I recently participated in the Sacred Arts Homeschool Teen Conference organized by Saint Emmelia Ministries, leading a 5-hour KOLLYVA workshop spread out on two days. Even though it was totally exhausting, it was such a joy!
On the first day (Friday before Saturday of the Souls), we spent three hours exploring the history and meaning of this Orthodox offering and prepared the ingredients in the traditional Greek way. The teens got to boil and strain the wheat, chop nuts and herbs, sauté flour, grind dried rusks, peel pomegranates, and make everything that would be needed for the kollyva the next morning.
Then came the creative work! We practiced decorating with nuts and fruit, experimented with design layouts, and learned how to prepare and use stencils for delicate cinnamon patterns. The teens created their own kollyva templates, gluing nuts and fruit onto specially prepared trays to get familiar with the decorating techniques. They got really absorbed and very patiently designed quite intricate decorations.
The highlight? At 6:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, the teens showed up again, excited and ready to make the actual kollyva for the memorial service of the Saturday of Souls. Their enthusiasm was incredible. Each participant made their own little bowl of kollyva, and decorated it as they had practiced the previous day. At 8 a.m., we were all ready with 21 individual kollyva bowls and our name lists to be taken to church.
It was a deeply meaningful and joy-filled experience from beginning to end. I am so grateful to Saint Emmelia Ministries for the opportunity, and I wholeheartedly hope I’ll be able to do it again on a different occasion!
