Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Evolved · 03-04-2002, 04:55 PM

An Aunt of mine attended Lent service at a new church, hers closed because of lack of members-small town problem, and she said that they had an option of dipping the bread into a bowl of salt.

She has never had to do this before(the salt thing) and she asked me if I new what the salt was suppose to represent, if anything.

I have never attended a Lent service and have no idea what it means, do any of you know?

Thanks....Colleen

Mecha_Dude · 03-04-2002, 05:32 PM

prolly so it doesn't taste like cardboard! When I was catholic, I groaned with disdain at the mere thought of communnion!

Paradisedreams2 · 03-04-2002, 06:43 PM

Lent?

Its just another manmade ritual to endure.

Salty bread? Shit, isn't that pretzels?

Tell her they got a great place in some of the malls called "Gourmet pretzels" (damn are they good too!)

These ofcourse do not cost a "tenth" of your income but a buck seventy-nine and at least a little effort went into the preparation

Evolved · 03-05-2002, 05:49 AM

I thought that maybe it was a taste thing too. My hubby figures that those who took the salt go to heaven and those who deny the salt must go to hell.

I'll have to break down and ask my brothers fundy Catholic fiancee, she'll probably think that I want to know more so that I can convert.

Maybe I'll just go with the pretzel answer.

Colleen

03-05-2002, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Evolved:
I'll have to break down and ask my brothers fundy Catholic fiancee, she'll probably think that I want to know more so that I can convert.

Colleen

Are you sure it is Catholic because it does not sound like it.

simian · 03-05-2002, 07:27 AM

I was raised Catholic, it doesn't sound Catholic to me.

Is there any chance it it an Orthadox Church? The bread/salt thing certainly is a Ukrainian tradition (I don't know if it got worked into the church, though). I think other cultures in the region share similar traditions (and for all I know, it happens in other places in the world).

Any way, that is my best shot.

Evolved · 03-05-2002, 07:27 AM

My Aunt is Lutheran....my fundy soon to be sis-in-law is Catholic. Don't Catholics observe Lent? I thought I'd ask her because of everyone I know, she'll probably be the one who has an answer.

On second thought, I could ask my fundy Avon lady-she's Lutheran. My "Jesus Loves You" nail file is about worn out so I could use a new one. Maybe I'll check with her.

Colleen

simian · 03-05-2002, 07:59 AM

Catholics certainly observe Lent. The bread and salt thing doesn't sound familiar, though. And the Catholic Church is not known for variability from one location to the next.

It would be interesting to find out which denomination is involved.

PopeInTheWoods · 03-05-2002, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by simian:
Catholics certainly observe Lent. The bread and salt thing doesn't sound familiar, though. And the Catholic Church is not known for variability from one location to the next.

I must disagree here, as I've seen some pretty basic communion discrepancies in different Catholic churches. For example, none of the FOUR

churches withing walking distance of my childhood home served wine with communion. I thought the churches that DID do so were weird. I've also seen churches that use real bread rather than that edible cardboard. It wouldn't surprise me if some church, whose parishoners were primarily of one ethnicity, pulled in some non-standard ethnic traditions.

Quote:

Is there any chance it it an Orthodox Church? The bread/salt thing certainly is a Ukrainian tradition.

Ukranian doesn't necessarily imply Orthodox. Although about half of the Ukraine population is indeed Orthodox, Catholics make up a sizeable minority (10-15%).

Andy

Ernest Sparks · 03-05-2002, 10:37 AM

An old slavic tradition is to greet newcomers with a gift of bread and salt. Click this page ---->

<a href="http://www.sdinsider.com/community/groups/ukraine/Bread_and_Salt_Mean_.html" target="_blank">Bread and Salt Mean Hospitality and Friendship in Ukraine</a>

The most common food thing about Lent is fasting. It is more rigorous among Orthodox christians than among Catholic christians. The forty plus days of fast before Easter/Paskha festival includes NOT eating meat, fowl, milk, butter, cheese, eggs and (on Monday through Friday) NOT eating fish, wine or oil. That pretty much leaves vegies, fruit and, yes, bread and salt, if you must. The amount eaten is supposed to be no more than one normal meal divided into three fast meals. No booze, snacks or treats either! That is a rigorous Lenten fast. When Easter/Paskha finally arrives, they go crazy eating all these restricted foods (like Easter eggs, for instance) and million-calorie paskha cake. Probably does some people in, all that sudden glucose shock to a body that has been fasting.

Another slight association with this season is the Seder dinner of jews at Pesach/Passover time. There, bitter herbs are dipped in salt water and eaten as part of the dinner ritual.

[ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Ernest Sparks ]

03-04-2002, 04:55 PM	#1
Evolved Regular Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Fargo ND Posts: 261	Lent Question An Aunt of mine attended Lent service at a new church, hers closed because of lack of members-small town problem, and she said that they had an option of dipping the bread into a bowl of salt. She has never had to do this before(the salt thing) and she asked me if I new what the salt was suppose to represent, if anything. I have never attended a Lent service and have no idea what it means, do any of you know? Thanks....Colleen

03-05-2002, 10:37 AM	#10
Ernest Sparks Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Portland, OR USA Posts: 1,248	An old slavic tradition is to greet newcomers with a gift of bread and salt. Click this page ----> <a href="http://www.sdinsider.com/community/groups/ukraine/Bread_and_Salt_Mean_.html" target="_blank">Bread and Salt Mean Hospitality and Friendship in Ukraine</a> The most common food thing about Lent is fasting. It is more rigorous among Orthodox christians than among Catholic christians. The forty plus days of fast before Easter/Paskha festival includes NOT eating meat, fowl, milk, butter, cheese, eggs and (on Monday through Friday) NOT eating fish, wine or oil. That pretty much leaves vegies, fruit and, yes, bread and salt, if you must. The amount eaten is supposed to be no more than one normal meal divided into three fast meals. No booze, snacks or treats either! That is a rigorous Lenten fast. When Easter/Paskha finally arrives, they go crazy eating all these restricted foods (like Easter eggs, for instance) and million-calorie paskha cake. Probably does some people in, all that sudden glucose shock to a body that has been fasting. Another slight association with this season is the Seder dinner of jews at Pesach/Passover time. There, bitter herbs are dipped in salt water and eaten as part of the dinner ritual. [ March 05, 2002: Message edited by: Ernest Sparks ]</p>

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

03-04-2002, 05:32 PM	#2
Mecha_Dude Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Everywhere... I'm Watching you... Posts: 1,019	prolly so it doesn't taste like cardboard! When I was catholic, I groaned with disdain at the mere thought of communnion!

03-04-2002, 06:43 PM	#3
Paradisedreams2 Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Pa Posts: 113	Lent? Its just another manmade ritual to endure. Salty bread? Shit, isn't that pretzels? Tell her they got a great place in some of the malls called "Gourmet pretzels" (damn are they good too!) These ofcourse do not cost a "tenth" of your income but a buck seventy-nine and at least a little effort went into the preparation

03-05-2002, 05:49 AM	#4
Evolved Regular Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Fargo ND Posts: 261	I thought that maybe it was a taste thing too. My hubby figures that those who took the salt go to heaven and those who deny the salt must go to hell. I'll have to break down and ask my brothers fundy Catholic fiancee, she'll probably think that I want to know more so that I can convert. Maybe I'll just go with the pretzel answer. Colleen

03-05-2002, 07:27 AM	#6
simian Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 1,924	I was raised Catholic, it doesn't sound Catholic to me. Is there any chance it it an Orthadox Church? The bread/salt thing certainly is a Ukrainian tradition (I don't know if it got worked into the church, though). I think other cultures in the region share similar traditions (and for all I know, it happens in other places in the world). Any way, that is my best shot.

03-05-2002, 07:59 AM	#8
simian Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO area Posts: 1,924	Catholics certainly observe Lent. The bread and salt thing doesn't sound familiar, though. And the Catholic Church is not known for variability from one location to the next. It would be interesting to find out which denomination is involved.

Freethought & Rationalism Archive

The archives are read only.