Koliva is the ritual food offered following the memorial liturgy performed at various intervals after a death, most often 40-day, 6-month, 1, 3 and 10 years. It is the combination of boiled wheat kernels, sesame seeds, almonds, cinnamon, sugar, pomegranate seeds, raisins, and parsley.

The Koliva is offered as a way to remember the souls of those who have departed from this life. The koliva mixture, which looks something like earth, is shaped into a mound to resemble a grave. The soul is represented by a kernel of wheat which is 'risen'; boiled so that it expands as it would if it were buried in the ground and was soon to germinate. Wheat early became a symbol of the resurrection which we expect, based on Christ’s word,

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit, John 12:24.

Thus, the wheat becomes a symbol of what we confess to be our faith in the Creed.

I expect the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the ages to come.

The whole mound is then covered with powdered sugar and the initials of the deceased are outlined on the top. The sugar is added as a prayer that the deceased’s resurrection will be a sweet one and pleasant one; that is the sweetness of the life to come, paradise. Thus, the Koliva are a symbol of our faith and prayer for the beloved deceased person. A candle, placed in the center of the Koliva, is lit at the beginning of the memorial service and extinguished at its end.

Each person shares in the symbol not only as part of the service, but also through consuming some of the Koliva, and offering a personal prayer for the deceased.

The Philoptochos Ladies traditionally make the Koliva for a donation to help fellow parishioners and as another form of fundraising efforts to support their mission. Please contact Connie Petrihos, Chapter President, at 402/345-7103 if you would like to make arrangements for Koliva to be made.