Hot cross buns are now for sale everywhere, and everyone, whether they are Christian or not, relish these sweet spiced pastries that Christians traditionally celebrate Easter with. However, with stacked shelves of chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs in abundance, Easter is going the same way as Christmas, our other great Christian festival that is being stripped of its Christian significance in our secular-humanistic society. Few people still know what the Christian symbolism and origin of hot cross buns is.

The bread represents the Communion, the cross on the bun symbolises the crucifixion of Jesus, and the fragrant spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves – represent the spices with which Jesus was embalmed in the tomb. The raisins in the dough are symbolic of Christ’s body in the grave and the risen dough symbolises His resurrection from the dead.
This symbolism offers us the ideal conversation starters to talk about the Gospel with our children, family, friends, or even strangers in the supermarket.

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