Koliva

Koliva, also spelled, depending on the language, kollyva, kollyba, kolyvo, or colivă,[a] is a dish based on boiled wheat that is used liturgically in the Eastern Orthodox Church for commemorations of the dead.In the Eastern Orthodox Church, koliva is blessed during funerals, as well as during the memorial service (mnemosyno) that is performed at various intervals after a person's death and on special occasions, such as the Saturday of Souls (ψυχοσάββατο, Psychosavvato).A similar food item is widely popular in Lebanon where it is known as snuniye and, more commonly, as berbara as it is prepared for Saint Barbara's feast day, December 4, which is celebrated with Halloween-like festivities.While recipes may vary widely, the primary ingredient is wheat kernels which have been boiled until they are soft, they are drained very well and spread on a cloth to be just moist, and then sweetened with honey or sugar.The practice of offering koliva is traditional in Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, Russia and parts of Bosnia-Herzegovina, and among Christians in the Middle East.However, St. Theodore Tyro appeared in a dream to Archbishop Eudoxius and advised him that the people should not eat food bought at the marketplace that day, but only boiled wheat mixed with honey.
A bowl of koliva, with lit candle, as part of a Serbian family feast ( slava ) in honor of their Patron Saint.
Romanian colivă used in a religious ceremony in a Christian Orthodox church
Postcard, undated (ca.1916), showing an Orthodox service with the blessing of koliva.
Kollyba (Lycia)raisinsRitualEastern Orthodox Churchmemorial serviceGreat LentSlavasChristmasGreeceCyprusLebanonSaint BarbaraHalloweenAncient GreekHellenisticpluralSerbianBulgarianRomanianGeorgianUkrainiansesamealmondswalnutscinnamonpomegranateparsleyRomaniansSerbiaBulgariaMontenegroUkraineRomaniaMoldovaRussiaBosnia-HerzegovinaMiddle Eastpowdered sugarcandleliturgyJapanese Orthodox ChurchChristianityAnthesteriaTheodore BalsamonAthanasius of AlexandriaJulian the ApostatepaganismByzantiumOrthodoxEmperormarketplacesConstantinoplesacrificesSt. Theodore TyroArchbishop EudoxiusTheodore SaturdaymnemósynonSlavonicPanikhidaSoul SaturdaysRadonitsaPaschaSlavicPatron SaintMolebenfeast of Saint BarbaraKollyvades MovementMemorial service (Orthodox)Lithuanian culturesProsphoraSaturday of SoulsCuccìaCypriot GreekLiddell, Henry GeorgeScott, RobertA Greek–English LexiconPerseus ProjectCenter for the Greek LanguageSynaxarion