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Significance Of Hot Cross Bun

By Debdatta Mazumder

Whenever you think of Good Friday or Easter, some delicious recipes will surely come to your mind. You definitely will have hard-boiled eggs, roasted lamb, Cadbury eggs, etc.

Hot cross bun is one of those yummy preparations that are a specialty of these holy festivals. It is a traditional dish of Easter, which is made of dough and lots of raisins.

Why is it called hot cross bun? There is a cross sign made with dough or icing on the little buns.

significance of hot cross buns at easter time

Now, as it is a traditional dish for Christians, there must be some meaning of hot cross bun, right? Actually, history and myths are connected with this yummy dish, which has increased the significance of hot cross bun, a lot.

Significance Of Easter Sunday

Christians celebrate Easter with rejoice, as this is the day when Jesus resurrected and met his disciples again. Eating of small buns was popular among the ancient Greeks.

Later, England had forbidden the practice of eating such buns except on Good Friday, Easter, Christmas and at burials.

Before discussing the meaning of a hot cross bun, you should know how it is made. It is made with flour, raisins, yeast, sugar, eggs, butter and spices (such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc.). Here is the significance of a hot cross bun. Read on to know more.

significance of hot cross buns at easter time

1. Introduced By A 12th-Century Monk: In the honour of Good Friday, an Anglican monk introduced hot cross buns in the 12th century. After that, it got immense popularity, and now it is the specialty food for Good Friday and Easter.

2. Remains Fresh For Long Time: What is the meaning of hot cross bun? Actually, it denotes the resurrection of Jesus. According to a myth, as Jesus’ body was not a subject to decay, you can keep a hot cross bun fresh and mold free throughout the year.

Hot Cross Chocolate Easter Bun Recipe

3. Treated As A Medicine: The significance of a hot cross bun lies in this. As you know that Christians store hot cross buns throughout the year and in the next year, they are replaced with old buns. Those old buns are broken up and mixed with water and taken as a medicine.

4. To Expel Bad Spirit:
It is believed that the imprint of the Holy Cross on the buns protects you from the evil spirits. According to the popular belief, this bun protects your kitchen from any breakout of fire and ensures that all baked goods are baked well.

significance of hot cross buns at easter time

5. Another Myth: Another significance of a hot cross bun is that if it is taken on a sea voyage, this holy bun protects you from any disasters like shipwrecks. While people made voyage regularly on sea in the olden days, these buns were carried to protect themselves from the evil spirits.

6. Symbol Of Strong Friendship: “Half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be”. This old rhythmic line signifies that if you share your bun on a Good Friday or Easter, you share strong friendship with your dear friend throughout the year.

significance of hot cross buns at easter time

7. The Queen Probited The Selling, Except On A Good Friday: So, here is the significance of hot cross bun on a Good Friday. This bun was so popular that Queen Elizabeth I, in 1592, prohibited the selling of hot cross bun except on a Good Friday. If people were caught up for baking the bun on any other day, they had to distribute it all among the poor.

Story first published: Thursday, March 24, 2016, 18:04 [IST]
Read more about: jesus easter significance