Bracellae...

"Two pretzels are walking down the street. One is a-salt-ed." - Tim Allen

Many years ago (around 600 AD or earlier) a monk in Italy was preparing Lenten bread (i.e. without fat). To remind his fellow monks that Lent is a time of prayer he rolled the bread dough in long rolls and then formed each strip into a set of crossed arms, resembling the then popular prayer position of folding one's arms over each other over the the chest - the Pretzel is born!

As they were shaped into the form of crossed arms, they were called bracellae, the Latin word for "little arms."

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The recipe and additional photos are available on 12views! This was a test batch ready for Sunday when I need to make at least enough for every child in our church - if not the whole congregation - for Pretzel Prayers! Lent begins... anyone given up or taken on doing anything?