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

CHICAGO, Jan. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- 

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 4, 2023

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

WHY: 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.

SOURCE Cook County Treasurer's Office