The offering of this bread was considered necessary, since it was believed that the couple should eat and drink something together.
Name - Origin
Special bread that was essential in order to perform the wedding ceremony.
It was also called ‘kouloúri tis nífis’ (the bride’s bread).
Prosforo was made with good quality flour that had been sifted twice, just like bread. In the villages of Mesaoria, such as in Lysi and in some villages of Karpasia, prosforo was kneaded with honey and milk and women would shape it into a wreath (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003, p. 206).
Functional and symbolic role
The wedding bread was used in the holy communion that the wedding couple would receive during the wedding ceremony. The remaining bread was then consumed by the relatives of the wedding couple. The offering of this bread was considered necessary, since it was believed that the couple should eat and drink something together. (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003, p. 206). Usually the mother of the bride or the bride's maid of honor would prepare the prosforo (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003, p. 206). In the villages of Mesaoria and Karpasia tprosforo was shaped like a wreath and was called "κουλλούριν της νύφης" (the bride's koullourin/bread) (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003, p. 206).
It was absolutely necessary to have this koullouri in order for the wedding ceremony to take place.
Prosforo was prepared with honey in it so that the newly weds would have a sweet life like honey (Kypri, Protopapa, 2003, p. 206).
Additional information and bibliography
Kypri Th. - Protopapa K. A. (2003), Παραδοσιακά ζυμώματα της Κύπρου. Publications of the Centre for Scientific Research, XVIII, Nicosia.
Demetra Demetriou
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