At midnight on December 31st, when the clocks reach exactly 12:00, one full year--with all of its joys and sorrows--is fully erased, and a new year rises. The previous year becomes part of history; all of its 365 days are left behind, a simple memory.

The tradition of baking and cutting a special "pita" (which means a loaf of bread, a cake, or even a pie) each year on January 1st is observed in honor of our Holy Father Saint Basil the Great, Archbishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia--hence its name "Vasilopita" meaning "St. Basil's Bread."  This tradition is observed in both parish churches and in the homes of the faithful. What is the meaning of this tradition and how did it begin?

Saint Basil preeminent among the hierarchs (bishops), wisest of saintly teachers, and wondrous favorite of God was born in Cappadocia toward the end of the Great Constantine's reign. His father was also named Basil, and his mother, Emmelia. He learned to read at the age of seven, and progressed so rapidly in his studies that five years later he was already engaged in philosophical inquiry. Eventually, he forsook his homeland and moved to Athens, Greece, the fount of Hellenic wisdom, where he took lessons with the renowned teacher Evvoulus, at the same time visiting the schools of Hemerius and Proeresius. Basil soon equaled, then surpassed his teachers, who were amazed at his diligence and intelligence, and still more at his modesty and purity.

On the 8th day after His birth, Christ received circumcision, as the Old Testament Jewish Law provided. Because He was born and lived in a particular environment, He kept all its regulations and customs. Nevertheless, His circumcision must be interpreted within the theology of the self-emptying (Kenosis) which He accepted for the salvation of the human race.

When King Herod "saw that he was mocked of the wise men" (Matthew, Ch. 2), he became "exceeding wroth," both with them and the newborn King of the Jews. He was angry with the Magi because they had failed to return and tell him where the Child was, and with Christ because he was afraid to lose his kingdom. He thought Christ wished to establish an earthly empire and failed to understand that the Lord's Kingdom is not of this world. What, then, did wretched Herod do? He could harm neither the Magi, who had departed nor Christ, Whose whereabouts were unknown to him, so he poured out his wrath upon innocent children. Like a savage, wounded beast that does not care what injured it, but lunges at whatever happens to be nearby, Herod in his rage attacked the blameless infants because those who had aroused his fury were out of reach. He sent soldiers armed as if for battle to Bethlehem, with orders to slay every child that was "two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men."  

After accomplishing the mystery of our salvation, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and sent down the Holy Spirit from the Father, in the form of fiery tongues (Acts, Ch. 2). The faithful began to multiply in number, and "there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews" (Acts Ch. 6). The Greeks here referred to were not the pagan idolaters generally called the heathen in the Holy Scripture, for the time had not come for the door of faith to be opened to these, nor had the word of salvation been preached to them. It was only later, following Stefano's murder, that the heathen began to be numbered among the believers (Acts, Ch. 14 ).