Having heard the Holy Gospel, we now share the holy
bread-wafer.
The sharing of this bread brings with it promise of
forgiveness of faults and that
the year ahead of us be a good one.
A male head of house begins the solemn ceremony by
taking the Wafer-Oplatek
and turning to his wife, wished her good health for
the upcoming year, success in her
housekeeping, the fulfillment of her heart’s
desire and to forgive him his faults.
A conclusion, she expressed her thanks, break off a
piece of the wafer that was
extended to her and consumes it. She then offers
her husband a piece of her wafer,
responding to him in in kind: wishing good health
and fortune,that they all be together at the next
vigil table, and because of the sharing oplatek one overlooks
any ill feeling,forgets hurts
and ends any enmity or unfriendliness. She accepts his words of
reconciliation and ask that he too
overlook her deficiencies. The husband would then break off a
piece of the wafer extended to him
and consumes it.
The wafer is then shared with any other relative present,
honored guests and then children.
Everyone has the opportunity to say a few words and
exchange good wishes.
The dead are reminded too by consuming some of the oplatek and
saying a prayer for them.
Pink and yellow color of oplatki we share with the pets and
animals too,because they were first
to greet the infant Jesus.