What to do with the prosphora from the church. About consecrated bread and holy water

Prosphora - specially baked bread used to celebrate the sacrament of the Eucharist. (Magazine "Thomas" recommends this material for OPK lessons. You can download it in PDF format)

Prosphora is translated from Greek as “offering.” In the ancient Church, bread for the Liturgy was brought as a gift to God by those who came to church on Sunday to participate in the Liturgy, that is, all Christians of the community.

The prosphora depicts the bread of the Last Supper, which Christ divided among his disciples: And he took the bread and gave thanks, broke it and gave it to them, saying: This is My body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me(OK 22 :19). This is how the sacrament of the Eucharist was established, where Christians, under the guise of bread and wine, partake of the Body and Blood of the Savior and become one with Him. Participation in this sacrament - necessary condition stay in the Church for every Christian.

Last Supper. Ugolino di Nerio (1325-1330). Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York)

Proskomedia - the first part of the Liturgy, during which the substance for the Eucharist is prepared from bread (in the form of prosphora) and wine.

To perform the liturgy, 5 large prosphoras are used.

Patriarch Nikon introduced this custom in the Russian Church in memory of the Gospel miracle of the multiplication of loaves, when five thousand people were fed with five loaves (Matthew 14 :15–21).

Five prosphorasto celebrate the Liturgy:

1. Lamb prosphora

Large prosphora with a cross and the seal IC XC NIKA. A Lamb is cut from it with a special knife - a copy.- cube-shaped bread.

During the celebration of the Liturgy, the Lamb becomes the true Body of Christ.

The unused part of the lamb prosphora is called antidor. According to custom, it is distributed to the faithful after the end of the Liturgy.

2. Mother of God prosphora

Large prosphora with the seal of MARY or the image of the Virgin Mary. At the proskomedia, a triangular-shaped particle is taken out of its upper part and placed on a special dish - paten - next to the lamb.

3. Nine-day prosphora

Dedicated to the saints. 9 particles are removed from her seal in memory of: John the Baptist; prophets; apostles; saints; Archdeacon Stephen and the martyrs; reverends; unmercenary; Joachim and Anna, Methodius and Cyril, Prince Vladimir and all saints; as well as the holy author of the liturgy that will be served: John Chrysostom or Basil the Great.

4. Healthy prosphora

is intended to remove two particles from its seal for everyone who will participate in the Liturgy, the clergy celebrating the Liturgy, the country and the people.

5. Funeral prosphora

From its upper part one particle is taken for all deceased Orthodox Christians.

The particles taken out (i.e., cut out) from the prosphora at the proskomedia depict the entire fullness of the Church. The priest places the particles on a special dish - paten. In the center is the Lamb - Christ, to the right and left of him are particles of the Mother of God and all the saints, at the edges are particles taken out for all living and dead Orthodox Christians.

Particles from small prosphoras, those that are distributed to the faithful after the Liturgy are also taken out by the priest during the proskomedia. At this time, he prays for the health and repose of those people, notes about whom were submitted before the start of the Liturgy. While reading the name, a particle symbolizing a specific person is taken out of the prosphora and placed on the paten. At the end of the Liturgy, the priest, with the words “washed away, Lord, the sins of those who are remembered here with Your honest Blood,” pours all these particles into the Chalice with the Blood of Christ.

literally - “leavened bread”. Exactly This is the name of the large prosphora that is placed in front of the altar on Easter Bright Week. The artos is blessed on Easter, and divided and distributed to believers on Saturday Holy Week. Artos is kept at home until next Easter and consumed on an empty stomach during illness.

Easter cake - rich sweet bread with raisins - a folk reinterpretation of artos. Easter cakes are blessed in the church after the liturgy of Holy Saturday.

Religious reading: how to eat prosphora, prayer to help our readers.

Every Christian believer is supposed to know the prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water. It is concise and simple, so learning it by heart will not be difficult.

The ritual of receiving holy water and prosphora

Eating prosphora and taking holy water is a process that must be accompanied by the sign of the cross and saying a prayer. The ritual requires a reverent attitude.

Prosphora and holy water are taken only on an empty stomach after morning prayer: a small sip is taken from the water, and only a small piece is eaten from the prosphora. You need to try to do all this so that even a single crumb of holy bread does not fall by.

The use of prosphora with holy water, according to the recluse George of Zadonsky, protects a person from the machinations of the unclean spirit, sanctifies his body and soul, illuminates his thoughts and brings him closer to the Lord God.

Prosphora cannot be taken on the morning before Holy Communion. On this day, this restriction applies to any type of food.

: text

The text of the prayer accompanying the eating of prosphora and blessed water is as follows:

Prosphora and its origin

The origins of the prosphora are associated with the first centuries of Christianity. The word “prosphora” is translated from Greek as “offering.” Prosphora used to be called a donation that believers brought with them for worship - bread, wine, wax for candles, olive oil (oil). This donation was accepted by the deacons, and the lists of those who came with the offering were mentioned in prayer during the blessing of the food. Moreover, this list could also include dead people when relatives brought prosphora on their behalf.

The deacons separated part of the prosphora - bread and wine - for the purpose of transmutation into the Body and Blood of Christ, the wax was used for candles, and everything that remained was distributed to the believers. Later, only bread used during the liturgy began to be called prosphora. Over time in the church instead regular bread they began to bake prosphora in its modern form.

Prosphora is bread assembled from 2 separate parts:

1. The upper part is baked with a special seal in the form of a four-pointed equilateral cross. The symbols IC and XC (Jesus Christ) are placed on the horizontal crossbar of the cross, followed by HI and KA (translated from Greek as “victory”).
2. The lower part resembles a regular loaf of bread.

Prosphora is baked from flour, the creation of which took many grains from countless ears of ears, therefore it symbolizes both the nature of an individual person, created from many natural elements, and all of humanity as a whole, consisting of many people. Its lower part personifies the carnal, earthly principle of man and humanity, the upper part, with the seal, represents the spiritual principle. According to the church, human nature is permeated with God’s presence, therefore holy water and yeast are added to the prosphora dough: consecrated water is a symbol of God’s grace, and yeast is the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.

The division of the prosphora into 2 parts is not accidental. The parts symbolize the division of man into flesh (water and flour) and soul (holy water and yeast), which are inextricably linked with each other. Believers can receive the prosphora in their hands after the service - to do this, they must submit a note “On health” or “On repose” before the start of the liturgy. For each name indicated in the note, a piece of prosphora is taken out.

Antidor(translated from Greek as “instead of a gift”) - small parts of the prosphora from which the Holy Lamb was taken out at the proskomedia. The Antidoron is distributed to the faithful after the completion of the liturgy. You must eat it within the walls of the temple, on an empty stomach, with reverence in your soul, because this is holy bread, from the Lord’s altar.

Artos- whole prosphora. Together with the image of the Resurrection of Christ, it occupies the main place in the temple during Bright Week. After Easter celebrations it is distributed to believers. People carefully store particles of artos as a spiritual cure for illnesses and infirmities. It is eaten only on special occasions and always with the words “Christ is Risen!”

Prosphora and artos should also be stored in the red corner, next to the icons. If they deteriorate, then they must be burned with one’s own hands or taken to church for the same purpose, or set adrift in a clean river.

About the origin of holy water

Holy water is next to a Christian believer all his life. This is one of the greatest shrines of Christianity. It is this word - “shrine” - that translates its Greek name - “agiasma” into Russian.

Holy water symbolizes God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual negativity, strengthens both body and soul. Holy water is practically the main attribute of the sacrament of Baptism. Immersion in it three times washes a person from sinful impurities, renews him, and makes him closer to Jesus Christ. Blessed water is also used in all Christian rituals consecration, during prayers, religious processions.

Every believer Orthodox Christian dials blessed water on the day of Epiphany, he carries it to his home and keeps it like a dear shrine throughout the year. Agiasma is given communion for all sorts of illnesses, using it together with prayer.

It has long been proven that holy water has extraordinary properties. It remains fresh throughout the year after Epiphany. And Saint Demetrius of Kherson wrote about her healing abilities. Epiphany water was widely used Venerable Seraphim Sarovsky, giving it to pilgrims. Reverend Ambrose With her help, Optinsky raised even terminally ill people to their feet. Seraphim Vyritsky called holy water the strongest medicine, advised to sprinkle any food with it, and give it every hour to a sick person, a tablespoon.

The consecration of water occurs 2 times - on Epiphany Eve and on the day of Epiphany itself. The Church believes that agiasma is a spiritual-physical being that connects heaven and earth. It should be in every home where they believe in God. Holy water must be stored in the red corner, next to the icons.

Thank you for the text of the prayer! I was just looking for it.

Our prosphora spoiled and I just fed it to the birds. I didn’t know what to burn or take to church. Next time I'll be smarter.

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Prosphora - what is prosphora in the Orthodox Church?

Many people, attending church services, noticed that small breads called prosphora were handed out. They are considered a real shrine that must be honored and protected so that it does not deteriorate. There are known rules regarding the use of such church treats.

What is prosphora and why do they eat it?

Small loaf round shape, prepared from leavened wheat dough with holy water, is called prosphora. There are several facts about this church treat:

1. This word is translated from Greek as “offerings.”
2. No additives are added to such baked goods, with the exception of yeast and salt.
3. When figuring out what prosphora is in the Orthodox Church, it should be pointed out that this pastry consists of two parts, which symbolizes the union of human and divine essence in Jesus Christ.
4. On the top there is a seal in the form of a cross with equal sides and in the corners are the letters: IC XC NI KA. The inscription presented means “Jesus Christ conquers.” The seal itself personifies the invisible seal of the image of the Lord.
5. If you are interested in what the prosphora symbolizes, then it is worth knowing that it depicts the bread of the Last Supper, which Jesus divided among his disciples.

What types of prosphora are there?

There are five main types of sacred bread for the liturgy:

1. Agnichnaya. This is a large prosphora with a cross, from which a lamb is cut out with a special knife - cube-shaped bread. During the liturgy, he becomes the true body of Christ. The part of the prosphora that is not used is called antidor, and it is distributed to believers after the service.
2. Mother of God. This large prosphora bears the seal “Mary” or the image of the Mother of God. During proskomedia, a triangular-shaped part is taken out from the top and placed on a special dish along with the lamb.
3. Nine-day. This view is dedicated to all the saints and nine particles are taken from her seal.
4. Zazdravnaya. Two parts are taken from this bread for all participants in the liturgy.
5. Funeral. For all the deceased believers, only one particle is taken from the upper part of the prosphora.

There are special types of prosphora, which include artos - bread blessed on Easter night. The priest asks the Lord for blessings and help in healing illnesses. Artos is located opposite the Royal Doors throughout Bright Week, and on Saturday it is divided into small pieces and distributed to believers. This prosphora symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus Christ and recalls his presence on earth.

Prosphora - recipe

Sacred bread can be prepared at home using an old recipe. It is important to know how prosphora is baked, as there are several features that should be taken into account.

• finely ground premium flour – 1.2 kg;
• Holy water;
• yeast – 25 g.

1. Pour some holy water into the container, and then pour in about 400 g of flour. Add boiling water and stir until you get a mass like semolina porridge.
2. When everything has cooled down, add a little salt and yeast. Stir and leave to rise. Then add the remaining flour and mix well.
3. Leave for another 30 minutes, and then transfer the dough to the table and roll out the layer. The bottom layer needs a thickness of 18-20 mm, and the top layer 11-12 mm. Cover with oilcloth and leave for another 10 minutes.
4. It is necessary to cut the layer into circles, taking into account that the lower part should be larger than the upper. Cover the lower halves with a towel and oilcloth and leave for half an hour. It is important not to let the dough dry out.
5. If you are interested in how to bake prosphora at home, then it is important to know that the baking tray must be greased thin layer natural wax, which is a component of solar energy. On top part Place a stamp of the appropriate size.
6. Lubricate the bottom and connect it to the top. Prick both halves with a needle to remove excess air, which will prevent voids from forming.
7. The oven should be heated to 200-250 degrees. Bake until done, which is 15-20 minutes.
8. The finished bread should be covered with several layers: a dry cloth, a wet one, then a dry one again and a blanket. Leave the prosphora in this state for an hour.

Prosphora - how to use?

There are several rules regarding how to properly eat sacred bread. This should be done in the morning on an empty stomach and to begin with, it is recommended to spread a clean napkin on the table and place bread and water on it. When figuring out how to eat prosphora at home, it is worth mentioning that before eating it, a prayer intended for this occasion must be said. They eat bread over a plate so that crumbs do not fall on the floor. It is important to note that prosphora should not be used in cemeteries and crumble on graves.

How to cut prosphora correctly?

In temples they use it to cut sacred bread. special knife, designed for this purpose. It is called a spear and is a flat knife shaped like the tip of a spear. It cannot be stored with other cutlery. Many people are interested in whether it is possible to cut prosphora with a knife, but most clergy claim that ordinary kitchen items not worth using.

Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water

It is believed that when a believer reads a prayer before eating prosphora and drinking holy water, this leads to the sanctification of the body and spirit, the illumination of thoughts, and this will also protect him from evil spirits. Parts of the prosphora are taken out at the end of the liturgy and believers must fold their palms into a cross, with the right hand covering the left. After handing over the prosphora, you must kiss the hand of the clergyman. Having brought the sacred bread home, place it on a clean napkin and before eating it, be sure to read a prayer before accepting the prosphora and holy water.

When can you eat prosphora?

You can eat sacred bread every day, with the exception of a number of restrictions, which will be discussed below. If you are interested in how to eat prosphora correctly, then it is worth knowing that sacred bread is usually consumed on an empty stomach with a sense of humility. The clergy say that it is beneficial for all believers to start their day with prosphora, which should be washed down with holy water.

Is it possible to eat prosphora without an empty stomach?

The rule regarding the use of sacred bread and water on an empty stomach arose for a reason, since they are designed to instill reverence in a person and separate eating from eating. Although the holy gifts are received through the mouth, they still participate in digestion. digestive system, believers must understand that church prosphora bread is not food and its consumption is a sacred act.

Is it possible to eat prosphora during menstruation?

There is an opinion that during menstrual periods a woman should avoid everything that has to do with the church, including she should refuse to eat sacred bread. This is explained by the fact that the woman is “unclean” and the holy prosphora will be desecrated. This topic is controversial, and different clergy have their own opinions on this matter. Saint Athanasius, back in 365, said that a woman during the days of natural renewal of the body cannot be “unclean,” therefore everything is provided for by God. In general, it is impossible to say for sure whether eating prosphora will be considered a sin.

Is it possible to eat prosphora on Good Friday?

Good Friday is considered the strictest day of fasting before Easter and, according to church canons, on this day it is necessary to refrain from consuming any food or drinks. The exception is prosphora and holy water. It is quite possible to last a day on bread and water, but do not forget that these foods should not be eaten to be full, but to receive blessings. As for when to eat prosphora in Good Friday, then it is better to do this in the morning, and then, if possible, refrain from taking it.

What to do with dried prosphora?

Many people do not know how to properly treat sacred bread brought from church or made with their own hands. Like any other baked product, prosphora becomes dry after some time and many people don’t know what to do with it. It's simple: you need to soak the bread in holy water and eat it. It is important to know what to do with the prosphora brought from the church, so it must be stored in a holy corner next to the icons and holy water. For long-term storage, it is recommended to place the bread in a paper bag.

The prosphora has become moldy - what to do?

If the sacred bread has spoiled, then this is considered the result of a careless attitude towards the shrine and the clergy recommend confessing for this sin. For those who are interested in what to do with moldy prosphora, you should know that it must be dealt with in the same way as with other shrines that need to be destroyed. There are several options:

1. Bury in an untrampled place, that is, where people will not walk.
2. Let it float along the river, but it is important that it does not stick to the shore, so either chop it up or tie it to a stone.
3. You can take the damaged prosphora to the church, where it will be burned.
4. The clergy allow you to crush the bread and give it to the birds, but it is forbidden to throw crumbs on the ground, so put them on a board. It is prohibited to give prosphora to animals.

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Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water. Its meaning and significance

The Orthodox Church teaches us that God's Grace is poured out to people in different ways. Sometimes this happens through material and very real objects, for example, icons or church utensils. Sometimes - through the blessing of a priest. Sometimes believers receive grace-filled energy through prosphora and holy water, namely believers, since only through faith can God’s help be sent down. Therefore, prosphora and holy water are inseparable from prayer.

What is prosphora

Those who have been to church have seen these small round loaves of bread, decorated on top with an image of a cross or other sacred symbols. They are received in a candle shop and taken home for themselves and their loved ones. The eating of such bread is preceded by a prayer for the acceptance of prosphora and holy water. They came to us from the first centuries of Christianity. Translated from Greek, “prosphora” means “offering.” Once upon a time, believers, when gathering for a common prayer service, brought bread with them as a donation. The deacons accepted him and added the names of donors to special lists. Then special prayers were offered for them. From these depths of history came the prayer before accepting the prosphora.

Blessing of water

To consecrate the water, a special ceremony is performed. The priest lowers the cross into the water three times, accompanying his actions with a special prayer. This is not a prayer before taking holy water, but a prayer for its illumination. As a result of this, water becomes a carrier of Divine energy. With its help, ailments are cured and driven away evil force. In homes sprinkled with holy water, the spiritual atmosphere improves.

Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water

According to tradition, prosphora and holy water are taken in the morning on an empty stomach. The reason does not lie in the physiology of our body, because we are not talking about ordinary medications. The meaning here is purely symbolic: the day begins with a shrine. In addition, once in the stomach, the bearers of holiness should not be mixed with ordinary food.

However, the most important component of such a morning ritual is the prayer for accepting the prosphora and holy water. But it should not be formal, not a mechanical reading of the text, but an appeal to God with sincere faith and love. Without this, all efforts are in vain. The Lord sends grace to all people, but only a believer is able to receive it.

The prayer begins with a request to the Almighty to enlighten the mind. This is understandable, because both in worldly life, and even more so in spiritual life, clarity and sobriety of thought are necessary. A person with a sleeping mind is equally far from both material and spiritual values.

Further, the prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water includes a very important point, this is a prayer for the sending of spiritual and physical strength. In religious terms, there is no contradiction between them - both for ordinary earthly life and for serving the Lord will require both.

Following the request for strength for the soul and body, health is asked for them. Here health should be understood not only as the absence of illnesses, but also as deliverance from sins, because according to the teachings of the church, illnesses are sent to us precisely for sins. The Lord protects us from them, but, mired in sins, we ourselves turn away from His help.

The prayer ends with a request to remove destructive passions from us, as well as bodily and spiritual infirmities. In sending down what is requested, hope is expressed for the prayers of the Most Pure Virgin Mary and all the saints.

Prayer for happiness

The prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water is small in volume of text, but unusually deep in content. Reason, spiritual and physical strength, health and freedom from harmful passions and infirmities - this is what is necessary for human happiness. They ask the Lord for the gift of all this when reading a prayer.

Today, prosphora is prepared in small bakeries established at churches. That’s what they’re called – prosforni. The rules for their baking and the composition of the incoming components are very strictly established. This is a responsible task, and therefore it is entrusted only to pious people. Prosphoras are also needed during the liturgy to prepare holy firewood, which is then used during the sacrament of Communion.

What do you need to know about using prosphora and holy water?

Prosphora

In addition to the Blood of Christ, in the guise of wine, in the guise of a small particle of prosphora, the body of Christ is contained in the spoon with which communion is given. They can be easily swallowed in one go.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, when you come home, prepare a meal of prosphora and holy water on a clean tablecloth.

Before eating, say a prayer:

“Lord my God, may Thy holy gift and Thy holy water be

for the forgiveness of my sins,

to enlighten my mind,

to strengthen my mental and physical strength,

for the health of my soul and body,

to conquer my passions and infirmities

according to Your infinite mercy, through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your Saints. Amen".

The prosphora is taken over a plate or blank slate paper so that the holy crumbs do not fall to the floor and are not trampled, for prosphora is the holy bread of Heaven. And we must accept it with the fear of God and humility.

The prosphora can be received at the candle box after the liturgy by submitting a note “On health” or “On repose” before the start of the service. The names indicated in the notes are read at the altar, and for each name a particle is taken out of the prosphora, which is why such a prosphora is also called “taken out.”

Service prosphora

To perform proskomedia (the preparatory part of the Liturgy), 5 so-called service prosphoras (in the Russian tradition) are needed. 4 of them have a seal with the image of a cross, 1 - with the image of initials Mother of God.

From the first cross-shaped prosphora a Lamb is cut out, which during the anaphora is converted into the Body of Christ.

From the second (Theotokos) - a particle in honor of the Mother of God, which is placed to the right of the Lamb.

Of the third - 9 particles in honor of the saints: John the Baptist, prophets, apostles, martyrs, saints, etc.

From the fourth - a particle for the Patriarch, bishops and ending with all Orthodox Christians; the second is about our God-protected country.

Of the fifth - for the dead. If you look from above at the paten, on which the Lamb and all the particles lie, then you and I will see the Church. Lord, Most Holy Theotokos, all the saints, we are with you and the departed.

At this time, the commemoration of the living and the dead from the “health” and “funeral” prosphoras takes place. Therefore, the Eucharistic commemoration of the unbaptized, suicides and other apostates is not performed.

The priest, taking out a particle for a person and placing it on the paten, thereby testifies that the person belongs to the Church. And if a person is not a member of the Church, then the priest is deceiving himself and God if he believes the particle taken out for the above-mentioned people.

And praying for the unbaptized and suicides is not only possible, but also necessary!

Antidor

At the end of the liturgy, the antidor is distributed to the worshipers - small parts of the prosphora from which the Holy Lamb was taken out at the proskomedia. The Greek word antidor comes from the words “anti” - instead and “di oron” - gift, that is, the exact translation of this word is instead of gift.

The antidorus should be received reverently, folding your palms crosswise, right over left, and kissing the hand of the priest giving this gift. According to the rules of the Church, the antidoron must be eaten in church, on an empty stomach and with reverence, because this is holy bread, bread from the altar of God, part of the offerings to the altar of Christ, from which it receives heavenly sanctification.

The antidor is given into the hands of believers, who fold their palms crosswise, right over left, and, having received the antidor, kiss the hand of the priest (not the deacon) who gave it.

Antidor is eaten in the temple on an empty stomach. Antidor is “in place of communion”, if translated literally. It has exactly the function that it does - a shrine, eaten by those who did not receive communion on that day. Those who do not receive communion can eat the antidor with warmth, but they must observe the Eucharistic fast.

Heat

Warmth (drinking) – warm water with wine, or diluted jam, or sweetened (in some cases - simply cooled boiling water), which the communicants eat with a slice of prosphora or antidoron immediately after communion, so that the particles of the Holy Gifts remaining in the mouth are not expelled in the event of an accidental cough, spitting, etc. etc., and so that no one leaves the Holy Gifts in the mouth for an ill-intentioned purpose.

It is not always possible to walk to the temple, but only by car. What will the breathalyzer show when meeting with the traffic police? In this case, you can ask the temple workers to give you the opportunity to wash down Communion with holy water.

Artos

Artoz (leavened bread in Greek) means consecrated bread common to all members of the Church, otherwise it means whole prosphora.

Artos, throughout Bright Week, occupies the most prominent place in the church along with the image of the Resurrection of the Lord and is distributed to believers at the conclusion of Easter celebrations.

The artos depicts the Resurrection of Christ or a cross on which only the crown of thorns is visible, but not the crucified Christ, as a sign of Christ’s victory over death.

The consecrated artos is placed on the sole in front of the image of the Savior, where it lies throughout Holy Week. On all days of Bright Week, at the end of the liturgy, artos is solemnly performed procession around the temple. On Saturday of Bright Week, at the end of the liturgy, the priest says a special prayer, during the reading of which the artos is crushed, and when kissing the cross, it is distributed to the people as a shrine.

Particles of artos received in the temple are reverently kept by believers as a spiritual cure for illnesses and infirmities. Artos is used in special cases, for example, in illness, and always with the words “Christ is risen!”

The prosphora and artos are kept in the holy corner near the icons. Spoiled prosphora and artos should be burned yourself (or taken to church for this) or floated down the river with clean water.

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With the blessing of the Most Reverend Simon,
Bishop of Murmansk and Monchegorsk

Prosphora as a sign of God's grace

Everyone knows how the youth Bartholomew (that was his name in the world) St. Sergius Radonezh) learned to read.

He did not understand literacy and was scolded by his parents and teachers for this. Often the boy prayed to God, asking with tears to enlighten and teach him. One day, when his father sent to look for his runaway horses, Bartholomew saw a monk, a holy elder, silently praying under an oak tree. The elder saw with his spiritual gaze the future greatness of the youth and asked what he wanted. Bartholomew asked the elder to pray so that he would understand the letter. Raising his hands and eyes to heaven, the elder offered a prayer, and then gave Bartholomew a small piece of holy prosphora. In the life it is written that the elder gave a piece of prosphora with the words that it was being given as a sign of God’s grace.

Why is prosphora a sign of God’s grace?

First of all, what is a sign and grace?

Signs are objects or images that convey the spiritual meaning of Divine and heavenly truths and phenomena without depicting them directly.

The word "grace" is used in Holy Scripture in different meanings. In the New Testament we distinguish two main meanings of this concept.

Firstly, by the grace of God, the grace of Christ, we mean the entire economy of our salvation, completed by the Coming of the Son of God to earth, His earthly life, death on the cross, Resurrection and Ascension into heaven: by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from you, it is God’s gift: not from works, so that no one can boast ().

Secondly, grace refers to the gifts of the Holy Spirit sent down and sent down by the Church of Christ for the sanctification of its members, for their spiritual growth and for them to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven.

In this second meaning of the word, grace is a power sent from above, the power of God abiding in the Church of Christ, reviving, life-giving, perfecting and leading a believer and virtuous Christian to the assimilation of salvation brought by the Lord Jesus Christ.

How does God's saving grace work?

Both spiritual birth and further spiritual growth of a person occur through the mutual assistance of two principles: one of them is the grace of the Holy Spirit; another is a person’s opening of his heart to accept it, a thirst for it, a desire to perceive it, just as thirsty dry land receives the moisture of rain. In other words, it is a personal effort to receive, store, and act in the soul of Divine gifts.

What does the prosphora that every Christian receives after the Liturgy signify, and how does God’s grace work through the prosphora?

How did the prosphora appear?

The origin of prosphora goes back to ancient times.

The commandment to sacrifice bread has come to us from Old Testament times:

let him bring leavened bread as his offering, with a grateful peace offering ().

In the tabernacle of Moses there was showbread, consisting of two parts, which meant earthly and heavenly bread, that is, two natures, Divine and human.

In imitation of this, in Christian churches, breads (or prosphora) are made two-part, and with their two parts they signify the Divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ.

Prosphora is that leavened, that is, yeast, bread.

In ancient times, prosphora was the name given to the offerings of Christians, part of which served for the Liturgy, and the remainder for agape, a custom of the ancient Church, according to which all members of the local community (free and slaves) gathered together for a common meal, during which, apparently, the Eucharist. Agape thus reproduced the Last Supper. The original character of agape was strictly religious: the most important point the meeting was the celebration of the Eucharist. At the same time, it symbolized the social equality of all members of the community and their unity in Christ. The wealthier took care of food for the poor, but the poor also contributed their mite, or labor, to the common treasury. At the “supper of love” everyone gave each other the kiss of peace, here messages from other Churches were read and responses to them were written. Here is how agape, a writer who lived at the end of the second and beginning of the third century, describes it: “Our small suppers ... are called by the Greek name agapi, which means love or friendship. No matter how much they cost, spending on them, which is done by believers out of love, is an acquisition. The poor are fed at this meal. The evening begins with a prayer to God. When (after supper) they wash their hands and light the candles, everyone is invited to go out into the middle and sing something to the glory of God, either from the Holy Scriptures or from themselves, as best they can. At the end of the supper, a prayer is also performed, with which the evening ends. They disperse without crowding, pushing or crowding; but with the same strict modesty and chastity with which they came to the meeting; because here they were nourished not so much with food and drink as with good teaching.” For agape, everyone who came brought with them ordinary bread, wine, oil - in a word, everything needed for the table. This offering (in Greek - prosphora), or donation, was accepted by the deacons; The names of those who brought them were included in a special list, which was prayerfully proclaimed during the consecration of the gifts. Relatives and friends of the deceased made offerings on their behalf, and the names of the deceased, included in a special list, were also proclaimed. From these voluntary offerings (prosphora), part of the bread and wine was separated with a prayer of benevolence, consecrated into the Body and Blood of Christ by the word of Christ and the invocation of the Holy Spirit, and other gifts, over which prayers were also said, were used for the public table. Thanksgiving and prayers over gifts were considered an essential part of the sacred rite, which is why the entire sacred rite during which the Sacrament of Communion was performed, the very Body and Blood of Christ, received the name - thanksgiving (in Greek - eucharist). As Christianity spread and communities grew larger, social differences between members of the Church began to make themselves felt, and the agapes changed their character, becoming the feasts of the rich. In Alexandria, psalms, chants and spiritual songs of ancient times (;) were replaced by musicians playing the lyre, harp, and flute, despite protests. In other places, wealthy Christians, on the contrary, began to avoid these meetings, but paid for them, and the agapes gradually turned into a kind of charitable institution. Then they were completely abolished in northern Italy by Saint Ambrose, because they gave rise to various disorders due to the abuse of wine and the unchaste behavior of some of the participants. The Third Council of Carthage in 391 decreed that the faithful prepare for the Eucharist by fasting, and therefore separated the Eucharist from agape. The councils of Laodicea and Trullo (392) prohibited the performance of agape in the temple and thereby completely deprived them of their church-religious character. The attempt made by the participants of the Gangra Council (380) to return the agapes to their former meaning was futile. By the beginning of the 5th century, the agapes began to gradually disappear.

When agapa, the “supper of love,” was separated from the Liturgy, only the bread used to celebrate the Eucharist began to be called prosphora.

How prosphora is used in Divine services

In general terms, modern worship retains the characteristics of ancient worship. At the proskomedia, after washing their hands, the priest and deacon retire to offer. The offering is that part of the altar where bread and wine were brought or offered for the celebration of the Sacrament. In our churches there is no this separate part, and therefore they go straight to the altar, behind which the name of the proposal remains.

Having made three bows before the proposal, with the words “God, cleanse me, a sinner,” the priest reads the troparion of the Great Heel, “You have redeemed from the legal oath...” and with the blessing of God (“blessed is our God...”) begins the proskomedia.

Proskomedia (in Greek - proskomidi) means bringing, that is, this word expresses the action of a person bringing, donating something to someone. The thing itself, brought, sacrificed, is called prosphora - that is, what is brought, a gift.

As we already know, the first prosphoras were ordinary bread. But over time, this was found inconvenient, and then prosphora began to be baked in the church.

For the Divine service, in fact, one prosphora is needed - the one from which a part is taken out for the Lamb, but according to the custom of ancient times, when five prosphoras were used, this amount is the smallest for performing proskomedia. There can be more than a dozen prosphoras, and in large churches there can be hundreds - there can be as many of them as there are notes “On health” and “On repose”.

In the Church Charter regarding the bread offered for the Sacrament, the following is prescribed:

it must be “from pure wheat flour, with fresh water, mixed naturally and well baked, leavened, unsalted, fresh and clean. A priest who dares to serve over bread that has blossomed, molded, or gone bitter, or is stale, or has become corrupted, sins gravely and will be thrown out, as the sacrament will not be accomplished on such sights.”

Together with the prosphora, red grape wine is used to perform the Sacrament, specifically red, as an image of blood.

What is the Eucharistic Lamb

The Eucharistic Lamb is a quadrangular particle, cut out during proskomedia from the first prosphora, which at the end of the Eucharistic canon is transformed into the Body of Christ. Proceeding directly to the proskomedia, the priest with his left hand takes the prosphora for the Lamb, and with his right hand the holy copy and, making the sign of the cross three times over the seal of the prosphora, each time pronouncing the words “In remembrance of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ,” cuts the prosphora with right side seals (where the letters IC and NI are on the priest’s left side) with the words “Like a sheep led to the slaughter”; cuts on the left side (where the letters XC and KA are on the priest’s right side (with the words “And like a lamb without blemish, the one who shorn it straight is silent, so he does not open his mouth”); then he cuts the upper side of the seal (where the words IC XC) pronouncing with with the words “For His humility his judgment will be taken”; he cuts the lower side of the prosphora (with the words NIKA), saying: “Who will confess His generation.” And thus the cut-off middle is taken out of the prosphora with the words: “As if His belly will be lifted up from the earth” - and places it on the paten.

We need to explain the meaning of these words. The Savior's death on the cross was not an unexpected, unforeseen event - the Lord God revealed it to His chosen ones long ago, and they predicted it in the Holy Scriptures. For example, the king and prophet David so accurately predicted the circumstances in a psalm death on the cross Lord Jesus, as if he himself was an eyewitness: My God! My God! [listen to me] why have you forsaken me? The words of my cry are far from saving me. My God! I cry during the day, and You do not listen to me, at night, and I have no peace. Everyone who sees me mocks me, saying with their lips, nodding their heads: “He trusted in the Lord; let him deliver him, let him save him, if he pleases him.” My strength has dried up like a shard; my tongue clung to my throat, and You brought me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me, a crowd of evil ones has surrounded me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. One could count all my bones; and they look and make a spectacle out of me; They divide my garments among themselves and cast lots for my clothes ().

The death of the God-man on the cross was also revealed to the prophet Isaiah: He was despised and belittled before men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with illness, and we turned our faces away from Him; He was despised, and we thought nothing of Him. But He took upon Himself our infirmities and bore our illnesses; and we thought that He was smitten, punished and humiliated by God. But He was wounded for our sins and tormented for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed. We have all gone astray, like sheep; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord laid on Him the sins of us all. He was tortured, but He suffered voluntarily and did not open His mouth; like a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb before its shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. He was taken from bonds and judgment; but who will explain His generation? for He is cut off from the land of the living; for the crimes of my people I suffered execution. He was assigned a coffin with the villains, but He was buried with the rich, because He committed no sin, and there was no lie in His mouth ().

The Lord prepared people for the terrible purifying death of the God-Man not only with prophecies, but also with some significant events. Thus, the Passover lamb, which the Jews had to eat before leaving Egypt, contained the likeness of the Lamb of God and His death on the cross. This is just one feature of this similarity. Since all the firstborn of Egypt were to be destroyed that night, so that the firstborn of the Jews would not perish at the same time, they were commanded to smear the blood of this lamb on the entrances to their homes. Thus, the blood of the sacrificial Lamb became the means of salvation. Likewise, the blood of the spotless Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the salvation of people. These special, significant events are called prototypes, that is, preliminary images and similarities of how the promised Savior of the world was supposed to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of people.

By remembering this prophecy, the offering of a bloodless sacrifice begins. Some words from this prophecy are spoken by the priest when he separates part of the prosphora from this sacrifice. And since, on the basis of this prophecy, Saint John the Baptist called the Lord Jesus the Lamb: “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,” then part of the prosphora, intended to be the body of the Lord Jesus for the cleansing of the sins of the whole world, received the name “Lamb.”

Having placed the separated middle of the prosphora on the Diskos with the seal facing down, the priest makes a deep cross-shaped cut on the underside of the Lamb (before the seal) and says: “The Lamb of God is eaten (that is, sacrificed - Ed.), take away the sin of the world for the worldly belly and salvation.”

Then from the prophecy he moves on to the event itself and, touching the right side of the Lamb with a copy, he says: one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out. And he who saw it bore witness, and his testimony is true (34-35). At the same time, wine, slightly dissolved with water, is poured into the Chalice (Chalice in Greek) in memory of the fact that blood and water flowed from the pierced side of Christ.

Historical evidence about the Lamb and its preparation is not very ancient. The absence of ancient evidence about the Eucharistic Lamb is explained by the fact that the proskomedia at which it is prepared is a relatively recent phenomenon. For a long time, it consisted of a simple selection of the best bread and wine brought by the people. The selected bread was consecrated in its entire, untouched form, in which it was brought and broken into pieces only immediately before communion.

Testimonies about the Eucharistic Lamb begin to be found in the 9th-10th centuries, although its preparation is not yet a generally accepted liturgical action. The first mention of the Eucharistic Lamb belongs to the Patriarch of Constantinople Germanus (died 740). In the main part, this sequence of sacred rites developed in this way in the 10th-12th centuries, the remaining additions were made in the 14th-15th centuries.

How other prosphoras are used during proskomedia

From the remaining four prosphoras, particles are taken out that signify the composition of the Heavenly and Earthly Church. The priest takes the second prosphora and, remembering Holy Virgin Mother of God, takes out a particle from the prosphora, which he places on the Paten on the right side of the Lamb (from himself on the left), close to its middle, with the words from the psalm: The Queen appears at Your right hand (). This prosphora is called “Theotokos”.

From the third - in memory of the Old and New Testament saints, from the fourth - for living members of the Church, from the fifth - for the deceased.

In addition, particles are also removed from the prosphoras for health and repose with the remembrance of names served by believers. At the end of the Liturgy, the particles taken from the prosphora are immersed in the Holy Chalice, as the priest pronounces the words: “Wash away, O Lord, the sins of those remembered here by Your honest Blood, by the prayers of Your saints.”

The spear used to cut out particles from prosphoras is an instrument of Divine Providence

To cut out the Lamb from the first liturgical prosphora, as well as to cut out particles from other prosphoras, a copy is used - a flat iron knife in the form of a spear tip, sharpened on both sides, inserted into a wooden or bone handle. He is an image of the spear with which the soldier, wanting to make sure of the death of Christ on the Cross, pierced Him in the ribs. When remembering the suffering of the Savior at the service of the proskomedia, the Lamb is lightly pierced with a copy on the right side with the words: “One of the warriors is pierced with a copy of His rib.” As an image of one of the instruments of execution of the Savior and as a weapon of war and death in general, a sharp iron spear cutting soft prosphora bread is a symbol of the cruelty of this world. The forces of cruelty and death strive to strike and kill everything Divine and heavenly in the earthly. But, according to God’s vision, they turn out to be instruments that highlight, extract from the environment of the human world everything that is not of this world, that, being in the world, needs to be tested, so that it becomes clear or visible to everyone that it belongs to another world, God’s chosenness of the tested one. In other words, the instruments of the cruelty of this world providentially, against the will of the devil and his angels, serve for the glory of God, turn into instruments of God's Providence for the salvation of the human race, into instruments that make it possible to discover and demonstrate the depth of God's love for His creatures and their reciprocal love for God. Therefore, the church copy, on the other hand, means precisely the instrument of God’s Providence, distinguishing His chosen ones from among humanity. In this sense, the copy is similar to the sword, the image of which Jesus Christ uses in His sermon, saying that He brought not peace, but a sword to earth, a sword that spiritually, as it were, cuts humanity into those who accept and those who do not accept Christ (; 1-53).

In its spiritual meaning, the copy is to some extent similar to the Cross of Christ, for just as the Cross was formerly a tool shameful execution, and in Christ it became an instrument of salvation and the glory of God, so the copy, being an instrument of death, becomes in Christ an instrument of salvation for the faithful for eternal life in the glory of the Kingdom of Heaven. The latter circumstance imparts to the consecrated church copy the power of grace, capable of exerting a healing effect. The Trebnik contains a brief “Following the passion of an illness... with a holy copy,” which the priest performs over a sick person, making the sign of a cross over him with a copy.

The symbolic meaning of prosphoras

The spiritual meaning of the copy becomes especially clear when considering the symbolic meaning of the prosphoras from which the particles are extracted by the copy. Prosphora consists of two parts, which are made from dough separately from one another and then joined together, sticking to one another. On the upper part there is a seal depicting a four-pointed equilateral cross with the inscriptions above the crossbar IC and XC (Jesus Christ), under the crossbar HI KA (in Greek - victory). Prosphora, made from flour from the grains of countless ears of ears, means both human nature, consisting of many elements of nature, and humanity as a whole, consisting of many people. Moreover, the lower part of the prosphora corresponds to the earthly (carnal) composition of man and humanity; the upper part with the seal corresponds to the spiritual principle in man and humanity, in which the image of God is imprinted and the spirit of God is mysteriously present. God's presence and spirituality permeate the entire nature of man and humanity, which, when making prosphoras, is reflected by adding holy water and yeast to the water. Holy water signifies the grace of God, and yeast signifies the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, giving life to every creature. This corresponds to the words of the Savior about spiritual life striving for the Kingdom of Heaven, which He likens to leaven put into flour, thanks to which the whole dough gradually rises.

The division of the prosphora into two parts visibly signifies this invisible division of human nature into flesh (flour and water) and soul (yeast and holy water), which are in an inseparable, but also unfused unity, which is why the upper and lower parts of the prosphora are made separately from one another , but then connect so that they become one.

The seal on the top of the prosphora visibly denotes the invisible seal of the image of God, which penetrates the entire nature of man and is the highest principle in him. This arrangement of the prosphora corresponds to the structure of man before the Fall and the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, who restored in Himself this structure broken by the Fall. The prosphora is therefore also a sign of the Lord Jesus Christ, who united in Himself the Divine and human nature.

The prosphora is made round as a sign of the eternity of Christ and humanity in Christ, in general as a sign that man was created for eternal life. It is not difficult to see that the prosphora also marks the creation of God in the unity of the heavenly and earthly realms of existence and the heavenly and earthly fullness of the Church of Christ.

The prosphora, being a symbol of the deified Creature, can acquire different meanings depending on the course of the service, signifying both an individual person and all of humanity as a whole. When a four-part Lamb is cut out of the first service prosphora, this simultaneously symbolizes the Birth of Jesus Christ from the most pure womb of the Virgin Mary, and the separation of the sinless and divinely purified human nature of Jesus Christ from the environment of sinful humanity, from the environment of this world, from earthly life. This separation was carried out through the malice of the people themselves, which persecuted Christ from birth and led Him to death on the cross. In connection with this it is found that the Lamb is carved with a copy.

The wisdom of the design of the prosphora allows it to be both a symbol of the Church and restored in it through the communion of God-created Christ human nature. Prosphoras are basically a sign of a deified creature, a sign of the Church as the eternal Kingdom of God, of which the person bringing the prosphora strives to become a particle, and what he wishes for those for whom the particles were taken out of it.

The sharp iron spear cutting out these particles correspondingly means the trials of life that are allowed by God on the part of demonic forces hostile to man, so that these trials themselves turn out, despite the hostile will, to be a necessary instrument in the conditions of earthly life for saving a person, cutting off his sinful attachments and union with the Church of God's chosen ones. The copy was not created only for the convenience of cutting out particles from prosphoras. If the excretion of the Lamb and particles had a different spiritual meaning, it could be performed either by the hands of a priest by breaking it off, or by an object meaning anything other than an instrument of cruelty and bodily death.

How does the transubstantiation of the Holy Gifts occur?

Transubstantiation is the term used in Orthodox theology to define

the way of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the bread and wine of the Holy Eucharist. In transubstantiation he sees the miracle of God’s omnipotence, similar to God’s creation of the world out of nothing. The very essence of bread and the very essence of wine is transformed into the essence of the true Body and Blood of Christ, by the action of the Holy Spirit, whom the priest calls upon at this time to perform the Sacrament, through prayer and the words: “Send down Thy Holy Spirit upon us and upon these gifts that are set, and create This bread is the honorable Body of Thy Christ; and in this Cup, the precious Blood of Thy Christ, transposed by Thy Holy Spirit.”

After these words, transubstantiation immediately takes place: only the types of bread and wine that appear to the eye remain. The Lord wanted us not to see with our bodily eyes the Body and Blood of Christ, but to believe in our spirit that it was They, on the basis of the words spoken by Christ to his disciples at the Last Supper: This is My Body and This is My Blood. We must believe more in the Divine word, in His power, and not in our feelings, which reveals the bliss of faith.

How does the Holy Gifts take place?

The clergy partake of the Body and Blood of Christ under both types, separately, that is, first the Body and then the Blood of Christ. Then the Chalice with the Holy Gifts is brought to the laity for communion.

Flour, water and salt, united by fire, mean that God is completely united with us and gives us His help and assistance, and especially that He is completely united with our entire nature.

You should not eat completely stale or moldy prosphora. For the Lamb, it is more convenient to take a slightly hardened prosphora (baked the day before) than a freshly baked one, since it is easier to cut out the Holy Lamb from the former and, after consecration, it is more convenient to crush it into particles for the communion of the laity.

Ancient baking method:

Take 1200 g of premium flour (cereal). Pour a little holy water into the bottom of the bowl in which the dough will be kneaded, pour in 400 g of flour, pour boiling water over it (to give the prosphora sweetness and resistance to mold) and mix. After cooling, add salt diluted in holy water to the same bowl and add yeast (25 g). Mix everything thoroughly and after rising (after 30 minutes) add the remaining flour (800 g) and knead everything again. After rising (after 30 minutes), the dough is laid out on the table, rubbed well, rolled out into sheets with a rolling pin required thickness, cut into circles with molds (for the lower part, a larger mold), straighten them with your hands, cover with a damp towel, then dry and leave for 30 minutes. The smaller, upper part is stamped. The connecting surfaces of the prosphora are moistened with warm water, the upper part is placed on the lower part, and both parts are pierced with a needle to prevent the formation of voids. Then the prosphoras are placed on a baking sheet and baked in the oven until cooked (small ones - 15 minutes, service ones - 20 minutes). The finished prosphora is taken out onto the table, covered with a dry cloth, then a wet one, again dry, and on top of it a clean blanket specially prepared for this purpose. The prosphora “rest” for an hour. When they become soft and cool, they are put into baskets or other containers, where nothing else except prosphora is placed.

What is antidor

At the end of the Liturgy, the antidor is distributed to the worshipers - small parts of the prosphora from which the Holy Lamb was taken out at the proskomedia. The Greek word antidor comes from the Greek words anti - instead of and di oron - gift, that is, the exact translation of this word is instead of gift.

“Antidorus,” says the saint, “is sacred bread, which was brought in offering and the middle of which was taken out and used for sacred rites; this bread, as sealed with a copy and having received divine words, is taught instead of terrible Gifts, that is, the Mysteries, to those who have not partaken of them.”

The custom of distributing antidor apparently arose in those days when the ancient tradition Communion of all those present at the Liturgy. In the ancient Church, everyone present at the Liturgy considered it an obligation to receive communion. Even those who could not attend the Divine Supper considered the deprivation of the Holy Gifts too difficult for themselves. That is why the deacons distributed gifts to the sick, those imprisoned, and those under guard. Those who went on the road took gifts with them.

But subsequently such zeal weakened, as did the love for the Lord Jesus Christ. Many stopped going to the Divine Liturgy, and of those who came, the majority did not take part in the Divine Supper. That is why, instead of the Holy Gifts, they began to distribute those loaves that remained from the bloodless sacrifice. At first it was called a blessing (in Greek - eulogia), because these loaves, although they were not consecrated as Holy Gifts by the invocation of the Holy Spirit, were blessed and sanctified by the fact that they were among the offerings. Since there was a confusion of concepts here (the Divine Supper itself was called a blessing - eulogia), the distribution of bread began to be called antidorea, antidor, which means retribution, reward.

The first evidence of the distribution of antidor particles to those who did not partake of the Holy Mysteries dates back to the 7th century and is contained in the rules of the 9th Council of Kamnet in Gaul.

In the Eastern Church, the first mention of antidoron appears no earlier than the 11th century. The oldest can be considered the testimony of the “Explanation of the Liturgy” according to the list of the 11th century. Next, you should indicate the testimony of Balsamon (XII century) in the 15th answer to the Alexandrian Patriarch Mark.

According to the Nomocanon, if the particles of the prosphora from which the Holy Lamb was taken are insufficient for the antidor, prosphora in honor of Holy Mother of God. According to the instructions of the Helmsman, antidor is not taught to infidels and those under penance.

What is artos

The word artos (in Greek - leavened bread) is consecrated bread common to all members of the Church, otherwise - whole prosphora.

Throughout Bright Week, Artos occupies the most prominent place in the church, together with the image of the Resurrection of the Lord, and, at the end of Easter celebrations, is distributed to believers.

The use of artos dates back to the very beginning of Christianity. On the fortieth day after the Resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ ascended to heaven. The disciples and followers of Christ found consolation in prayerful memories of the Lord - they recalled His every word, every step and every action. When they came together for common prayer, they, remembering the Last Supper, partook of the Body and Blood of Christ. When preparing an ordinary meal, they left the first place at the table to the invisibly present Lord and placed bread in this place. Imitating the Apostles, the first shepherds of the Church established that on the feast of the Resurrection of Christ, bread should be placed in the church, as a visible expression of the fact that the Savior, who suffered for us, became for us the true bread of life. The artos depicts a cross on which only the crown of thorns is visible, but there is no Crucified One - as a sign of Christ’s victory over death, or an image of the Resurrection of Christ. Artos is also connected with the ancient church tradition that the Apostles left a portion of bread at the table - a share of the Most Pure Mother of the Lord as a reminder of constant communication with Her - and after the meal they reverently divided this part among themselves. In monasteries, this custom is called the Rite of Panagia, that is, the remembrance of the Most Holy Mother of the Lord. In parish churches, this bread of the Mother of God is remembered once a year in connection with the fragmentation of the artos.

The artos is consecrated with a special prayer, sprinkling with holy water and censing on the first day of Holy Pascha at the Liturgy after the prayer behind the pulpit. On the solea, opposite the Royal Doors, on a prepared table or lectern, an artos is placed. If several artos are prepared, then all of them are consecrated at the same time. After censing around the table with the installed artos, the priest reads a prayer: “Omnipotent God and Lord Almighty, Who was Your servant Moses in the exodus of Israel from Egypt, and in the liberation of Your people from the bitter work of the Pharaohs, You commanded the lamb to be slaughtered, prefiguring the one slain on the Cross for our sake. Lamb, who takes away the sins of the whole world, Thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ! Even now, we humbly pray to You, look upon this bread, and bless and sanctify it. For we too are Thy servants, in honor and glory, and in remembrance of the glorious Resurrection of the same Son of Thy Lord Jesus Christ, who from the eternal work of the enemy and from the insoluble bonds of hell received permission, freedom and promotion, before Thy Majesty now in this all-bright, glorious and the saving day of Easter, this we bring: we who bring this, and kiss it and eat from it, make us partakers of Your heavenly blessing and take away all sickness and illness from us by Your power, giving health to everyone. For You are the source of blessing and the giver of healing, and we send up glory to You, the Beginning Father, with Your Only Begotten Son, and Your Most Holy and Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages.”

After the prayer, the priest sprinkles the artos with holy water, saying: “This artos is blessed and sanctified by sprinkling sowing sacred water, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen" (three times). The lectern with the artos is placed on the sole in front of the image of the Savior, where the artos lies throughout Holy Week. It is kept in the church throughout Bright Week on a lectern in front of the iconostasis. On all days of Bright Week, at the end of the Liturgy with artos, a procession of the cross around the temple is solemnly performed.

On Saturday, after the prayer behind the pulpit, a prayer is read for the fragmentation of the artos: “Lord Jesus Christ, our God, the Bread of Angels, the Bread of Eternal Life, who came down from Heaven, feeding us on these all-bright days with spiritual food of Your Divine blessings, for the sake of the three-day and saving Resurrection! Look now, we humbly pray to Thee, to our prayers and thanksgivings, and as Thou blessedst the five loaves of bread in the desert, and now bless this bread, that all who eat from it may receive physical and mental blessings and health through the grace and generosity of Thy love for mankind. For Thou art our sanctification, and to Thee we send up glory, together with Thy Eternal Father and Thy All-Holy, and Good, and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.”

The artos is fragmented and at the end of the Liturgy, during the kissing of the Cross, it is distributed to the people as a shrine.

The genus artos at the lower level of consecration represents Easter cake, church ritual food, but not at all worldly luxury.

About eating prosphora, antidor and artos

The prosphora, which is given after the end of the Liturgy, is sacred and is reverently eaten by the believer before taking any food.

According to the rules of the Church, the antidoron must be eaten in church, on an empty stomach and with reverence, because this is holy bread, bread from the altar of God, part of the offerings to the altar of Christ, from which it receives heavenly sanctification.

Particles of artos received in the temple are reverently kept by believers as a spiritual cure for illnesses and infirmities. Artos is used in special cases, for example, in illness, and always with the words “Christ is risen!”

The prosphora and artos are kept in the holy corner near the icons. Spoiled prosphora and artos should be burned yourself (or taken to a place for this) or floated down the river with clean water.

Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water

Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities, according to Your boundless mercy through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the Saints Yours. Amen.

Why does the Church sanctify Easter cakes and Easter cakes?

Christian Easter is Christ Himself with His Body and Blood. “Easter Christ the Deliverer,” as the Church sings and the Apostle Paul says (). Therefore, one should especially receive communion on Easter day. But since many Orthodox Christians have the custom of receiving the Holy Mysteries during Great Lent and on the bright day of the Resurrection of Christ, only a few receive communion, then, after the Liturgy is celebrated, on this day special offerings of believers, usually called Easter and Easter cakes, are blessed and consecrated in the church, so that they can eat from them it reminded of the communion of the true Pascha of Christ and united all the faithful in Jesus Christ.

The consumption of blessed Easter cakes and Easter cakes on Bright Week by Orthodox Christians can be likened to eating Old Testament Passover, which on the first day of Easter week the chosen people of God ate as a family (, Z-4). Also, after the blessing and consecration of Christian Easter cakes and Easter cakes, believers on the first day of the holiday, having come home from churches and having completed the feat of fasting, as a sign of joyful unity, the whole family begins bodily reinforcement - stopping the fast, everyone eats the blessed Easter cakes and Easter, using them in throughout Bright Week.

Prosphora (Greek “offering”) is a liturgical liturgical bread used for the sacrament of the Eucharist and for commemoration during the proskomedia of the living and the dead.

Prosphora in Orthodox Church, following the example of the first Christians, they bake from leavened dough, consisting of the best wheat flour, without any admixture mixed with clean water with the addition of salt, yeast starter and holy water.

The prosphora consists of two parts, which are made from dough separately from one another and then joined together. On the upper part there is a seal depicting a four-pointed equilateral cross with the inscriptions above the crossbar IC and XC (Jesus Christ), under the crossbar HI KA (victory in Greek) or (as an exception, by special permission) the image of a saint.

The prosphora consists of two parts in commemoration of the two natures of Jesus Christ - divine and human.

St. Simeon of Thessalonica He talks about leavened bread like this:

“Leave bread is bread, as if animated through kvass and truly perfect... It shows that the Word of God is perfect: for our sake it took on our flesh; It became incarnate without changing Its nature, and with a verbal and intellectual soul it took on humanity; was both a perfect God and a perfect Man, and he will recreate me all... There are three substances in leavened bread, because our soul is tripartite and in honor of the Trinity. Flour with leaven signifies the soul, water signifies baptism, and salt signifies the mind and teaching of the Word, Who said to the disciples: “You are the salt of the earth.” Bread baked by fire shows that God is completely united with us and gives us His help and assistance, and especially that He is completely united with our entire nature.”

The origin of prosphora goes back to ancient times.

IN Old Testament there was a commandment about sacrificing bread: “he shall bring leavened bread as his offering, with a peace offering of thanksgiving” (Lev. 7:13).

The origin of the two-part prosphora is also found in the Old Testament.

Saint Simeon of Thessalonica says: “Everything that Moses built inside the tabernacle, and especially the ark and the table, which represented the Mother of God, was called the holy of holies. ...There was also showbread in the tabernacle, with its two compositions meaning living and heavenly bread, i.e. two natures, Divine and human."

In ancient times, prosphora was the name given to offerings of bread, wine, oil, and wax for candles, with which the first Christians came to church for the liturgy. From these voluntary offerings, part of the bread and wine was separated for the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and the other part was eaten at a fraternal meal.

This offering (in Greek - prosphora), or donation, was accepted by the deacons; The names of those who brought them were included in a special list, which was prayerfully proclaimed during the consecration of the gifts. Relatives and friends of the deceased made offerings on their behalf, and the names of the deceased, included in a special list, were also remembered in prayer.

Subsequently, only bread used for the liturgy began to be called prosphora. Over time, instead of ordinary bread, they began to specially bake prosphora in the church, accepting money as a donation in addition to ordinary offerings.

Prosphora can be obtained behind the candle box after the liturgy, submitting a note “On health” or “On repose” before the start of the service. The names indicated in the notes are read at the altar, and for each name a particle is taken from the prosphora.

Prosphora is a shrine and believers reverently eat it before eating any food. Parents should teach their children to treat prosphora with reverence, eat it correctly and not allow crumbs to fall on the floor.

The prosphora is kept in the holy corner near the icons, in clean dishes, not at all together with other food products.

Spoiled prosphora you should burn it yourself (or take it to church for this).

Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water

Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities, according to Your boundless mercy through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all the Saints Yours. Amen.

What is antidor

At the end of the liturgy, the antidoron is distributed to the worshipers - small pieces of prosphora, from which the Holy Lamb was taken out at the proskomedia. The Greek word antidor comes from the words anti - “instead” and di oron - “gift”, that is, the exact translation of this word is instead of gift.

“Antidorus,” says Saint Simeon of Thessalonica, “is sacred bread that was offered as an offering and the middle of which was taken out and used for sacred rites; this bread, as sealed with a copy and having received divine words, is taught instead of terrible Gifts, that is, the Mysteries, to those who have not partaken of them.”

The custom of distributing the antidoron apparently arose in order to provide some consolation and sanctification to those who did not receive communion at the liturgy. Instead of the Holy Gifts, they began to be given the bread that remained from the bloodless sacrifice.

The first evidence of the distribution of particles of antidor to those who did not partake of the Holy Mysteries dates back to the 7th century and is contained in the rules of the IX Council of Kamnet in Gaul.

In the Eastern Church, the oldest mention of the antidoron can be considered the testimony of the “Explanation on the Liturgy” of Herman of Constantinople according to the list of the 11th century. Next, we should indicate the testimony of Balsamon (12th century) in the 15th response to Patriarch Mark of Alexandria.
According to the Nomocanon, if the particles of the prosphora from which the Holy Lamb was taken are insufficient for the antidor, prosphora in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos can be used to prepare it. According to the instructions of the Helmsman, antidor is not taught to infidels and those under penance.

Antidor should be received reverently, folding your palms crosswise, right over left, and kissing the hand of the priest giving this gift. According to the rules of the Church, the antidoron must be eaten in church, on an empty stomach and with reverence, because this is holy bread, bread from the altar of God, part of the offerings to the altar of Christ, from which it receives heavenly sanctification.