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The 52nd Eucharistic Congress is underway in Budapest, Hungary. The week-long event kicked-off with a 1,000-strong choir that gave way to a massive First Communion ceremony. According to Vatican News, some 1,200 children received the Eucharist for the first time in Budapest’s majestic Heroes Square.
Ahead of the congress, however, the Catholic Church of Hungary organized a meal for the less fortunate. The poor and homeless were treated to a lunch that included biblical-themed pastries. These baked goods, cookies, were dubbed “A Bite of Heaven,” and were made from ingredients from the biblical era.
Dr. Kornél Fábry, Secretary General of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress, told Rome Reports ahead of the event:
“We will give [the pastry] for the children who will receive their first communion, and we will organize a lunch for poor people before the Congress, to not only give them food, but be at the table and welcome them. And this will be the dessert of this lunch.”
A Bite of Heaven
According to Hungary Today, a competition was held to select the cookies. Contestants created Bible-inspired snacks that would not need to be refrigerated. As the event is primarily outdoors, the sweets had to be able to withstand the summer heat. Hungary Today listed the available ingredients:
“First, they had to choose ingredients that can be found in the Bible, too, such as figs, dates, pomegranates, blackberries, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, beans, or olive oil.”
The submitted pastries were taste-tested by a panel of judges that included Archbishop Balázs Bábel, of Kalocsa-Kecskemét. Secretary General Kornél Fábry was also on the panel, to represent the congress.
This panel narrowed contestants down to seven finalists, where they selected the winner. “A Bite of Heaven” was the creation of pastry chef Zsolt Karl, of Karl Patisserie in Dunaharaszti. The jury said that Karl “wonderfully managed to combine Hungarian confectionery traditions with the ingredients present in the Bible.”
“A Bite of Heaven” was made from oranges, almonds, figs, dates, plums, apricots, and honey. The cookies were distributed to the children who received their First Communion as well as to the poor as part of the meal. This official cookie of the 52nd International Eucharistic Congress is also featured in pastry shops around Budapest.
And today we celebrate...