Hundreds take part in Christmas ritual in Belgrade

BELGRADE Some 400 people gathered in downtown Belgrade on Monday for the ritual of the breaking of the Christmas bread. Our reporter says that unlike in previous years, when the ceremony veering towards incidents - the gathering today went "in a dignified manner", and brought most joy to the children who took part. Hundreds take part in Christmas ritual in Belgrade The round bread, known as cesnica in Serbian, is traditionally broken as families gather for dinner on Christmas. Gold, or another type of coins are inserted in the dough before the bread is baked. The public version of this unique Serbian Christmas tradition on Monday involved a cesnica that weighed 52 kilograms and was 1.3 meters in diameter. Two girls and a boy found the gold coins in the pieces of the bread they received. The cesnica was previously broken into some 850 pieces. The Belgrade cesnica was this year prepared by the youngest members of several families that have been bakers for at least three generations. The event's organizers plan to introduce "folklore dance, hot brandy and gifts" for next Christmas, they revealed today. The public breaking of the Christmas bread has been held in the Serbian capital for the past 22 years, and is organized by the Association of the Bakers of Serbia. (Beta) B92

Hundreds take part in Christmas ritual in Belgrade

The round bread, known as česnica in Serbian, is traditionally broken as families gather for dinner on Christmas. Gold, or another type of coins are inserted in the dough before the bread is baked.

The public version of this unique Serbian Christmas tradition on Monday involved a česnica that weighed 52 kilograms and was 1.3 meters in diameter.

Two girls and a boy found the gold coins in the pieces of the bread they received. The česnica was previously broken into some 850 pieces.

The Belgrade česnica was this year prepared by the youngest members of several families that have been bakers for at least three generations.

The event's organizers plan to introduce "folklore dance, hot brandy and gifts" for next Christmas, they revealed today.

The public breaking of the Christmas bread has been held in the Serbian capital for the past 22 years, and is organized by the Association of the Bakers of Serbia.