Cook County Treasurer Pappas celebrates New Year with Greek tradition of cutting the Vasilopita

WHO:

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

WHAT:   

Greek Vasilopita Celebration of the New Year

WHEN: 

Noon, Wednesday, January 10, 2024

WHERE: 

Cook County Treasurer's Office, 118 N. Clark St., Room 112, Chicago, Illinois

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 2024.