, the blessing of the water takes place in the house which celebrates Slava, while
on the day of Slava in the church, or at home, priest blesses koljivo (wheat) and Slava cake,
which he cuts across and on which he pours wine.

So, it is necessary to have the blessing of the water at home (performed by the priest) and to
prepare Slava cake made of wheat flour, Slava candle, koljivo (wheat), red wine, incense and oil.

In the divine customs of the Orthodox Church everything has its higher purpose and a special
meaning as is the case with Slava.

Slava cake represents a sacrifice - but such a sacrifice of thanksgiving to God, for saving us
through Jesus Christ and His suffering from damnation which would come as a result of our sins.

Cutting of the cake in a shape of a cross

represents the suffering of Christ for us, while
spilling of the wine on the Slava cake (which
symbolizes the blood) - means that we are
cleansed of our sins by Christ's blood.

Slava’s candle which should be of pure bee

wax also represents sacrifice - the clearest
most innocent: as bees make honey, picking
sweet scented juice from a variety of clean
and nice smelling flowers, so must the prayer
of those who celebrate Slava come from a
pure heart and humble soul.

In addition, Slava’s candle represents the glory

of the feast and joy of the hosts. It also
symbolizes that the hosts of Slava are children
of Light which enlightens every man (Jn 1:9),
and not the sons of darkness. For as
candlelight disperses the darkness, so does
the light of Christ's divine teaching disperse
the darkness in which are the nonbelievers.

Slava’s candle is a symbol of host’s tendency and his wish:

- To meet the Light of life - the Lord God and His Son Jesus Christ,
- The light of God to enlighten their minds, to enlighten and strengthen the virtues in them, and
show them how to spend time on Earth and live a perfect Christian life.
- And that Christian love pulses in their souls, such as their Slava’s candle flame!
Slava’s wheat - koljivo. (It is important to mention how koljivo was founded. Emperor Julian
called - apostate - who received Christianity in his youth, denied Christ when he became an
emperor (361-363 AD) and became and idolater, and again a great persecutor of Christians -
knowing that Christians fast during Lent, especially the first week in order to get the Holy
Communion, Julian wanted to undermine the regulations of the Christian Church. So he secretly
ordered the manager of Constantinople to have all the food available at the market sprinkled
with the blood of victims. Once Christians would eat that food, they would be desecrated.
However, St. Teodor Tiron - through Evdoksije, Patriarch of Constantinople - told the Christians
not to buy anything from the market, but to cook wheat (koljivo) - wheat with honey - and to eat
that only. They listened and for the whole first week of Lent ate only wheat. In the memory of
this event, Orthodox Church has introduced cooking of koljivo (wheat), and it is given to people
on Friday and Saturday during the first week of the Great Lent after the Holy Liturgy. Later,
koljivo was used during the celebration of Slava).

Wheat is made as a sacrifice to give thanks to God for the fruits of the earth, and in the memory
of the Saint that we celebrate, and as the reminder of our ancestors who lived a faithful life, and
those who in faith gave their lives.

Slava’s custom are practiced for the sake of living - for their health, betterment and prosperity,
but it is quite natural that Christians remember their deceased ancestors and relatives, and to
pray to God for them during the celebration of Slava (family patron Saint) - who is their common
patron/protector, whom they celebrate and to whom they address in prayer.

It should be particularly emphasized:

that Slava’s koljivo is not prepared
as a tribute to the soul of the
“deceased” Saint as some
mistakenly think! All Saints are alive
and are before the Lord as our
representatives and prayors!

Therefore Slava’s koljivo (wheat) is

made for all Slavas and even during
the Slava of St. Archangel Michael,
St. Elijah, as well as during the
feasts of Virgin Mary and Christ!

Sugar, which is mixed with koljivo, symbolizes blissful life - life of heavenly sweetness for
Christians after death, which they have earned through their life and deeds. Oil, which is poured
in the cresset, also represents a sacrifice to God. Incense - the act of spreading incense -
represents our prayers, which should come from a pure heart in order to be pleasing to the Lord
and dear to us, as is mild and pleasant the fragrance of incense and myrrh. (compare Psalms
141:2).